Shi Xiangdong, a doctor at the TCM department of Huayang Community Hospital in Shanghai's Changning district, receives more than 12,000 patients a year. Such is his reputation that many of his patients would travel two hours from remote districts to be treated by him.

"Patients have to make an appointment with me at least three months in advance because I simply have too many patients to handle," said the 48-year-old.

Shi handles multiple patients at any time. A row of timers on the wall helps him to keep track of the time left for each patient's treatment. He starts working around 7:30 am and does not stop till five hours later.

Mou Lili, 70, who started receiving treatment from Shi seven years ago for neck pain, said he was unlike most TCM doctors.

"Doctors will usually only work on the part of the body that experiences discomfort, but Shi applies treatment on the relevant meridian systems all over your body after checking your health situation by feeling the pulse and pressing different parts of the body to see if you feel sore," she said.

Since 2013, 24 common TCM treatments have been used in more than 300 community hospitals in the city. Many of these treatments are used in alleviating pain. Shi said that many patients who suffered pains because of lumbar disc protrusion were healed without the need for surgery because of acupuncture coupled with electric stimulation.

"In most cases, I'm confident a patient who cannot turn his or her head will be able to do that after acupuncture treatment and massage for 15 minutes," he said.

"Acupuncture and massage are very helpful for middle-aged and senior residents, many of whom suffer pains in the neck, shoulders, legs and other parts of the body. When people get older, there is an increasing need for such treatments," said Shi.

Shi said that TCM treatments can be effective in treating health problems that do not cause pain, such as insomnia, hair loss, hives, allergic rhinitis, myopia and even depression.

For patients suffering from insomnia, Shi uses acupuncture and a special massage technique that dates back more than a century. The focus for the treatment of depression lies in healing the liver which affects the flow of qi, or life energy.