Objective Bibliometric approaches are used to investigate the characteristics and benefits of traditional Chinese medicine treatments for dominant diseases that can be applied in clinical therapy to effectively manage geriatric diseases. Methods Clinical research literature on the use of traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of geriatric diseases within the past 10 years was retrieved from CNKI, Wanfang, VIP, and CBM databases. The research trends and clinical efficiency of each disease were statistically analyzed to determine the dominant diseases of TCM. Results A total of 22 859 articles were collected, with 3768 included in the research. In accordance with the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems ( ICD-11) of the World Health Organization, the diseases were classified into 17 categories and 149 diseases. The diseases primarily affect the circulatory system, skeletal musculoskeletal or connective tissue system, and digestive system. Conclusions Traditional Chinese medicine clinical trials on the treatment of geriatric illnesses cover a diverse spectrum of diseases, although the distribution of focus is unequal. Potential dominant illnesses were eventually identified to include osteoporosis, constipation, and hypertension,with heart failure, stroke, coronary heart disease, diabetes and its complications, and insomnia being potential subdominant diseases.