Required fields not completed correctly.Understanding Traditional Chinese Medicine
The diagnostic language used within Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is quite different from that used within Western medicine (WM). In this section of the site, I will attempt to provide a simplified explanation of some of the common terms used and explain some of the more common patterns of disharmony.
It must be noted that TCM diagnosis forms a complex interwoven pattern or “clinical landscape” that serves to understand, for each patient “what is going on?” in a truly holistic sense. This is not a linear process that sees symptoms in isolation but weaves together an intricate pattern of imbalances that explains the whole.
Try reading “The web that has no weaver” by Ted Kaptchuk
The Fundamental Substances (the basic ingredients of human life)
Jing
Jing or ‘Essence’can be described as that which we bring into the world. It determines our constitutional make-up and is formed at conception by fusion of the Jing of our parents. In Western terms, this could be described as our DNA/genetic make up. Jing determins our growth, maturation and development, our brain function, our constitutional strength and resistance to disease. It is said to be fixed in quantity but naturally declines with age. By living a moderate and balanced lifestyle, our Jing is preserved enabling a long healthy life. By living beyond our energy, working too hard, consuming too many stimulants, overloading our digestive system, not balancing our rest and activity, our Jing is depleted and we will age prematurely and our bodies suffer from disharmony which leads to disease.
Signs of Jing deficiency include:
premature aging, early hair loss/graying, infertility, poor memory and weakening of the bones.
Qi
Signs of Qi deficiency include:
tiredness, weak voice, spontaneous sweating, lack of appetite, loose stools and poor immunity.
Blood
Signs of Blood deficiency include:
tiredness, anxiety, palpitations, dizziness, dry hair and skin, abscent or scanty menstruation, insomnia and floaters before the eyes.
Shen
It is the ‘spark of our being which shines through our eyes when we are truly awake’. The Shen refers to our consciousness or spirit, specifically the mind. In TCM, the Shen is said to be housed by the Heart. A healthy Shen is said to be evident by the ‘glitter’ in a person’s eyes. The Eight Principles
Yin and Yang
Yin
cooling, moistening, quiescience/night-time, nutritive elements of the body.
Signs of Yin deficiency include
feelings of heat in palms, soles of feet and chest or face, night sweating, insomnia, nervousness and emaciation.
Yang
warming, drying, activity/daytime, dynamic elements of the body.
Signs of Yang deficiency include
tiredness and feelings of cold, frequent pale urination, lack of motivation and timidity.
Excess (shi) and Deficiency (xu)
Excess
Not surprisingly, an Excess condition refers to too much of something. This is best demonstrated in relation to pain conditions: an acute, stabbing pain which is relieved by movement would likely indicate an excess.
Deficiency
A deficiency is usually caused by overworking a particular body system or in some cases, by a constitutional weakness. To use the example of pain conditions, a dull, aching pain which is improved by rest would indicate a deficiency.
Interior and Exterior
The distinction between interior and exterior conditions is essentially quite simple. Interior conditions are internal disharmonies rather than via an external influence such as a cold virus (pathogen).
Heat and Cold
Cold may develop due to a deficiency of Yang, the bodies warming energy or manifest as a result of an external pathogen. Similarily, Heat occurs as a result of excess of yang (full heat) or a deficiency of yin (empty heat) or as a result of an external pathogen.
The Five Zang
The five Zang are the Yin organs of the body which are also paired with the Fu or Yang organs. The important distinction here is to understand that when talking about, for example: the ‘Liver’ we are not necessarily talking about the organ itself but the systems/functions associated with it. I’ve included below, information on some of the more common patterns we come across in practice. There are however, many more and usually patients will present with a number of overlapping patterns of disharmony.
There are complex inter-relationships between the ZangFu. For example, when the Spleen is overloaded or weak and unable to transform food and fluids, phlegm is produced. This can manifest in the lungs as excess mucus. Too much fatty or greasy food and/or stress can stagnate the Liver producing excess heat which flares up and injures the Heart. When formulating a TCM diagnoses, the aim is to find the root cause of the patients symptoms.
Liver
The Liver’s main function is to store the Blood and in turn regulates hormonal balance. It is responsible for nourishing tendons and muscles and has a close relationaship with the eyes. The emotion connected with the Liver is anger. The Liver is most susceptible during the Spring and is paired with the Gallbladder.Liver qi is most commonly affected by stress which interupts the ‘smooth flow’ of processes of the body.
Liver Qi Stagnation
Symptoms may include:
Tension, irritability, anger, depression, abdominal distension, constipation, Irregular periods, painful periods and PMT/pre-menstrual breast distension.
Liver Blood stagnation
Symptoms may include:
Irregular or late periods, severe menstrual pain and/or dark, clotted menstrual flow, heavy or scant menstrual flow (period not getting going), fixed abdominal masses.As qi stagnates, so too does Blood eventually..
Liver Blood deficiency
Lack of available nutrients in the blood gives rise to Blood deficiency. Vegetarians who are not careful about getting good quality proteins in their diets are prone to this but so too are those who have a poor diet, suffer severe blood loss, for example during childbirth, ongoing heavy periods or who generally ‘work beyond their energy’.
Symptoms may include:
muscle cramps, spasms, muscle weakness, numbness and tingling in the limbs, dry hair and skin, hair loss, blurred vision, floaters, tired, dry or gritty eyes. Dry brittle or withered nails. Infrequent, scanty or lack of periods (amenorrheoa). Dizziness, fainting, poor memory, tiredness, vivid dreams.
Heart
Heart Qi deficiency
Heart qi is affected mainly by emotional strain.
Symptoms may include:
Palpitations, shortness of breath, excessive sweating, general fatigue and weakness, stuffiness/suffocating feeling in the chest.
Heart Blood deficiency
Symptoms may include: Palpitations, Insomnia. Dream disturbed sleep. Anxiety and propensity to be startled. Dizziness.Heart Blood deficiency is usually seen as a progression of Liver Blood deficiency.
Spleen
The Spleen is said to maintain lightness and raises our qi. The Spleen is most susceptible during late Summer. The emotion associated with the Spleen is worry. It is paired with the Stomach.
Spleen Qi deficiency
Spleen qi deficiency can be thought of as a general weakness of the digestive system which can be caused by overeating or overloading ourselves with food. Putting too many demands on our bodies (through overwork both physically and mentally) without time for recouporation taxes the Spleen and in time, it becomes weak.
Symptoms may include:
Fatigue, anorexia, tired heavy limbs, abdominal distension after eating, loose stools, acid reflux, shortness of breath.
Spleen Yang deficiency
Spleen Yang deficiency can be thought of as a coldness of the digestive system, also cxaused by overwork which affects the Yang of the body.
Symptoms may include:
Early morning diarrhoea, cold limbs, loose watery stools containing undigested food, mental fatigue.
Spleen Qi deficiency with Damp
When the Spleen becomes deficient, it becomes unable to process foods and fluids adequately enough which gives rise to damp. This is most often caused by overeating, or eating too many heavy fatty foods.
Symptoms may include:
Oedema in limbs (especially legs) Stuffy feeling in the chest, heavy limbs, weight gain.
Lung
The lungs are sometimes called the ‘delicate organs’ because of their susceptability to invasion of pathogens (i.e. Colds and flu). The Lung provides our defensive qi likened to our immune system. Mucus in the lungs (other than infection) is caused by the inability of the Spleen to transform food and fluids. Sadness, worry and grief weaken the qi of the Lung. Lung qi can also be weakened by life habits such as: sitting, bent over a desk which impair breathing, smoking and excessive use of the voice (i.e teachers, singers). The Lungs are most susceptible during Autumn.
Lung Qi deficiency
Symptoms may include:
Shortness of breath. Cough. Weak voice. Spontaneous daytime sweating. Dislike of cold. Bright white complexion. Propensity to colds.
Lung Yin deficiency
Smoking is probably the most common cause of Lung Yin deficiency.
Symptoms may include:
Dry cough. Heat signs late afternoon/evening.
Kidney
The Kidneys generally dominate the lower jiao (“jow”) i.e. Bladder, Large Intestine and Uterus. The emotion associated with the Kidney is fear. Kidney qi can be affected by hereditary weakness such as poor health or old age of parents. Long term emotional strain, excessive sexual activity, chronic illnes and overwork will eventually weaken Kidney qi. Kidney qi naturally declines with age. The Kidneys are most susceptible during Winter.
Kidney Yang deficiency
Symptoms may include:
Coldness, lower back pain-weakness of the knees (maybe feelings of cold in back and knees), impotence, infertility, excessive urination, oedema (swelling, usually of legs/ankles)
Kidney Yin deficiency
Symptoms may include:
Thirst, dry mouth, constipation, scanty dark urine. Tinnitus, Dizziness, vertigo, poor memory. Night sweating, hot flushes. Low back pain and weakness. Weak restlessness.
Student Resources
Below are some of the notes I used whilst studying Chinese Medicine. They are designed as quick crib sheets or to be put up on the wall. Feel free to print and use, I hope they are helpful.
