Diagnostic Methods in Traditional Chinese Medicine

As seen earlier, the basis of Chinese philosophy of treatment is that everything depends on normalizing the flow of qi or “vital energy”, blood and the fluids in the body.

Pain and diseases are treated by correcting locally the accumulated deficiencies. Chinese traditional medicinal theory strongly believes that any kind of a pain indicates either a blockage of the qi flow, blood or the fluids in the body. According to them the axiom goes thus – “no pain, no blockage” or “no blockage, no pain”.

Another axiom which depicts the delicate balance between the blood and the qi goes thus – “blood is the mother of qi, and qi is the commander of blood”. Both qi and blood work together in order to move the qi and to nourish the blood and the body fluids.

Patients experience some sensations termed by the Chinese as “deqi” which means receiving the qi or the arrival of the qi. Traditionally, when the patient experiences this sensation, it was sufficient evidence that the right acupuncture point for treatment has been located or identified.

Modern medical acupuncture uses certain electronic devices which are programmed to make a noise when what they press the exact acupuncture point.

In Traditional-Chinese-Medicine or TCM, there are four methods of diagnosis- Inspection, Auscultation and Olfaction, Inquiring and Palpation.

Inspection – Inspection involves carefully studying the face, especially the tongue. This includes the analysis of the size, shape, tension, color and coating of the tongue. This method also studies the presence or absence of teeth marks around the edge.

Olfaction and Auscultation – this method involves listening for certain sounds like wheezing and also looking into the body’s distinct odor.

Seven Inquiries – this method involves the “seven inquiries”. These are –

• Perspiration

• Chills and fever

• Thirst and taste

• Appetite

• Defecation and urination

• Menses and leucorrhoea

• Pain and sleep

Palpitation – this method involves physically feeling the body for what is called the tender “ashi” points. This also involves the palpation of both the right and the left radial pulses at both the superficial and the deeper levels.

The three positions, namely the Cun, Guan and Chi which are in immediate proximity to the crease of the wrist and at a proximity of one or two fingers breadth is also palpated with the index, middle and the ring fingers.

There are many other forms of diagnostic methods depending on the form or type of acupuncture to be employed.