Your Chinese Medicine Diagnosis
/Imagine a healthcare system that has been used for over 2,000 years—one that sees not just your symptoms, but the whole you. This is the essence of Chinese medicine.
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) offers a holistic approach to health. It doesn't rely on lab tests or imaging, as Western medicine does. Instead, TCM uses ancient diagnostic methods like questioning, observation, and palpation to uncover the root causes of imbalances in the body. This approach doesn’t just look at physical symptoms but also considers your emotional, mental, and spiritual well-being, offering a truly comprehensive view of health.
What is a Chinese Medicine Diagnosis?
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), diagnosis revolves around understanding the functional roles of internal organs, the intricate network of channels that connect these organs to the body’s exterior AND to one another, and the “fundamental substances” that sustain them. These substances—Qi, Blood, and Jing—play a vital role in ensuring the organs operate in harmony, supporting overall health and balance.
Why is a TCM Diagnosis Different?
One of the first things many people share with me is their Western medical diagnosis. While this can be helpful, it’s not essential in TCM. This system views health and illness through a different lens.
Rather than identifying a specific disease, TCM seeks to uncover patterns of disharmony—underlying imbalances that lead to symptoms. That disharmony may manifest in one or more organs, fundamental substances may be off kilter, or both organs and fundamental substances may be involved.
The organ system
Organs are understood not just anatomically but functionally; for example, the Heart in TCM is far more than the muscular pump we think of in the West. It encompasses emotional well-being, memory, sleep and even fertility, as emotional disturbances can affect the balance of hormones.
Fundamental substances
Qi, Blood, and Jing – the “three treasures”
What is Qi? Ask one hundred Chinese Medicine practitioners and you could get one hundred different answers! The translation can be as basic as “energy”. To me, Qi is a concept that explains how well the body is functioning. For example, if your Lung Qi is strong, you will breathe easily, if your Heart Qi is robust that important muscle is beating regularly, and you are emotionally stable.
The concept of Blood is similar to the Western understanding; a vehicle to move nutrients and oxygen around the body. TCM also sees Blood as a vehicle to house the mind. The quality of Blood is very much determined by the quality of the food we eat, and the connection between blood and the mind isn’t completely at odds with Western thinking. There is now a growing understanding of the connections between mental health and diet.
And Jing? Think of your constitution. Some lucky souls are born with a super strong constitution and seem to be able to withstand anything life throws at them, , whereas others are hit by everything that comes along. We can’t change what we’re born with, but most of us can look after our reserves of Jing with good lifestyle choices.
When things go wrong
Imagine your body as a house. The walls create a barrier between the interior and exterior protecting you from the environment. Inside, you have systems in place to make sure the atmosphere is just right; not too hot or cold, not too dry or damp. But if the heating system isn’t working well, the house can become icy or overheat, the atmosphere may become too dry or damp can breach the boundaries. And if the windows cannot withstand the elements, wind will whip through the house.
Natural metaphors such as Damp, Heat, Dryness, and Wind, help us understand how your body functions in TCM terms.
These terms may seem abstract, but they are grounded in a structured diagnostic process. And it’s not too hard to see how they came about. Before there was any understanding of bacteria and viruses, infections were seen as an invasion of Wind. And the resulting raised temperature of an infection can clearly be seen as excess Heat in the body.
“Ancient Chinese medicine had no knowledge of bacteria or viruses and acute respiratory were considered to be due to an invasion of ‘Wind’ or other climatic factors”
What to expect during your session
Your first session in TCM might surprise you with its depth. It’s all about getting to know you, your body, and your life. The process typically includes:
• Pulse Diagnosis The pulse is a treasure trove of information in TCM, far beyond just heart rate and rhythm.
I’ll feel the pulse in three positions on each wrist and at three depths in each position. Each position corresponds to an organ and provides insights into your Qi (energy), Blood, and the health of your organs.
• Questioning: We’ll have a chat about your lifestyle, medical history, sleep, diet, digestion, emotions, and more. If you have pain, I’ll want to know when it occurs, how it feels, and what makes it better or worse.
• Tongue Examination
The tongue reflects the state of your internal organs. Its colour, shape, coating, and moisture level give clues about your overall health. Remember those climatic factors such as Damp and Dryness – they can be seen quite clearly on the tongue. If you’re brave enough to ask to examine your friends’ tongues, you’ll begin to see how different they are – you may notice how ‘dried out’ one looks, or a thick greasy coat on another showing Damp in the body.
• Palpation: Palpating acupuncture channels can uncover more information about your body’s imbalances. Channels may also seem an abstract concept, but these are real places linking the exterior of the body to the interior, with many connections between them. Channels spread throughout the body, but are usually easy to locate on the limbs, in the spaces between muscle and bone.
What am I looking for? The texture of the skin, how firm the channel is, and if there are any lumps and bumps along the way. They all help me to work out what’s going on.
“Tong bing yi zhi, Yi bing tong zhi,”
Different Diseases, One treatment, Same Disease, Different Treatments
This classic saying in Chinese medicine, “Tong bing yi zhi, Yi bing tong zhi,” captures its essence.
Two people with the same Western diagnosis, for example migraines, may receive entirely different treatments because their underlying patterns differ. Conversely, two people with completely different issues might benefit from similar treatments if their patterns of disharmony are the same.
Let’s look at some examples. It’s winter time as I write this, we’ll look at a couple of simple cough scenarios !
1. John has a dry tickly cough, feels thirsty, and has a hoarse voice.
He doesn’t have a temperature or any other signs of illness. John is suffering from “Lung dryness” caused by spending too much time in overheated and dry environments, such as his office and the pubs and clubs he’s gone to for Christmas parties.
2. Sarah also has a cough. She can’t stand the cold, she has an itchy throat, she’s breathless, has a blocked nose and her head and body aches. Sarah has an Invasion of the Lungs by Wind-Cold!
In this case, Wind means a pathogen such as a virus or bacteria has entered the body – when Chinese Medicine was developed over 2,000 years ago, there was no knowledge of such things.
Likewise that migraine may show up as a Liver issue, or it could have more to do with the function of the Stomach. There may be some Heat or there could be Damp, or even Damp’s uglier relative, Phlegm. The possibilities are almost endless, so we need to look for and treat the underlying cause of the migraine - “same disease, different treatments “
And the “Different Diseases, One Treatment “ side of the equation? Let’s take Damp as an example. Damp can be caused by exposure to Damp environments or by eating a Damp-forming diet (lots of wheat, dairy, and sugar!). It can show up as a feeling of heaviness in the limbs, a fuzzy head, or it might affect the stools or urination. Either way, the treatment is likely to involve fortifying the body’s warming systems to clear the Damp, much as you would do in a damp house.
A Treatment Tailored to You
After gathering all this information and making your diagnosis, I’ll develop a treatment plan that’s unique to you. This includes selecting acupuncture points on specific channels to address the root cause of your imbalance. Everything—needle placement, depth, and technique—is carefully chosen to suit your needs.
Your acupuncture treatment plan evolves as your body responds, reflecting a dynamic and personalised approach to healing.
Helping Yourself Heal
Healing is often a collaborative effort. Alongside acupuncture, I may recommend lifestyle or dietary adjustments to support your recovery. This could include:
• Eating or avoiding certain foods to support your recovery.
• Incorporating relaxation techniques to reduce stress.
• Trying gentle movement practices like Qi Gong, or yogic breathing techniques, to enhance your treatment.
These small changes, combined with regular acupuncture, can make a big difference in restoring harmony to your body and mind.
If you're ready to explore a personalised treatment plan, I’m here to help guide you on your journey toward balance and well-being..