TCM examination methods

Note TCM

Much more information about the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) can be found under our topic:

• Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)

Examination in TCM

In the early days of this ancient art of healing, only the sensory organs of the doctor were in the foreground for examination:

• See
• Feel
• Smell and taste
• Listen
  and
• specific questions

put.
Goal of every investigation is - as it is still today - the collection of findings, their analysis and interpretation via the diagnosis leads to the selection of therapy.

Treatment in TCM

The modern medicine is primarily based on findings in which TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) the focus is on the patient's condition.
Nowadays, of course, in acute emergencies, both here and in China, modern diagnostics such as roentgen- and laboratory results are also used.
Especially with the resuscitation and surgery they are indispensable.
When collecting the findings, TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) uses the concept of 16 questions Wang Xuetai very helpful.
These questions about the individual program of people are based on questions about:

• psyche
• General condition
• Complexion
• Body temperature
• sensitivity
• Motor skills / tone
• breathing
• food
• bowel movement
• micturition
• Sweat secretion
• Menstruation
• wound
• Palpation (palpation) abdomen (abdomen)
• tongue
  and
• Pulse.

The elevated states become again in the dualistic principle of Yin and yang assigned.

Overall, a "good doctor of the western school" should be in his first anamnese respond to these questions. The examination of the tongue and the pulse plays a special role in diagnosis in TCM.

A disease of the whole organism can be diagnosed from the examination of these parts of the body. This is how the Tip of tongue the heart and the liver assigned to liver and Gallbladder to the edge of the tongue, stomach and spleen to the middle of the tongue and the kidney to the root of the tongue. In addition to the tongue body and any coating, the shape and color of the tongue are assessed.

Pulse diagnostics

The Pulse diagnostics is a bit more difficult and requires years of practice and a lot of experience. The pulsation point is the Radial artery (Main artery of the wrist) selected.
The points are the Meridian points lungs 7.8 and 9 Both hands are used and can be felt with the ring, middle and index fingers.
The criteria here are:

• the depth of the pulse
• the frequency,
• Shape of the pulse wave
• the current
  and
• the rhythm.

One can imagine that with this very subjective method no results that can be reproduced in terms of apparatus can be produced.
In addition, the statements made by Chinese doctors about different pulses differ greatly.

Treatment methods in TCM

If a doctor has now adequately examined the patient and carefully collated all the findings, the choice of therapy type follows the following questions:

• Can acupuncture be expected to be successful?
• If so, is acupuncture enough?
• Combination with other methods?

Then an optimal acupuncture program is created in which three basic questions must be clarified:

• Which meridian does the syndrome fit?
• Which organ does the syndrome fit?
• Which modalities (accompanying circumstances, trigger factors) play a role?

The time factor is important in two ways.
On the one hand for the type and location of treatment (in acute illnesses the focus is on the so-called distant points and in chronic illnesses on local points) and on the other hand for the frequency, duration and time of treatment.
In general one can say that a Acupuncture series about 10-15 sessions to ever 20-30 minutes includes.
Acute complaints such as a headache However, they are successfully treated in 80-90% of patients after 1-3 sessions.
Chronic complaints take longer to treat. If the symptoms persist, you can also think about permanent needles.
These usually stay in the body for a week. The recommended interval between treatments is twice a week, but it can also be done twice a day for very acute issues.
Seasonal complaints such as hay fever, should be treated with acupuncture 4-6 weeks prior to the expected occurrence.