08.30.08
Posted in Basic Theories, Diagnosis, Glossary, Traditional Chinese Medicine at 3:58 pm by Dr. Pharm Tao
Exterior and interior of the body (called “Biao Li†in Chinese) are important concepts in traditional Chinese medicine. These concepts describe and define the locations of the diseases, and are very important for diagnosis and the selection of treatment methods. Exterior and interior are two of the eight principal syndromes (Ba Gang), indicating the relative positions and severity of the disease.
“Exterior†refers to the relatively superficial parts of the body. “Interior†refers to the relatively internal or “deeper†parts of the body. “Exterior syndromes (‘Biao Zheng’ in Chinese)†are conditions that the external parts of the body are attacked by exogenous factors such as cold and wind. “Interior syndromes (‘Li Zheng’ in Chinese)†are conditions that the internal parts or organs of the body are affected by pathogenic factors.
There are exterior meridians and interior meridians. Diseases can be transmitted between exterior (e.g., Taiyang or Major Yang) and interior (e.g., Shaoyin or Minor Yin) meridians, which is called the “exterior-interior transmission (‘Biao Li Chuan’ in Chinese).â€
When the exterior defensive Qi is unconsolidated (called “Biao Qi Bu Gu†in Chinese), the person can become susceptible to exogenous pathogenic factors such as cold and wind. Such conditions are usually the factors of infectious diseases.
If there are symptoms occurring at both exterior and interior parts, it is called “illness of both the exterior and interior (‘Biao Li Tong Bin’ in Chinese).†Such conditions usually show symptoms and signs of cold or heat in both the exterior and interior positions. In such cases, both exterior and interior parts should be treated, e.g., using diaphoretics and purgative herbs simultaneously, which is called “resolving both exterior and interior (‘Biao Li Shuang Jie’ in Chinese).â€
The “half-exterior and half-interior syndrome (‘Ban Biao Ban Li Zheng’ in Chinese)†is a complex syndrome that the attack of exogenous pathogens is between the exterior and the interior of the body. This condition may show symptoms as alternate fever and chills, fullness over the chest, hypochondria, irritability, restlessness, nausea and vomiting, bitter taste in the mouth, and taut pulse.
“Exterior cold (‘Biao Han’ in Chinese)†means that there are pathogenic wind and cold factors attacking the exterior or external part of the body. Such conditions may show symptoms as chills, fever, headaches, joint pains, and floating and tense pulse.
“Exterior heat (‘Biao Re’ in Chinese)†means that there pathogenic wind and heat factors attacking the exterior or external part of the body. Such conditions may show symptoms as fever, aversion to wind, headaches, thirst, and floating and rapid pulse.
When there are cold factors in the exterior and heat in the interior (called “Biao Han Li Re†in Chinese), the condition may be caused by pre-existing internal heat and the attack of exogenous cold or wind. It may be also due to the existence of cold in the exterior, with the accumulation of heat during the process of the transmission of the external pathogenic factors inward. Such conditions may show symptoms of exterior-cold such as chills, fever, headaches, asthma, as well as symptoms of interior-heat including irritability, thirst, constipation, and yellow urine.
When there are heat factors in the exterior and cold in the interior (called “Biao Re Li Han†in Chinese), the condition may be caused by pre-existing deficiency and cold of the stomach and spleen, with the attack of exogenous pathogenic wind and heat factors. Such conditions may show symptoms of exterior-heat such as fever, headaches, aversion to wind, and internal-cold symptoms including cold limbs and diarrhea.
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08.17.08
Posted in Diagnosis, Glossary at 4:10 pm by Dr. Pharm Tao
The color white is matched with metal and the lung according to the Five Element Theory. In Chinese medicine, the color white usually represents deficiency (or asthenia) of the blood, and cold factors. The observation of such color is important for diagnosis. There are several concepts in Chinese medicine that contain the color white.
White coating of the tongue may indicate different pathological changes, depending on the thickness and moisture of the coating. Usually a white coating suggests there are cold factors, or exterior pathogenic factors. However, a thin white coating is usually normal. A thin, white, and dry coating may suggest deficiency of body fluid.
White, thick, and watery coating of the tongue indicates pathogenic factors of cold and dampness. If it is an exterior syndrome, such kind of coating suggests wind-cold and dampness. In interior syndromes, such coating suggests the existence of cold and dampness in the Spleen and Stomach.
White and greasy coating of the tongue indicates the accumulation of dampness and phlegm inside the body. Such kind of coating most likely belongs to the cold syndromes.
White and mold-like coating of the tongue suggests the excessive accumulation of heat in the Stomach. It also indicates the putrefaction of body fluid. If such coating is all over the surface of the tongue and even spreads to the whole mouth, it suggests that the patient is in a very serious condition.
If the face of a patient shows white as dead bones, with dry and lusterless skin, it shows the “true color of the organ lung,†suggesting the exhaustion of the blood, as well as the deficiency of the stomach qi. Such symptom usually occurs in long term and severe diseases.
White and watery sputum indicates that there is dampness inside. Whitish and turbid urine suggests that there is dampness and heat in the Urinary Bladder. In dysentery, whitish and purulent stools indicate the stagnation of dampness and heat in the qi sector.
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08.16.08
Posted in Glossary, Traditional Chinese Medicine at 1:15 pm by Dr. Pharm Tao
The word for the number eight (“Baâ€) in Chinese language sounds similar to the word for prosperity, so this number usually represents luck in Chinese culture. In traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), there are several concepts that contain the number eight.
“Eight therapeutic methods (Ba Fa in Chinese)†refer to eight therapeutic strategies, including diaphoresis, emesis, purgation, mediation, warming, heat-clearing, resolution, and tonification. Here “mediation†means the reconciliation of the functional associations among the internal organs. These are strategies to use herbs for corresponding pathological syndromes.
“Eight principle syndromes (Ba Gang)†are eight types of syndromes in differential diagnosis in Chinese medicine, including yin and yang, exterior and interior, cold and heat, deficiency (or asthenia) and excessiveness (or sthenia).
“Eight principle syndromes for differential diagnosis (Ba Gang Bian Zheng)†refer to one of the fundamental methods of differential diagnosis in Chinese medicine, through the identification of the eight principle syndromes. Based on the comprehensive analysis of the complicated clinical symptoms, this method can be used to decide the features and locations of pathological changes in the human body.
“Eight confluent acupoints (Ba Hui Xue)†are eight influential acupuncture points and the gathering locations of the essential substances of internal organs (Zang and Fu), tendons, marrow, blood, bones, vessels, and qi. These points are closely related to the physiological functions of the body and are important for disease treatment of the corresponding tissues and organs. These points are located on the trunk, and below the knees and elbows on the four limbs.
“Eight convergent acupoints (Ba Mai Jiao Hui Xue)†are eight acupuncture points on the twelve meridians or channels that are connected with the Eight Extra Channels. These points are located below the knees and elbows. They are usually used to heal diseases of the face, head, and trunk that are relevant with the Eight Extra Channels.
“Eight crevices (Ba Xi)†refer to the eight joints at the elbows, wrists, knees, and ankles.
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