During your first visit, a TCM practitioner will make a detailed assessment of your overall health in order to identify any imbalances. The practitioner will use four methods of diagnosis (四诊sizhen, four examinations). These four methods includeinspection（望诊wangzhen),listening and smelling(闻诊wenzhen), inquiry(问诊wenzhen)and pulsetakingand palpation (切诊qiezhen). The moment you walk in the clinic, the practitioner has begun his observation. He or she observes your complexion, the way you walk, the voice of your talking, the brightness of your hair etc. While you are seated, the doctor will exam your pulse with index, middle and ring finger of each arm. The rhythm, strength and volume of your pulse will be described with qualities like “floating, slippery, feeble, thready and quick”. Each of the quality indicates certain disease pattern. Meanwhile, you will be asked to show your tongue to examine its shape, size, color and texture. Then he or she will ask you about your subjective sensations of temperature, such as “what do you habitually feel, hot or cold?” You’ll also be asked about your sleep habits, the state of your appetite and digestion, and your thirst levels. If you report pain, the practitioner will ask what makes it better or worse. Then, a treatment plan will be customized for you to support the flow of qi in your body. This may include acupuncture, dietary advice, prescription of one or more herbal formulas or a combination of treatments.
Besides what I have told you above, below are some facts about TCM to help you understand more about it.
TCM has clear branches.
TCM is not just about taking a patient's pulse and drinking herbal potions. It has clear branches, just as Western medicine does.
Most TCM drugs are acquired easily from plants.
Chinese people have used nature's power to keep healthy for a long time. For example, the most well-known TCM herbs are goji berries, ginger, and cinnamon. Goji berries can nourish liver and kidney, benefit essence and blood, therefore many people, especially middle-aged men, like to drink goji berry tea to preserve health.
There's no fixed recipe in TCM.
The same medicinal materials with different ratios can have different effects. Some curative formula might become harmful due to improper ratios. The recipe of each prescription is adjusted based on the patient’s physical condition. Therefore, without professional consultation, you can’t just use herbal medicine or treatment because of little side effects.
TCM hospitals are not 100% traditional nowadays.
In China, if you find TCM doctors carry out a blood test, don’t feel surprised. Nowadays, machines are also used in TCM hospitals to help doctors makeadiagnosis. Normally, patients can choose whether to take Western medicine or herbal concoctions and other TCM treatments.
转载自《中医药文化概览》
