Chinese medicine diagnosis method

In TCM there are four diagnostic methods：①Inspection is a method of diagnosis in which the doctor understands and predicts the pathological changes of internal organs by observing abnormal changes in the patient’s vitality，color，appearance，five sense organs，tongue tongue form and tongue coating），secretions and excretions.②Auscultation-olfaction refers to listening and smelling.The doctor listens to the patient’s speech，respiration ，cough，and special sounds like vomit ，hiccough ，and others.The smelling examination includes abnormal odors emitted from the patient’s body，excretions and secretions .③Inquiry is asking the patient or the patient’s companion about the disease condition in order to understand the pathological process.It covers a wide range of topics:chillfever，perspiration ，appetite，thirst，taste，defecation，urination ，pain，sleep，menses ，leucorrhea ，etc.④Palpation involves taking the pulse and pressing the skin，hands，feet，chest，abdomen and other areas to check for pathological changes.Pulse-taking is the most important aspect.

As the human body is an organic entity，its regional pathological changes may affect the whole body，and the pathological changes of the internal organs may manifest themselves on the body surface.Inspection，auscultation-olfaction，inquiry and palpation are the four approaches to understand the pathological conditions.They cannot be separated，but relate to and supplement one another.In the clinical situation，only by combining the four can a comprehensive and systematic understanding of the condition of the disease be gained and a correct diagnosis made.Any inclination to one aspect while neglecting the other three is one-sided and therefore is not suggested.

Differentiation of syndromes is the TCM method of recognizing and diagnosing diseases.In accordance with the basic TCM knowledge，this method entails making a comprehensive analysis of the symptoms and signs obtained by applying the four diagnostic methods.Its purposes are to know the essentials，to identify the causative facts，the location and nature，and to obtain conclusions about the confrontation between pathogenic and antipathogenic factors.

Differentiation of syndromes and the determination of treatment are inseparable，one relating to the other.The former is the premise and foundation of the latter.The methods of treatment，so determined，may in turn test the.validity of the differentiation.Correct differentiation is a prerequisite for applying appropriate methods and attaining anticipated results.

hancheng

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