Wang Wen asked cut Chinese Medicine
2 min readPattern identification provides the theoretical basis for diagnosis and treatment in traditional Chinese medicine.Pattern identification holistically determines diagnosis and treatment according to the overall condition of the patient and the location，nature，and stage of the disease.This is in contrast to Western medicine，which determines treatment according to disease or symptoms.Pattern identification is unique to TCM，and is its most important and frequently used diagnostic principle.
Pattern identification consists of two stage-identifying the pattern of the disease and determiningtreatment on that basis.Pattern includes the location，properties，and pathological manifestations of a condition at each stage of its development.Patterns are identified using the four diagnostic methods-visual examination，olfactory and auditory examination，inquiry，and pulse examination and palpation.Visual examination consists primarily of examining the patient’s tongue，as well identifying changes in localized and general condition and expression.Olfactory and auditory examination discerns changes in the patient’s odor and voice.Inquiry consists of interviewing the patient and family to gain an understanding of the emergence and progression of the disorder，as well as its current symptoms and related circumstances.Pulse examination and palpation primarily consist of taking the deep and superficial pulses，and also feeling the skin，hands，abdomen，limbs，and other parts of the body.
The information that is gathered through examination is compiled and analyzed to determine the cause，nature，location，and stage of the disease，and identify its pattern.For instance，depressed physiological functioning or insufficiency of material to sustain physiological activities may give rise tovacuity pattern.Vacuity pattern is generally seen in cases of chronic illness，congenitally weak constitution，or acquired imbalance.These conditions cause an insufficiency of beneficial Qi，manifesting as damage to the zangfu organs，blood and Qi，and Yin and Yang.
The opposite of vacuity pattern is repletion pattern，which is a manifestation of hyperactive pathogenic Qi.In these cases，beneficial Qi is still able to resist pathogenic Qi and the condition may not yet have become damaging.Repletion pattern often is a sign that the struggle between beneficial Qiand pathogenic Qi is at its height.It usually is seen when pathogens have invaded the body from an external source，or in cases of unbalanced functions of the internal organs or metabolic obstruction.These conditions give rise to accumulation of pathological substances such as phlegm-rheum，water-damp，and static blood.
After the pattern has been identified，appropriate treatment may be determined.The success of the treatment indicates whether the pattern was correctly identified.Pattern identification and determination of treatment represent the two aspects of the treatment of disease.
