Holistic medicine through pattern diagnosis
Diagnosis in Chinese medicine involves categorizing observed signs and reported symptoms into discrete syndromes, or "patterns," often unrecognized within the context of reductionist medical definitions. Primary signs include observation of the tongue and surface tissues, as well as palpation of the pulse (often at the radial artery bilaterally) and deeper tissue structures. Symptoms are cataloged during an intake through an inquiry-based process known as "Ten Questions" which covers broad areas of physiology including: energy, temperature, sweat, sleep, mood, sensory-organs, pain response, appetite/thirst, elimination, and developmental/reproductive systems. The foundation behind these pattern diagnoses involves understanding the body through a lens of environmental macrocosmic-microcosmic relationships. Patterns are often characterized using labels that reflect this worldview and are identified based on patient reported symptoms and practitioner recorded signs which correlate within the consistent diagnostic theory.
For example - a patient with what is termed dampness frequently exhibits a syndromatic symptom pattern that includes primarily: observed tissue swelling, reported sensations of heaviness, and signs of a swollen tongue body with a thick coating. Someone with a heat syndrome may have symptoms like tissue redness or sensations of heat, and signs such as red tongue body and a rapid pulse.
With respect to the inter-relationship of all things, rarely do any phenomena exist solely isolated from the living environment. Often multiple defined patterns will be present at any given time within an individual. Dampness and heat often exist in this way, and in certain contexts may be said to "combine" into damp-heat. Disruption of fluid circulation, technically an aspect of dampness syndromes alone, may promote heat syndromes, such as when tissue swelling due to inflammation becomes red and radiates warmth.
A properly trained practitioner will be able to differentiate the location and combination of patterns, as well as discern developmental stages and develop a treatment.
For example - a patient with what is termed dampness frequently exhibits a syndromatic symptom pattern that includes primarily: observed tissue swelling, reported sensations of heaviness, and signs of a swollen tongue body with a thick coating. Someone with a heat syndrome may have symptoms like tissue redness or sensations of heat, and signs such as red tongue body and a rapid pulse.
With respect to the inter-relationship of all things, rarely do any phenomena exist solely isolated from the living environment. Often multiple defined patterns will be present at any given time within an individual. Dampness and heat often exist in this way, and in certain contexts may be said to "combine" into damp-heat. Disruption of fluid circulation, technically an aspect of dampness syndromes alone, may promote heat syndromes, such as when tissue swelling due to inflammation becomes red and radiates warmth.
A properly trained practitioner will be able to differentiate the location and combination of patterns, as well as discern developmental stages and develop a treatment.
From pattern diagnosis to integrated healthcare
Anything you put into your body becomes integrated into your physiology through metabolism; your diet and lifestyle affect your pattern and health. From a Chinese herbal medicine perspective, ingesting too much or too little of any one thing can result in imbalance and disease.
Contemporary lifestyles often result in excess consumption, particularly of sweet and salty foods, and overly sedentary behaviors. These factors tend to cause imbalances leading to dampness and heat patterns. In addition to diet and lifestyle recommendations, herbs with bitter flavors such as dandelion, indigo, sweet wormwood, or skullcap root can be prescribed by a trained herbalist to clear heat and drain dampness from the body. The pharmacological actions of these substances are often correlated to diuretic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-microbial effects.
Conversely, overuse of bitter medicinal substances can lead to a suppression of digestive function. Often described as qi-deficiency and possibly internal-cold, a person with these patterns typically exhibits concurrent symptoms such as: easily getting tired after light activity or experiencing frequent loose stools that contain undigested food. Both of these conditions may be treated by substances like cinnamon twig and ginger, which are warming and improve circulation to "regulate" impaired physiological function.
From a practical perspective, and especially in complex cases involving chronic disease, rarely do any of the previously mentioned patterns occur in isolation. It is crucial to be able to correctly identify the primary causes of "mixed patterns" when they arise, and to holistically address the complex nature of each person with appropriate treatments.
To read more about the holistic concepts at the foundation of East Asian medicine please visit HOLISTIC MEDICINE | CHINESE HERBALISM. To read more about acupuncture please visit ACUPUNCTURE | INNER ALCHEMY.
Contemporary lifestyles often result in excess consumption, particularly of sweet and salty foods, and overly sedentary behaviors. These factors tend to cause imbalances leading to dampness and heat patterns. In addition to diet and lifestyle recommendations, herbs with bitter flavors such as dandelion, indigo, sweet wormwood, or skullcap root can be prescribed by a trained herbalist to clear heat and drain dampness from the body. The pharmacological actions of these substances are often correlated to diuretic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-microbial effects.
Conversely, overuse of bitter medicinal substances can lead to a suppression of digestive function. Often described as qi-deficiency and possibly internal-cold, a person with these patterns typically exhibits concurrent symptoms such as: easily getting tired after light activity or experiencing frequent loose stools that contain undigested food. Both of these conditions may be treated by substances like cinnamon twig and ginger, which are warming and improve circulation to "regulate" impaired physiological function.
From a practical perspective, and especially in complex cases involving chronic disease, rarely do any of the previously mentioned patterns occur in isolation. It is crucial to be able to correctly identify the primary causes of "mixed patterns" when they arise, and to holistically address the complex nature of each person with appropriate treatments.
To read more about the holistic concepts at the foundation of East Asian medicine please visit HOLISTIC MEDICINE | CHINESE HERBALISM. To read more about acupuncture please visit ACUPUNCTURE | INNER ALCHEMY.
Interested in Chinese medicine? Contact acupuncturist Isaac Hoft to learn more, or click here to schedule an appointment online!
 | -Dr. Isaac Hoft, DAHM, LAc, Dipl. OM Doctor of Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine at Open Mind Holistics Learn more about Isaac in this blog post, or on his bio page. |  |
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