Disharmony in Chinese Medicine
There are 6 external causes of disharmony according to TCM. These 6 external causes (6 evils) are wind, cold, heat, dampness, dryness and also summer heat. All 6 causes have to do with climatic conditions that are of extremes. These extremes cause terrible effects on the environment and can seriously throw off the balance necessary within our bodies that helps us maintain the flow of qi to our organs.
Achieving harmony equates to wellness. Disharmony equates to disease. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has 3 main areas that is looked to for the cause of disease. These 3 main areas are external causes, internal causes and then there is a small group of miscellaneous causes that are attributed to the patient's lifestyle.
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| External Causes:
There are 6 external causes of disharmony according to TCM. These 6 external causes (6 evils) are wind, cold, heat, dampness, dryness and also summer heat. All 6 causes have to do with climatic conditions that are of extremes. These extremes cause terrible effects on the environment and can seriously throw off the balance necessary within our bodies that helps us maintain the flow of qi to our organs. When this balance is out of whack qi is blocked or decreased to the point of the manifestation of disease.
Symptoms that are related to wind are allergies, chills, colds, dizziness, fever, flu, headaches, nasal congestion and vertigo. Wind determines the ability of a disease to spread through the body.
Symptoms that have something to do with the immune system are part of the cold cause. These symptoms include anemia, colds, cough, poor circulation, upper respiratory allergies, and also poor digestion.
Illnesses such as colitis, flu, high blood pressure, hyperthyroid, inflammation of arthritis, skin rashes and ulcers are all conditions that are worsened by the heat of the sun which is why they are under the heat cause.
The cause dampness includes any symptom where there is something to do with fluid such as swelling, obesity, cysts, tumors and lumps as well as any increase in phlegm such as when there is a sinus or upper respiratory condition. Also included in the category of the dampness cause is anything to do with wet weather.
The dryness cause is very noticeable in the environment when there is a drought and the dry climate destroys the wellness of plants. The same cause is true for our bodies regarding disorders of the reproductive organs, skin, lungs, sinuses, and large intestine or of digestion.
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Inquiring will give clues about sweating, the existence of pain, clues from the head and body, the intensity levels of pain over the entire body, the specific location of pain in the joints, any backaches, the presence of numbness, dizziness, noises within the chest or abdominal areas as well as answers to diet and appetite which includes information about taste, any vomiting, the stools, condition of urine, sleep patterns as well as information about how the ears and eyes are doing, and also drinking patterns (thirst?)
Palpation includes taking the pulse. The pulse has 3 qualities: the stomach Qi, spirit and root.
The stomach Qi is a pulse that is soft, calm and gentle to touch. It is a slow pulse. |
The overexposure to heat as in hot weather or too much sunlight can cause conditions such as heat stroke, with symptoms of dizziness, extreme thirst, exhaustion, and nausea. All of these conditions and symptoms are under the cause of summer heat.
Internal Causes:
There are 7 internal causes (7 emotions) that are attributed to intense and prolonged or possibly suppressed emotions, which may include: anger, fear, fright, grief, joy, pensiveness, and also sadness.
Prolonged sadness has an effect of decreasing the flow of qi to both the lungs and heart. The conditions associated with sadness are amenorrhea, asthma, cold and flu, depression, and also fatigue.
Grief causes injury to the lungs and decreases the ability of the body to fight off colds and flu. It also contributes to chronic conditions such as allergies, asthma, emphysema and upper respiratory disease.
Pensiveness is when the mind spends too much time thinking, worrying or contemplating something for an abnormal amount of time which will deplete spleen qi, and may result in the following condition: digestive conditions, edema, fatigue, and also poor appetite.
Fear and Fright are very similar with fear resulting in damage to the kidneys, lower back, and the joints. Fright is sudden and creates heart symptoms such as palpitations, breathlessness, and sustained over a long period of time may lead to kidney damage, lower back issues or joint damage.
Anger is destructive and includes all the negative emotions we have such as irritability, frustration, resentment and rage. Diseases that may occur here are headaches, dizziness, high blood pressure and mental confusion.
Excessive joy is the illness of overindulgence and can cause damage to the heart with symptoms of insomnia, hysteria and possibly confused thinking.
World News About Chinese Medicine
11/21/2008
Tongjitang Chinese Medicines Company to Announce Third Quarter 2008 Financial Results on November 25, 2008 (Business Wire via Yahoo! Finance)
SHENZHEN, China----Tongjitang Chinese Medicines Company , a leading specialty pharmaceutical company focusing on the development, manufacturing, marketing and selling of modernized traditional Chinese medicine in China, today announced that it plans to announce its third quarter 2008 financial results before the market opens on Tuesday, November 25, 2008.
Tongjitang Chinese Medicines Company to Announce Third Quarter 2008 Financial Results on November 25, 2008 (Business Wire via Yahoo! Finance)
11/21/2008
(AFX UK Focus) 2008-11-21 08:29 Hutchison China, Eli Lilly expand drug deal (Interactive Investor)
Nov 21 (Reuters) - Hutchison China Meditech Ltd, a traditional Chinese medicine-sourced pharmaceuticals maker, said on Friday it has expanded its drug discovery and development partnership with Eli Lilly and Co focused on an additional target in oncology. The companies agreed last year to collaborate on the discovery and development of pharmaceutical agents focused on targets in oncology and ...
(AFX UK Focus) 2008-11-21 08:29 Hutchison China, Eli Lilly expand drug deal (Interactive Investor)
11/18/2008
Nigeria: Chinese Plant Astragalus May Hold Key to Longevity (AllAfrica.com)
TAT2 - a drug extracted from Astragalus membranaceus a plant used in Chinese medicine is helping immune cells fight HIV and is also raising the possibility of slowing the ageing process in other parts of the human body.
Nigeria: Chinese Plant Astragalus May Hold Key to Longevity (AllAfrica.com)
11/18/2008
Nigeria: Chinese Plant Astragalus May Hold Key to Longevity (AllAfrica.com)
TAT2 - a drug extracted from Astragalus membranaceus a plant used in Chinese medicine is helping immune cells fight HIV and is also raising the possibility of slowing the ageing process in other parts of the human body.
Nigeria: Chinese Plant Astragalus May Hold Key to Longevity (AllAfrica.com)
11/21/2008
Indigo naturalis cream may help ease psoriasis (Philly.com)
If you're feeling blue about psoriasis, Taiwanese researchers suggests that Indigo naturalis, a dark-blue plant used in traditional Chinese medicine, may offer some relief.
Indigo naturalis cream may help ease psoriasis (Philly.com)
11/21/2008
Hutchison China, Eli Lilly expand drug deal (Reuters via Yahoo! Philippines News)
Nov 21 (Reuters) - Hutchison China Meditech Ltd , a traditional Chinese medicine-sourced pharmaceuticals maker, said on Friday it has expanded its drug discovery and development partnership with Eli Lilly and Co focused on an additional target in oncology.
Hutchison China, Eli Lilly expand drug deal (Reuters via Yahoo! Philippines News)
11/21/2008
(AFX UK Focus) 2008-11-21 08:29 Hutchison China, Eli Lilly expand drug deal (Interactive Investor)
Nov 21 (Reuters) - Hutchison China Meditech Ltd, a traditional Chinese medicine-sourced pharmaceuticals maker, said on Friday it has expanded its drug discovery and development partnership with Eli Lilly and Co focused on an additional target in oncology. The companies agreed last year to collaborate on the discovery and development of pharmaceutical agents focused on targets in oncology and ...
(AFX UK Focus) 2008-11-21 08:29 Hutchison China, Eli Lilly expand drug deal (Interactive Investor)
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