Terminology
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) utilizes a unique language and terminology that is difficult for other cultures, and physicians rooted in modern science, to understand. Understanding a little of the roots of this medical language helps the patient become more in touch with the TCM physician and their framework for holistic diagnosis. In essence, this unique terminology was created so that complicated issues in disease and physiology could be communicated with few words, or characters, in the Chinese language, and so that fundamental concepts of natural science in a Daoist model would never be overlooked in holistic medicine. These strange Chinese medical terms are not meant to supplant modern medical terms, but to add perspective to them.
The words Qi, Yin and Yang bring to mind ideas of an esoteric and almost spiritual connotation to most Americans, yet these words were created in the Chinese language to express complex, yet concrete, ideas and concepts, within the context of TCM. This confusing situation has led many health professionals over the years to assume that TCM was nothing more than an esoteric quasi-medicine that only dealt with a balancing of some unseen cosmic energy. This is far from the intent of the early physicians in China, or the modern Chinese M.D.s that practice this complementary medicine today. TCM physicians in the United States, or Licensed Acupuncturists, do not use these Daoist medical terms because they have an alternative medicine and do not understand modern medical terminology, but because they studied a complex medical specialty. These strange TCM terms are not esoteric and spiritual concepts. These words were created to express fundamental ideas of complex physiology in the body. By using diagnostic terms that bring us back to fundamental concepts, or universal paradigms, the language helps the physician to see the body as an interconnected system, or holistic mechanism, that always adheres to natural laws and patterns, and continually strives to maintain a natural homeostatic balance of healthy substance and function, or the qi of yin and yang.
The challenge for the modern medical doctor and the patient, when integrating with TCM, is to gain a basic understanding of these conceptual terms. Simplistic definitions for these three words are frequently repeated, such as qi meaning energy, yang meaning male, and yin meaning female, but there is no single simplistic meaning to these words, rather an array of potential meanings that must be applied in context. In the Chinese language, familiarity with the array of potential meanings of both spoken words and written characters helps one to apply the word in the context to which it is used. This is an essential component of the Chinese language. In modern languages, especially romanized languages, this complexity was reduced to make the written language more accessible. In common usage, our modern English often has basically one concrete meaning for one word, but in the specialty of TCM, terms may have many meanings, and these meanings may even have changed over the centuries. Experts in Chinese language, or sinologists, continue to argue over the meanings of the Chinese characters and caution the readers to not jump to conclusions. The desire to standardize terms in historical interpretation has also led to gross misunderstandings of these TCM terms, and hence big mistakes in historical interpretations.
In China and many other Asian cultures these terms of Traditional Chinese Medicine have a more concrete meaning to a majority of the population. Indeed, the flag of South Korea uses the ancient symbol for the fluid motion of Yin and Yang (taijitu, literally ‘supreme ultimate diagram‘), and the words Qi, Yin and Yang are often seen in common use, in a variety of contexts. To better understand these terms outside of Asian culture, one must understand the context of the language itself. The Chinese language is perhaps the oldest original language left on our planet, and is composed of pictorial characters rather than letters. This use of written characters allows the Chinese culture to express concrete ideas that are very complicated and dependant on the context of the surrounding characters. Unlike the Europeans, the Chinese opted to keep this original pictorial character written form to preserve language concepts. European, Middle East, and African cultures originally used pictorial characters, but switched to the Phoenician alphabet system to facilitate the ease of written language in commerce. In Asian civilizations, the original written language form was retained to preserve the advantages of the use of symbolic characters, as well as to preserve and standardize a central culture that retained its intelligent origins.
Ancient Chinese written language both retained its form, yet differs from the modern Asian written languages. The more complex written characters are now simplified. Originally, sentences in Chinese script had no punctuation marks, and the reader could infer a separate meaning of a character when it was combined with the preceding character or the following character. Complex ideas could then be notated with minimal use of characters. Of course, this language was created in a time when only scholars knew the written language and before the printing press made a written text accessible to a large number of people. Originally, these symbols would be read by a person that was also familiar with the writer and knew the conceptual context of what was written. Since these written characters had no standardized meaning, knowledge of the intent of the author was important to understand the meaning conveyed by the written characters and text. In other words, the pictorial symbols for concepts such as Qi, Yin and Yang had specific meanings that were linked to the author, and changed in context and meaning when combined with other pictorial characters. In time, these three words eventually assumed cultural significance and were more easily understood in various contexts. Modern use of these terms is still dependant on the context of their use, and the specific meanings can vary widely depending on the context of the subject being discussed. This is some of the historical framework for the reasoning behind the use of key words, such as Qi, Yin, Yang, Shen and Jing in TCM diagnosis and terminology. Unfortunately, even TCM physicians often fail to take into account this historical context to their terms, and instead apply simplified universal definitions to the words. This is the easier path, but will not lead to a greater understanding of the Daoist medical concepts that are at the heart of Traditional Chinese Medicine.
There is a similar history with written words, or symbols, in European history. The Roman language, which became the root language of most of the modern European languages, which were romanized, was a language designed to simplify the growing complexity of meaning and context, so that there could be an intellectual bridge between the scholars and the common people, who were becoming literate, or able to read. The Romans also simplified the written numerical system to aid in the construction of an empire, and ease the tallying of money and goods between a variety of cultures. Greek culture adopted an alphabetic system of writing, but many early Greek philosophers warned of the inherent problems with accurately passing on ideas with these words, which were phonetic and based on spoken words and concepts. Aristotle warned of the potential to misinterpret the written word, and instructed his students to pass on knowledge via the spoken language. He wrote that spoken words are the symbols of mental experience, and written words are the symbols only of the spoken words, not the experiences and true concepts. He thus refused to have his teaching expressed in written language, warning that the written words in Greek and Aramic would not capture the context and meaning, passing on simplified ideas rather than the true mental realizations. Of course, some of his students did record his teachings.
The Greeks, a culture famous for its central island location and its seafaring commerce between disparate cultures, were the first culture that switched to an alphabet, instead of pictorial characters, and borrowed this concept and alphabet from the Phoenicians. Historians believe that the main reason the Phoenicians developed an alphabetic written language was to facilitate the ease of trade and bookkeeping. In Greek language, vowels were added to a Phoenician alphabet in about 1000 BC, yet punctuation marks, clarifying the meaning of sentences and phrases of words, was not added until about 200 BC, by Aristophanes. Only in about 900 AD were spaces added between written words so that the meaning was not tied to the sound of the spoken words. After 900 AD in Europe, finally, the written language was seen as a true expression of ideas when read by anyone. Today, we have a difficult time understanding why Aristotle refused to capture his mental concepts out of their contextual frame as written texts, and why he warned his students that these written ideas and concepts would be misinterpreted. This same warning applies to the mental understanding of the Chinese terms in the Huang-Lao, or Daoist, medical theories, only more so, as even the most reknowned sinologists, or experts in Chinese written language, continue to argue about the true meaning of the ancient pictorial symbols in various contexts and historical time frames.
Examples of the use of TCM terminology in diagnosis
Typical root diagnoses in TCM read like this with American translation: Liver Qi Stagnation, Kidney Qi deficiency, Spleen Qi deficiency, Yin deficiency, Imbalance of the Ying and Wei Qi, Damp Heat invading the channels etc. This terminology expresses ideas that are so broad and dependant upon the condition of the individual patient that even advanced students of the medicine may remain somewhat unclear on the exact meaning when applied to a specific case. Patients would like a simple explanation of why they are diagnosed with Liver Qi stagnation or Kidney Qi deficiency and are often nonplussed with the explanation. Often, explanations in English language texts are far from satisfactory in explaining these typing diagnoses because they start with the assumption that each term means one specific thing. The truth is that each term may express far different meanings depending on the context of the use.
Qi is a word that was created to express a fundamental physical attribute that had no solid form that we could see or grasp. This is somewhat like the word electron, or the word energy, in our language. An electron is a quantifiable particle of energy, yet has no real form, and is in continuous motion from one atom to another. Your electrons move from your body's atom to another person's atoms continuously, yet there is a balanced exchange of electrons that maintains the physical form that your atoms create. In modern terms we express energy with terms like calorie, which actually is not a tangible substance, but a measure of heat energy, yet everyone uses the term and calories are listed on food packaging. The term Qi was expressed as an essential substance of the human body, along with the blood and bodily fluids (humours in Greek medicine), and expressed the Yang essential substance as compared to the Yin essential substances of the blood and bodily fluids. The meanings in this context for the blood and bodily fluids, though, refer to the basic chemistry of these substances, not the mere blood and saliva etc. as we think of them more simplistically. The term Qi was taken from the more abstract philosophical sciences, where it expressed the essential substance of all matter and energy, with a continuous transformation between essential matter and energy as the basis for our substantial world, and especially life itself.
Qi is often described as energy, which is just part of its meaning. Energy is a word that may mean many different things in science, depending on context, yet always adheres to fundamental laws of nature. So too, Qi is a word that signifies the energetic function of the body and all life in the universe. Its character is composed of the symbols for aether, or gas, above an alchemical furnace, and hence denotes the basic energy of the animal derived from transforming foodstuffs into oxygen, carbon dioxide and other gaseous and charged molecules. In essence, this is how our body works. Food, water, air, sunlight radiation etc. are taken into our body and utilized in such a complex way that we may never fully understand the complete physiology. Early Daoist physicians wrote that the human Qi is derived from three basic types of Qi, inherited (Yuan Qi), the qi of the air or pneuma (Zhen Qi), and the qi derived from the basic chemicals and energetic atoms in food and water (Gu Qi). Qi is a word that expresses the results of this energetic physiology and keeps us in touch with the fact that we need to restore this basic energetic physiological function whenever we see disease and dysfunction causing problems. It keeps the practice of TCM centered on a medical goal of not only solving the specific health problem, but always maintaining a focus on restoring optimum health and preventing future health problems. TCM is thus not just a preventative medicine, but a medicine that always incorporates preventative medicine into the healing protocol.
Qi is therefore a conceptual word that refers to fundamental energetic function in the body, but is not a static concept. The use of the word is fluid and can be applied to any context in physiology or anatomical location. Not only does it describe in context the healthy function or vitality of the body, but is used also to describe disease (Xie Qi). Thus one can never take the word qi for granted and assume a standard meaning. One good example of the use of this fluid and universal concept of Qi lies in the phrase Liver Qi. In TCM, the word for liver, gan, can be used in context to mean either the organ itself or the physiological system that is rooted in the organ. Since the liver organ is responsible for a great amount of the key metabolic transformations in the body, the liver system refers to the metabolism of lipids (cholesterol), proteins (amino acids and enzymes) and sugars (carbohydrates and glucose). The liver organ is the main catabolic detoxifier in the body, breaking up circulating chemicals into basic components and then reassembling these components into useful chemicals in the body. When chemicals that are foreign to the body metabolism arrive in the blood, the liver may not be able to efficiently recognize these chemicals (pollutants, toxins and drugs) and will try to excrete them via bile or attached to another carrier chemical (such as a low density lipoprotein, or 'cholesterol'). When the process is too unusual for the body the unfamiliar chemical may be stored with the lipoprotein in our fat cells. Accumulation of toxins in the body occurs in this way. This is an example of Liver Qi. Cholesterol imbalances, gallstone formation, cirrhosis, dysfunction of inflammatory mediators due to imbalance of essential fatty acids (omega 3 and 6), triglyceride imbalances, liver enzyme imbalances, etc. are all examples of Liver Qi pathology.
We can see that when one patient is diagnosed with Liver Qi stagnation and another patient is also diagnosed with Liver Qi stagnation that this may mean very different things in the context of the patient and the condition of the patient. When your friend says that his acupuncturist diagnosed him with liver Qi stagnation and explains why, this explanation may or may not have anything to do with your condition, except that you both have a problem with the liver or liver system function, or Qi. Qi is a word or term that completely depends on the intelligent context of its use. This intelligent context is best understood and explored by the diagnosing physician, and hence, if this physician simply writes Liver Qi stagnation as the diagnosis, this lacks enough specific meaning to inform the patient or another physician of what is exactly wrong with the patient. For this reason, a combination of modern terminology combined with the TCM terminology is essential. The physician may state that the patient has essential hypertension related to Liver Qi stagnation. In this way, we know that the specific problem being treated is essential hypertension, and the underlying problem is Liver Qi stagnation. The physician works to correct both the symptom of high blood pressure and the root dysfunction of inadequate liver system function, or metabolic concerns such as high cholesterol.
Yin and Yang are also words that have no specific meaning outside of a context. The simplified characters for these concepts depict the sunny side of a hill and the shady side, implying that the yin, or shady side, will become the sunny side as the earth moves around the sun, transforming yin to yang and yang to yin. In the body physiology this could be seen in hormonal function, with yin being the substance of the hormones and yang being the function of the hormones. The substance, or chemical, transforms into an activity in the body, and that activity then transforms the chemical substance into a different molecule. Hormones are in constant states of change and transformation, conjugating with carrier proteins and uncoupling when specific receptor proteins accumulate around this conjugated hormone. The hormone itself does not cause the specific chemical action at the target cell, but instead acts as a trigger in a situation dependant upon the chemicals and charged molecules around it. A problem with the yin of the hormonal system would imply a problem with deficiency of excess of hormonal substance, and a yang hormonal problem would imply a deficiency or excess of hormonal activity or function. In treating a Yin deficiency pathology, we might stimulate increase in production of progesterone or testosterone, and in treating a Yang excess pathology, we might try to achieve better function of the hypothalamus, or thyroid hormone receptors.
These terms denote a sort of quantum physics approach to the problems of pathophysiology and holistic medical approach. Not only the specific dysfunctions are examined, but the underlying diversion from homeostasis, or normal systematic function in a healthy individual, is considered. The goal is always to both relieve the symptoms and to restore homeostasis. In TCM we call this attention to both the root and the branch, and this is a fundamental precept of the science. It has always been written in classic texts of TCM that the superior physician will diagnose and treat according to the principles of Yin and Yang, and that the best practice of medicine will incorporate preventative medicine, diagnosing imbalance of Yin and Yang, and correcting this imbalance, before the health problem arises. The treatments in TCM are not limited to balancing of Yin and Yang, or homeostasis, but also are directed at relief or correction of specific localized problems.
The basics of TCM terminology are rooted in the concepts of Yin and Yang, and these terms do have concrete meanings in terms of signs and symptoms. General signs of Yin deficiency include dryness of the skin, mouth or membranes, poor control of body temperature with sudden heat flush to the head or upper body and unusual sweating, or deficiency in blood quantity or quality. Yin is always seen in relation to Yang. Body fluids, such as blood, joint lubricants, lymph and sweat, are more Yin than Yang, and solids parts of the body, such as bones, tendons, etc. are more Yang. Deficient production of blood cells, proteins or fluids are thus seen as a Yin deficiency. The fatique that results from blood deficiency may be seen as a Yang deficiency. YinQi refers to the functional Yin components and generally refers to the Kidney and Adrenal systems, while YangQi refers to the functional Yang aspects of our physiology. Yin deficiency will usually result in poor control of Yang, and overexuberance of Yang, such as heat flush to the upper body, high blood pressure or anxiety. Consequently, Yang deficiency, often seen in debility or aging, will often result in a poor production and regulation of Yin, such as blood and key metabolites. In this way the TCM physician is always keeping the big picture in mind when looking at your health problems and not overlooking critical components of the condition. We may see this as a practical rather than esoteric reason for TCM terminology.
In TCM, the three fundamental concepts of health, called the legs of a tripod, referring to the alchemical brazier, are Qi, Shen and Jing. The terms Shen and Jing are often described simplistically, and thus are often used out of context, and conferring mistaken ideas to written Chinese text. The term Shen 神, is particularly taken out of context often to denote mistaken inferences, even by experts and historians. An authoritative historical dictionary started in 1979 to provide language translations correctly to Chinese words or symbols, the Hanyu Dazidian, lists eleven complex meanings for this chinese character and the spoken word in the rising second tone. These meanings include spirit, mind, consciousness, concentrated attention, expression, state of mind, intelligence, demeanor, to rule or govern, precious, mysterious, and circumspect. The meanings listed also include magical, legendary gods or spirits, supernatural, miraculous, entrancement ecstacy, and the creator of all things, or the supreme being, God. The term Shen thus often means whatever the reader, writer or translator wants it to out of this broad context, which could be much different from what its intended meaning in context was in ancient TCM texts. Even in 200 BC, the term in different medical texts could mean very different things. The context of use is always very important in understanding. Now, many TCM physicians would describe Shen simply as the consciousness or spirit of the person. Many historians describe it as magic, religious, or shamanism. Hence, the term in context might be describing the mental state of an individual, or more broadly describing a human consciousness, yet could be taken out of context to refer to the TCM purported use of magic or shamanism, or out of context to refer to the patient’s heart or spirit. The individual must be able to put this concept back into a reasonable context.
The term Jing 精 is another elusive concept. Loosely translated as essence, in medical texts this term might be referring to sperm, ova, adrenal hormones, genetic substance, or DNA, sexual hormones, hormones in general, phytohormones, neurohormonal substances, energy or vitality, epigenetic substance, or healthy longevity. In one context, this Chinese character might mean one or the other of these contexts, and when on refers to Jing as one of the three pillars of your health, or to nourishing the jing, or the depletion of your jing, this could mean a number of differing things depending upon the context of which it is spoken or written. In the English language, it thus might be better to use the intended meaning expressed in actual English language. Nevertheless, the term is often used and implied to mean one’s vitality or spiritual energy, conveying a more esoteric meaning. In general, the patient population should be aware of the importance of the context of these words, and beware of hearing or reading things out of context that may express mistaken concepts. It is thus important that your TCM physician went to medical college and actually studied these terms correctly. Since Traditional Chinese Medicine is more than just simply sticking acupuncture needles superficially into your skin, but actually a complex medical specialty based in a difficult conceptual framework, with a diagnostic science that is both different from standard medicine, and incorporates standard science, choosing a TCM physician with greater understanding of the Daoist medical terminology and meaning could have a great deal to do with the success of your diagnosis, design of the treatment protocol, and outcome.
Integrating TCM Terminology into Modern Medicine
In the modern medical world, the problem of communcation arises in the TCM system. So much attention is paid to TCM classification and terminology in TCM study, that there is often less attention paid to the modern medical terms. Adding to this problem is the concept of 'Alternative Medicine' which has created an idea of choice between TCM and modern medicine. This has further complicated a problem that is intrinsicallly complex. TCM medical schools teach modern medicine and terminology and stress the importance of understanding this system of disease and injury classification and diagnosis. Yet, the problem of thorough integration is still complicated by the language. Fortunately, over time there has been much progress in achieving improved education of the TCM physician, who is called a Licensed Acupuncturist in official designation, and the TCM medical schools are insuring the the graduates can integrate and communicate with modern medical doctors on a much higher level today than in the past.
For the patient and modern physicians to fully understand and communicate with the TCM physician, the TCM physician must speak intelligently using modern and commonly understood terms. For the TCM physician to understand the patient descriptions of their health problems and the diagnoses and findings of modern physicians, that TCM physician must rely on the commonly understood terminology. This is something that has been achieved in TCM care and continues to improve as the science becomes more integrated and complementary to modern medicine. Everyone, patient, medical doctor and Licensed Acupuncturist can now work together in an effective complementary manner to improve the overall health care and reduce health care costs to the nation with preventative medicine and low cost Complementary Medicine. Everyone must work together to achieve this goal, though, gaining understanding and integrating care.
The acceptance of TCM terminology is gaining acceptance in standard medical practice as well. The international classification of diseases (ICD) by the World Health Organization (WHO) is used by all physicians for diagnostic coding in the United States. This classification is periodically updated, and currently we are using ICD-9 as well as ICD-10. By 2015, the WHO is hoping to release ICD-11, and recognizes that many physicians in the world do classify disease with the diagnostic classification of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). These disease classifications will be added to the standard international classifications, although how they will integrate with standard disease classification is still uncertain.
Modern research has recognized the value of the ancient TCM system of classification as well. For example, research published in the Journal of Clinical Rheumatology, October 2009 (15) Issue 7, explains how new systems approaches are being investigated to clarify disease, and in chronic diseases, a system based on TCM diagnosis has shown much progress. Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) were divided into two groups, based on the TCM differentiation of Heat and Cold types. In TCM, the term Heat is a broad classification denoting the more energetic and active mechanism, whereas the term Cold may be applied to reduced or slowed metabolism and circulation. In this study, the RA patients differentiated as RA Heat types showed that the cells affected by the Rheumatoid Arthritis differed from those differentiated as RA Cold types. The RA Heat cells regulated programmed cell death, or apoptosis, differently from the normal controls or the RA Cold type. In the RA Heat group, cell apoptosis was stimulated, mainly via the enzyme caspase 8, while in the RA Cold group, the affected cells seemed to have apoptosis suppressed through the Nrf2 genetic expression (nuclear factor erythroid derived-like 2), which plays a role in the regulation of oxidative stress. The RA Heat type patients may thus have the cells of the affected joint synovial tissues turning over too fast, causing joint degeneration and pain, while the RA Cold type patients may have the affected joint synovial cells not dying quickly enough, causing cellular dysfunction or hypertrophy. To see a summary of this resarch articel, click here: http://journals.lww.com/jclinrheum/Abstract/2009/10000/Systems_Biology_Guided_by_Chinese_Medicine_Reveals.2.aspx. Of course, a more nuanced approach to treatment would be administered to the RA Heat and RA Cold type patients. This is currently how TCM physicians work, ideally.
TCM terminology applied to a specific health problem
An example of the integration of TCM terminology into modern medicine would be the diagnosis of high blood pressure due to adrenal stress. In this common form of essential hypertension, modern medicine may use an ACE inhibitor combined with a diuretic. ACE inhibitors are angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors. This implies that there is a poor regulation in the body of the angiotensin, a protein hormone that is produced in the blood when stimulated by a hormone, renin, produced by the kidney in response to blood pressure. Renin also affects other adrenal hormones (such as diuretic hormone) as well as the nervous system and its control of vascular constriction and relaxation. Angiotensin is converted to an active form by an enzyme in the lung, the angiotensin converting enzyme, and hence the drug strategy to lower blood pressure. The diuretic hormone acts to excrete more fluid from the blood volume, thus also lowering blood pressure. This is an example of Kidney Yin affecting Yang. The chronic deficiency of Kidney Yin, or blood volume, stimulates increased renin, which stimulates angiotensin and increased unwanted blood pressure. When the yin deficiency does not support healthy yang function, the blood pressure is not maintained in homeostasis. The herbal formulas to decrease this adrenal hypertension may also utilize diuretic herbal chemicals, as well as herbal chemicals that aid the liver enzyme regulation, and support blood chemistry. The actual chemical goals are not that different, only TCM utilizes an array of treatment protocols to accomplish a broader effect by trying to correct the body’s homeostasis, but allopathic medicine provides specific synthetic chemicals to do very specific actions to alter the homeostasis.
So, in essence, a diagnosis of adrenal hypertension could be described as an underlying Kidney yin deficiency not properly controlling LV yang. In TCM, the signs and symptoms, as well as the individual constitution, lifestyle and age, and overall medical history, would contribute to a more complex potential choice for the patient with primary adrenal hypertension. For the individual diagnosis, the could also be diagnosed with hypofunction, or Cold, and Kidney Yang deficiency, especially if they were aged. A combination of both Kidney Yang and Kidney Yin deficiency might simply be called Kidney Qi deficiency, with Yang not supporting Yin, or Yin and Yang not supporting each other. A more refined treatment strategy would thus be implemented. While allopathic modern medicine works to find the most standardized treatment protocols, that work on the highest percentage of patients, the TCM physicians seek to better individualize treatment protocol based on more essential typing and concept. Each system has its benefits. Allopathic medicine treats more patients quicker and easier by standardization. Complementary Medicine provides more individualized and complex treatment protocols to better normalize the underlying homeostatic health. The two systems are easily integrated, complementing each other to provide a safer and more complete therapeutic protocol for the patient. The patient may benefit by gradually correcting underlying dysfunction and perhaps not having a long-term drug dependency. TCM is also preventive of future related health problems related to poor homeostatic health. The terminology in TCM is essential for this type of complex individualized diagnostic assessment and treatment design.
While this explanation is complicated, the real complication is even more elaborate, because the body acts as an array of physiological systems, or holistically, and there are a number of systems affecting the renin-angiotensin system. These are objective potential underlying problems that should not be overlooked in a holistic diagnosis. For instance, the precursor to angiotensin is a chemical that is produced mainly in the liver, angiotensinogen. Angiotensinogen levels may rise due to a number of factors, including stimulation by corticosteroids, estrogens and thyroid hormones, or treatment with synthetic corticosteroids, estrogens and thyroid hormone. Increased angiotensinogen may result in higher levels of angiotensin and hypertension. Here we see that healthy function of the liver and kidney/adrenal systems, and attention to the side effects of medications, may be an effective part of the holistic therapy. This is all expressed in the fundamental language of TCM, but must be correctly interpreted by the individual physician in an intelligent manner. The patient can understand from this analysis how the diagnostic assessment of Kidney Yin deficiency and exuberant Liver Yang, or even Kidney/adrenal Qi deficiency is applicable to the objective physiological facts.
Renin is also stimulated by an adrenal hormone aldosterone, which mainly regulates the sodium and water content in the body. More aldosterone is released in response to water retention and sodium levels in the blood, or outside of the cells. We see that a number of problems with body systems may be part of the problem here. Water retention may occur in hormonal imbalances, especially in women premenstrually or in pregnancy, causing a potential rise in aldosterone and subsequent rise in renin, angiotensin and blood pressure. Antidiuretic hormone, secreted in the brain by the pituitary, may be deficient, thus stimulating more aldosterone release. Pituitary hypothalamic dysfunction may occur due to a number of problems, including a subclinical hypothyroidism or even chronic pain or emotional pathologies with depression and anxiety. Our diets may include a low quality table salt, which increases circulating sodium levels, whereas quality sea salt, with a variety of chemicals more natural too the body, would result in a healthy utilization and excretion of sodium and less aldosterone. The TCM physician sees this whole problem as a complex condition of imbalance of the Yin and Yang, and seeks a variety of ways to correct it. Acupuncture stimulation may affect the hypothalamic and pituitary function, and dietary changes may add potential for success. This is why Traditional Chinese Medicine has always supported a broad array of treatments for each case, acting synergistically. There is no traditional specialties within TCM, where on specialist does a particular type of acupuncture and another administers the herbal medicine, while a third counsels on dietary changes. Each TCM physician is supposed to utilize all of these treatment protocols and study all types of diseases.
We see then, that the TCM physician may be taking into consideration a large number of factors when making the diagnosis and forming a treatment protocol. The language, or terminology, in TCM helps the physician with this complex process. The real choice seen by patients in these situations is often whether to take the simple pill to manage the problem, or to also seek the complementary care to correct the array of potential dysfunctions and and underlying contributors to disease in the body. Complementary Medicine with its holistic and conceptual approach can improve the overall outcome of your therapy with an integrated medical approach. In a way, both the modern medical doctor and the TCM physician are using terminology for the same ultimate purpose, to simplify the treatment strategy. The modern doctor simplifies the situation in his terminology by saying that you have hypertension and we'll try taking a combination of ACE inhibitor and diuretic. The TCM physician tries to simplify the situation by expressing the problem in terms of Yin and Yang and organ systems of the kidney and liver. In this sense we see a similar pattern of trying to expressively simplify a complex physiological dysfunction in the body. The patient, of course, has a difficult time understanding the underlying concepts and terms of both the M.D. and the Complementary physician. The terminologies are not meant to oppose each other, though, but rather to help to quickly elucidate, diagnose and treat, and the patient must place some trust in both the M.D. and the TCM physician.
Hopefully, the patient may gain some understanding of both the modern terminology and diagnosis and the TCM terms. My belief is that with difficult problems, patient education and a pro-active approach is very important. Hopefully, the patient's primary medical doctor will also gain some understanding of TCM terminology and approach and see this as a way to improve outcomes and help their practice.
The information on this website is not intended to be used as a specific medical advice or cure. Please consult with the practitioner or an appropriate physician, such as a licensed acupuncturist, naturopath, or medical doctor, to discuss the proper application of the information contained on this website.
Above: Acupuncture Points
— Photo by Michele Clement