中药词典 - 中医界的百科全书 1.2.1

The Chinese Medicine Dictionary App features 18,790 types of Chinese herbs, 60,661 types of herbal formulas, and 1,201 medical works.

Here, you will discover the unique applications of certain herbs and formulations across different medical works.

You will also find the largest collection of content currently available on the market.

Traditional Chinese medicine is based on the theory of Yin and Yang as well as the Five Elements. It views the human body as a unified entity of Qi, form, and spirit. By employing the method of "observation, listening and smelling, questioning, and pulse taking" in diagnosis, it investigates the causes and characteristics of diseases, analyzes pathologies and changes in the body's organs, meridians and joints, vital energy and fluids, determines the progress of pathogenic and healthy Qi, arrives at a diagnosis, summarizes patterns of symptoms, applies the principle of differentiating syndromes for treatment, formulates various treatment methods such as sweating, vomiting, purging, harmonizing, warming, clearing, tonifying, and reducing by using Chinese herbs, acupuncture, tuina massage, acupressure therapy (moxibustion), qigong exercise, dietary therapy, among others to achieve harmony of Yin and Yang in the body.

Traditional Chinese medicine has a complete theoretical system. Its uniqueness lies in its holistic view of "unity of Heaven and man" and pattern-based treatment. The main features include:

• 1. Holistic Concept

1. Chinese medicine considers the human body as an organic whole composed of various organs and tissues. Each tissue and organ has its unique function that determines the overall unity of the body.
2. The unity between man and nature. Nature provides necessary conditions for human survival. Changes in nature can directly or indirectly affect the human body while the body reacts accordingly. They harmonize and serve each other functionally and influence each other pathologically.

• 2. Pattern Identification for Treatment

1. Concept: A "pattern" refers to a pathological summary of a certain stage during disease development process in the body. It includes location of pathology, causes, nature, as well as the relationship between pathogenic factors and healthy Qi. Patterns reflect more comprehensively, profoundly, and accurately than symptoms about the essence of disease development process.
2. Pattern Identification: It entails analyzing and synthesizing data collected through observation (looking), listening/smelling (auscultation/olfaction), questioning (inquiring), pulse taking (palpation) - symptoms and signs - to clarify causes, nature, location of disease as well as relationships between pathogenic factors and healthy Qi. This process leads to identifying a certain pattern or syndrome.
3. Treatment Based on Pattern Identification: Following pattern identification analysis results determines corresponding treatment principles and methods. Pattern identification is essential for determining treatment strategies while treatment execution involves specific approaches to curing disease. Therefore pattern identification for treatment process essentially embodies understanding diseases and curing them in traditional Chinese medicine practice.