ABSTRACT
This therapy is often misnamed Chinese Herbal Medicine, but the name is not sufficient to describe the actual practice. Chinese internal medicine uses many other substances in addition to herbs, that is, medicinal plants. Common examples of other products are oyster shells, the bones of animals, tissues from animals (e.g., glands), and humans (e.g., placenta), insects (e.g., cicada), and minerals (e.g., cinnabar). Before prescribing Chinese medicinal products, it is essential to make an
appropriate Chinese eight-principle diagnosis. Diagnosis in the Chinese tradition bears little relation to diagnosis in the Western tradition. The main tools are the patient’s report of symptoms and the Two Pillars of Oriental diagnosis, observation of the tongue and pulse. The clinician observes the tongue for changes in its physical structure, and
the color of the body of the tongue and the structure and color of its coat. Divisions on the body of the tongue represent the different meridians, and therefore, the different physical and energetic areas of the body. The appearance of scallops or the impression made by the teeth on the
side of the tongue is an indication of weakness or vacuity in the kidney meridian and perhaps the physical kidney itself, which may mean adrenal insufficiency. In Chinese medicine, the adrenal gland is associated with the kidney meridian. Redness at the tip of the tongue indicates excess or overactivity-also
called repletion-in the heart meridian and perhaps in the physical organ of the heart. The coating of the tongue is also of great importance. If there is a “furry”
and yellow discoloration in the mid portion, then the stomach or spleen meridian is not functioning well. The second pillar is pulse diagnosis. This is a difficult skill to learn and
takes years of practice to use as a basis for a treatment plan. The 12 pulses at the radial artery at the wrist directly correspond to the 12 organ meridians of Oriental medicine.
