Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has its own set of terms that can be confusing as traditional medicine does not use them at all. Below are many of the common terms, health patterns and some historical information. I have collected this information from a variety of internet websites and books that I use:

COLD: Created by cold conditions, cold weather or cold pathogens. The opposite of heat which can be inflamation. Organs and body systems can be running slow and you can have diminished vital functions. You may have an intolerance to cold / fondness for warmth and loose bowels.

DAMPNESS: Can be caused by Damp Pathogenic Factors or internally by issues of the Spleen and Kidney in promoting water circulation and distribution. Symptoms include heaviness in the limbs, headache as if the head were tightly bound, fullness in the chest, joint pains and swelling, diarrhea, abdominal fullness, sallow looking face, water retention or edema.

HEAT: Caused by pathogenic heat or excessive vital function. Person can have a fever, flushed face, thirst, craving for cold drinks, constipation and inflamation.

BLOOD STAGNATION: Symptoms such as fixed, boring or stabbing pain, mass tumors which do not move, hemorrhage with dark blood and clots, purple lips and nails, purple blotches or bruises on skin.

BLOOD DEFICIENCY: Signs and symptoms include pale or sallow complexion, pale lips, dizziness, poor memory, blurring of vision, palpitations, insomnia or numbness of hands and feet, poor circulation.

DAMP HEAT: A combination of dampness and heat which produces a variety of symptoms depending on the part of the body or system affected. Symptoms can include loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, bitter taste and stickiness in the mouth, heaviness of the body and limbs, fullness of the chest, fatigue, jaundice, loose stools or diarrhea with blood or mucus, offensive odor of stools, scanty yellow urine, abdominal pain and distension, eczema and frequent urination.

DEFICIENCY: Loss of vital energy and lowered body resistance. Some symptoms of this condition are emaciation, listlessness, lassitude, shortness of breath, pallor, insomnia, poor memory, spontaneous and night sweating, nocturnal enuresis and pain that is relieved by pressure.

ESSENCE: Also known as Qi or Jing refers to the combination of the energy that a person has inherited in their constitution or genetics and the energy derived from food. It resides mostly in the kidneys and is the baseline for growth, reproduction and development. It is obvious what a persons health and life would be like if they have a lack of essence.

FIRE: A severe form of heat or inflammation, symptoms include fever, restlessness, insomnia, mania, delirium, thirst, sweating, mouth and tongue ulcers, swollen and painful gums, headache, congestion of the eyes and infections.

FOOD STAGNATION: Symptoms include stomach pain and distension, loss of appetite, foul belching, acid regurgitation and vomiting.

HEAT-TOXIN: Refers to toxic heat or fire generated by bacterial or viral infections.

LIVER FIRE: Symptom pattern includes dizziness, headache, flushed face, red eyes, bitter taste in the mouth, mental irritability and anger outbursts.

LIVER / SPLEEN DISHARMONY: Symptom pattern includes abdominal pain and distension, diarrhea or loose stools, belching, vomiting and acid regurgitation.

PATHOGENIC FACTORS: The causes of disease. Pathogenic factors include wind, cold, dampness, heat, dryness and fire. They can come from the outside such as weather conditions or they can be generated internally by disharmony in the organs.

PHLEGM: Results from an accumulation of body fluids due to disfunction of the lung, spleen and kidney. This is impairment of water metabolism. Clinical manifestations are many and vary depending on the area of the body affected. Symptoms can include cough with sputum, asthmatic breathing, fullness in the chest, palpitations, coma, manic-depressive disorders, lymph node swelling, nodules under the skin, dizziness, blurred vision, sensation of an object stuck in the throat, edema, general body aching and heaviness, nausea, vomiting and digestive issues. Phlegm issues also relate to emotional issues such as ADD.

UNSTABLE OR DISTURBED SHEN: Shen is translated as "Spirit". It refers to the mind, consciousness, the force of the personality, and the connection to the spiritual aspects of humanness. When Shen is disturbed or unstable symptoms arise such as insomnia, unclear or muddled thinking, poor memory, restlessness, hysteria, incoherent speech, delirium or mania.

I can understand that you may be confused by the use of these terms and explainations, we were not raised with this method of viewing our health. The best part about understanding these terms is that it does give you a simpler grasp of health issues when they show up. Bear in mind that I have only touched on the hundreds of TCM terms. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me, either via email at viableoptions@sbcglobal.net or call me at 816.283.0685.

Be well!

Dave Laskowski, Herbalist
Viable Options - N. Kansas City, MO

"Never self-diagnose any illness that you may believe you have. Always check with your primary healthcare provider before embarking on any changes you propose to make regarding health issues. If you take prescription medications, NEVER stop taking them without checking with the prescribing physician."