What do the Four Diagnostic Methods of Traditional Chinese Medicine refer to

The Four Diagnostic Methods of Traditional Chinese Medicine refer to four traditional diagnostic methods: visual examination, auditory examination, inquiry, and palpation.

1. observational Diagnosis

Observational diagnosis is a method of inferring a patient's condition by observing their external manifestations such as appearance, color, form, and posture. The doctor will focus on observing whether the complexion is rosy or pale, the thickness and color of the tongue coating, whether the eyes are radiant, and whether the posture is coordinated. For example, a yellowish complexion may indicate liver and gallbladder problems, and a white and thick tongue coating may be related to spleen and stomach deficiency and coldness. Medical observation should be conducted in a natural light environment to avoid interference from makeup or stained food.

2. Smell diagnosis

Smell diagnosis includes two aspects: listening to sound and smelling odor. Judging organ function based on the strength of the patient's language, cough characteristics, wheezing patterns, etc., if the language is low, it often belongs to qi deficiency. Abnormal body odor such as bad breath may reflect stomach heat, fishy urine, or be related to bladder dampness and heat. Ancient medical practitioners placed great emphasis on the correspondence between sound changes and the five organs, while modern clinical practice still values characteristic sounds such as respiratory sounds and bowel sounds.

III. Consultation

Consultation is a method of systematically understanding the process of disease occurrence and development. Including ten aspects such as chief complaint, current medical history, past medical history, and personal history. Focus on inquiring about details such as cold and heat, sweating, head and body, chest and abdomen, and dietary taste. For example, the characteristics of aversion to cold and fever can be distinguished as internal and external symptoms, and the degree of thirst reflects the survival of body fluids. During the Ming Dynasty, Zhang Jingyue summarized the Ten Questions and Songs, while in modern times, emphasis is still placed on establishing a doctor-patient trust relationship through consultations.

Fourthly, palpation

mainly refers to pulse diagnosis and palpation. Pulse diagnosis determines the rise and fall of qi and blood in the organs through the three parts and nine meridians of the inch, guan, chi, and chi. There are 28 common types of pulse patterns, including floating, sinking, and delayed numbers. Diagnosis includes touching abdominal tenderness, lump hardness, skin temperature, etc. If there is rib distension and pain, it is often due to liver qi stagnation. Pulse diagnosis requires a quiet environment, with the patient's forearm placed flat at the same height as the heart. The doctor uses three finger positioning techniques such as lifting and pressing to observe changes in the pulse.

TCM diagnosis emphasizes the combination of four diagnostic methods. It is recommended to reflect the symptoms truthfully when seeking medical advice, avoid making up or spraying perfume, and do not exercise strenuously or eat too much 2 hours before examination. You can learn to observe tongue coating and record abnormal body signals in daily life, but do not self diagnose. If you continue to feel uncomfortable, seek medical attention promptly. Maintaining a regular schedule and emotional balance can help maintain a state of qi and blood balance, making the four diagnostic features more accurate in reflecting health status.