Similarities Of Traditional Chinese Medicine And Ayurveda

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Ayurveda use similar diagnostic procedures. In TCM, a constant flow of qi, which is the life force that flows through our bodies and the universe – is central to good health. When there isntoo little, too much, or stagnating qi, illness results. This same basic concept applies to the system of Ayurvedic Medicine, where the human body is viewed as a series of channels and disease is seen as an impairment to the flow of energynthrough these channels.

Both TCM and Ayurvedic practitioners perform a series of examinations and observations which include: looking, listening, smelling, asking, and touching. Each symptom means very little by itself, and only when viewed in conjunction with other signs can a proper diagnoses come about.
Both systems base diagnosis on an individual’s body type. TCM bases its analysis of body type on a Yin, Yang theory, which refers to polar opposites in the universe - like hot and cold, dry and damp. TCM practitioners see the body asna unified whole with opposing aspects-every element, function and feeling has a complementary opposite. They see illness as a result of yin/yang imbalance. A patient possessing Yin (being cold), qualities would exhibit a passive, quietnmanner, whereas a Yang (being hot), individual would show an outwardly aggressive, talkative, irritated manner.

Ayurvedic's classification of an individual's body type is based on Doshas.
All individuals possess three doshas; however, at birth one dosha is usually predominant, and this dosha becomes that individual’s body type throughout their lives. The three doshas are Vata, Pitta and Kapha.

A patient with mostly Vata (air-ether) traits could be tall, or short with a nthin frame and prominent bones due to under-developed muscles. Their extremities tend nto be cold, and eyes are small with thin lashes. They suffer from dryness of the skin, eyes nand nails being brittle, they are nervous, active and alert.

Pitta individuals are generally medium height with a moderate weight frame. The skin is soft and warm and not as dry as Vata types and they have sharp and penetrating eyes. Pitta types can be aggressive and intelligent, determined, irritable and at times jealous.
Kapha individuals tend to have large, heavy frames and cool skin, which is non the pale and oily side. They usually have big attractive eyes with thick lashes nand their minds are calm, slow and receptive. They can be greedy, attached and n self-contented, but also steadfast and loyal.

Appearance also is a factor in TCM, where a strong robust appearance nindicates strong organs, and a weak looking, frail appearance would indicate weak norgans. The order of examination is of the utmost importance and some signs are nfar more significant than others in diagnosis, such as the pulse and tongue.

This diagnostic emphasis on the pulse and tongue common to both TCM nand Ayurvedic systems. Both systems believe that the best time to take a pulsenis in the morning when the body is at rest and the pulse is cool. The best time is nbefore 10 a.m. after expelling stool and urine and before eating.

TCM suggests taking a pulse at the radial artery near the wrist, although it nmay be felt at various points of the body. Ayurvedic Medicine also suggests ntaking the pulse at the radial artery, but has different points of location on the nwrist for each of the three doshas. Finger positioning is the same in both nsystems, where the index, middle and ring finger drape over the top of the wrist nand rest on the underside of the wrist, with the index finger closest to the palm of nthe hand.

Both systems distinguish between various types of pulse. In TCM they nare based on speed, width, strength, shape and quality, length, and rhythm. TCM nhas about eighteen primary types of pulses which are very important inndetermining possible disharmonies.

Ayurvedic Medicine categorizes the different pulses by types of ailments.
For example, an asthmatic individual would have a thin, steady, accelerated, nhard, speedy, intense, hollow pulse that could be felt under all three fingers. By ncontrast, an obese person would have a thick, slow pulse which is the same as a nperson with excess phlegm in the system. According to Ayurvedic Medicine, a nhealthy pulse should be continuously cool and slow in the morning, hot at noon, nand fast in the evening.

In TCM various areas on the wrists correspond with different organs. For
Example, first position on the left wrist corresponds to the heart, but on the right nwrist it corresponds to the lungs, or second position on the left wrist corresponds nto the liver, and on the right it corresponds to the spleen and so on.

This same system of “wrist/organ correspondence” is also true in
Ayurveda, where the three wrist positions reveal the health of twelve different nbody organs. This correspondence is possible because certain “meridian” or nenergy lines connect the organ energy currents to corresponding wrist positions.

The tongue is another important factor in determining an individual’snhealth. In TCM, the tongue’s color is of the utmost importance, a normal tonguenwould appear pale red and somewhat moist. A pale tongue would indicate that nthere is deficient blood, qi, or excess cold. A red tongue would be a sign of a nheat condition in the body, and scarlet would signify extreme heat. A purplentongue indicates that qi and blood are not flowing harmoniously and pale purple nsignifies an obstruction related to cold. In general, a lack of flow due to cold nmakes the tongue appear moist, and a heat condition would result in a dryness ofnthe tongue.

The coating, fur, or moss on the surface of the tongue is the result ofnspleen activity. The tongue moss covers the whole surface or patches of thensurface of the tongue and can vary in thickness, color, texture or generalnappearance.

In a healthy individual the density of moss is relatively uniform, nalthough it may be slightly thicker in the tongue’s center. The moss is thin, nwhitish, and moist, and the tongue’s surface can be seen through it. A thin mossncan be normal, but during an illness it may be a sign of deficiency. A very thicknmoss is nearly always a sign of excess.

Ayurvedic medicine is very similar its observation of the tongue. Thencolor, size shape and coating help in diagnostic procedures. A blackish brown ncolor shows Vata disorders. Yellow, green or reddish colors suggest Pittanproblems in the liver or gall bladder. Kapha problems are revealed by a whitishncolor. Blue may suggest heart problems, whereas blue or purple would indicate nstagnation or liver disorders.

The coating of the tongue suggests toxins in the system, e.g. when only a nthin coating is on the tongue, the person is generally healthy. A thick, white ncoating indicates Kapha. Thick greasy, yellow or inflamed tongues suggest nfermentation or Pitta conditions.

Both TCM and Ayurveda use the tongue as a map to the diagnosis of nvarious organs. The specific areas of various “tongue/organ correspondences” arenremarkably similar in both systems of diagnoses e.g. the heart being at the veryn tip, the stomach in the middle and kidneys located in the back area of the tongue.

While both tongue and pulse play an important role in determining illness, nother factors such as facial color also need to be considered. In TCM the color of nthe face and it’s moistness are closely related to the body’s Qi and blood. The
Nei Jing states that, “all the Qi and Blood of the Meridians pour upward into the nface.” Normal and healthy facial color would appear shiny and moist. White isnassociated with disharmonies of deficiency or of Cold, whereas a darkness or nblackness, usually the greatest under the eyes, is associated with deficient kidneys nand congealed blood.

In Ayurveda, facial observation deals mostly with the expressions of nthe individual. For example, liver lines between the eyebrows are a sign of nrepressed anger, whereas worry lines across the forehead signify excess Vata or nworry, and dark under eye rings suggest a kidney disorder.

Observation of the eyes in diagnoses is also very important to both healingnsystems. TCM states that although it is the liver that opens into the eyes, thenhealth of all the organs is reflected in them because the pure Qi of all the organs, n“pours through the eyes.” Lively eyes indicate that the Qi is uninjured, stiff n“wooden,” inflexible eyes show either a Wind or a deficient condition, and if thenwhites of the eyes are red, it is a sign of a Heat condition caused by exte
al npe
icious influences or excess heat of an organ.

Ayurveda believes that the eyes help to show an individual’s dosha, (Vata,
Pitta, or Kapha). Generally, Vata eyes are small and unsteady, Pitta eyes are nsharp and piercing, reddish or bloodshot, and Kapha eyes appear large, wide and nwhite. Healthy eyes are characterized as, “serene, cheerful, and beautiful.”
Observation of an individual’s secretions and excretions is anothe
necessary step when diagnosing an illness in both TCM and Ayurveda. In TCM,nthe principal secretions and excretions are phlegm, vomit, urine and stool.
Because the physician may see phlegm and vomit, they are considered part nof the “Looking Examination”. Urine and stool are usually discussed with the npatient and are therefore covered in the “Asking Examination”.

The same is true in Ayurveda where by asking and observing, a physician ncan gain knowledge of an individual’s constitution through the type of secretions nand excretions they exhibit. By taking all of these signs into consideration, nweighing and comparing them to other signs in the examination, an accurate ndiagnoses is eventually attained.

Although TCM and Ayurveda practice many of the same diagnostic ntechniques, this thesis also illustrated how each system is distinct through its ndiscussion of Doshas and Qi. Both TCM and Ayurveda are ancient healingnsystems of the East which are finally being valued for their non-invasive ntechniques here in the West. In contrast to Allopathic medicine which simply ntreats specific symptoms, both Eastern systems view the patient as a unique nindividual whose habits and lifestyle must be taken into consideration when nmaking a diagnosis and prescribing treatment. As a result of this individualized, nholistic approach, both TCM and Ayurveda offer patients a viable alte
ative to traditional Western medicine.nnnnn nnnnnnnnnnnn