The Five Outer Symptoms Of Chinese Medicine
Do you remember the questionnaire you filled out the last time you were at your doctor’s office? It was most likely lengthy and asked you a number of detailed questions with respect to the symptoms you may have been experiencing. At times these questionnaires are so detailed that it takes longer to fill them out than to consult with the doctor! Interestingly, in Chinese medicine the collection of symptoms is much less detailed and instead is cataloged into the fiver outer symptoms which every person knows to look for and to describe.
The first symptom is referred to as aridity. Aridity is essentially the opposite of humidity and as a symptom it is considered a valuable description. As such the practitioner will look for dry skin, flaking skin, brittle hair, and other signs that showcase a lack of sufficient moisture in the body.
Secondly is humidity. Humidity refers to the presence of moisture that is quickly overtaking the healthy amount of dampness which should be part and parcel of the body. Thus, if you have supple skin, you are thought to have harmonious levels of moisture; yet if you are sweating, you are seen to have an overage of humidity in your body. Water retention is an obvious sign that humidity is a symptom that needs to be dealt with.
Interestingly, the one symptom the average Westerner has the hardest time understanding is wind. Practitioners will consider it when the patient presents with coughing spasms, irregularities in breathing patterns, and also noisy breathing or rattling sounds which inhaling. Of all the symptoms, this one is the hardest to pinpoint simply because – much like the wind for which it is named – it may change its locale!
Warmth is the fourth symptom and it denotes any temperature that is above the normal body heat. Even if the temperature does not appear to be raised, a red face, flushed skin, bloody emissions from the body, and even a noticeable reddening of the mucous membranes all fall under this umbrella.
Last but not least is the coolness. Once again it is evidenced by a markedly lowered body temperature, tremors and shivering, but also discoloration of the skin and nails. A light bluish tint is a surefire sign that coolness is a symptom to be reckoned with. The same holds true for colorings of white or ever light yellow.
It is possible for any of these symptoms to occur and pinpoint a condition in the body. Perhaps humidity has entered the body and is overtaking it, thus causing the body’s life force to no longer flow in harmony but instead be overflowing with the energy of the water. This disruption then leads to illness, which in turn is directly associated with several treatment options, all of which depend on the severity of the symptom. Although it may appear simplistic at the onset, there is a lot of wisdom in the five outer symptoms of Chinese medicine and when you take a closer look at the average physician’s questionnaire, you may be surprised to find that many of the questions are actually following suit!
