TCM 1

Question 1

TCM

Answer 1

an ancient and natural form of healing that recognizes the inseparable relationship of body, mind, and spirit and nature

Question 1

Principles of TCM

Answer 1

• your body is integrated as a whole
• connection to nature
• innate self-healing capacity
• prevention is the best cure

Question 2

what concept is the single most important and distinctive theory of Chinese medicine

Answer 2

Yin Yang Theory

Question 3

Yin

Answer 3

• material
• produces form
• grows
• matter
• contraction
• descending
• below
• water
• female

Question 4

Yang

Answer 4

• immaterial
• produces energy
• generates
• energy
• expansion
• rising
• above
• fire
• male

Question 5

Function of Yin

Answer 5

• cooling
• nourishes
• provides space for rest
• substance that is moved
• creates the space for conception

Question 6

Function of Yang

Answer 6

• warming
• transforms
• protects
• moves
• holds
• creates the spark for conception

Question 7

? is the material basis for ?

Answer 7

yin and yang

Question 8

? is the functional manifestation of ?

Answer 8

yang and yin

Question 9

? is black

Answer 9

yin

Question 10

? is white

Answer 10

yang

Question 11

four aspects of Yin/Yang

Answer 11

• opposition
• interdependence
• mutual consumption
• inter-transformation

Question 12

opposition

Answer 12

• yin and yang are relatively opposite
• never exactly 50/50
• always changing to maintain homeostasis
• even if something is yin, it contains yang as well

Question 13

interdependence

Answer 13

• cannot exist without the other
• “cannot have activity without having rest”
• “amount of activity correlated to amount of rest”

Question 14

mutual consumption

Answer 14

• too much of one will deplete the other - too much yin depletes yang and vice verse
• not enough of one will show more of the other - not enough Yang will look similar to too much

Question 15

intertransformation

Answer 15

• yin and yang transform into one another
• wake into sleep, life into death, summer into winter, etc.
• occurs when the timing is right
• female menstrual cycle: follicular phase into luteal phase

Question 16

Yin Excess

Answer 16

• excess yin produces cold symptoms
• abdominal pain better with warmth
• dysmenorrhea better with warmth
• local pain better with heat
• chills

Question 17

Yang Excess

Answer 17

• excess yang produces heat symptoms
• feeling hot all day
• red face
• thirst for cold drinks (gulps)

Question 18

Yin deficiency

Answer 18

• decrease in yin produces heat symptoms
• red cheeks
• dry stools
• anxiety at night
• night sweats
• hot flushes
• 5 centre heat
• thirst for cold drinks in sips

Question 19

Yang Excess

Answer 19

• Excess yang produces heat symptoms
• feeling hot all day
• red face
• thirst for cold drinks (gulps)

Question 20

Stuff to examine the tongue

Answer 20

• body colour
• body shape
• tongue coating
• tongue moisture
• spirit/shen

Question 21

Tongue Body Colour

Answer 21

reflects the condition of the yin organs, blood and nutritive Qi
and reflects the true condition of the body irrespective of temporary conditions

Question 22

Tongue Body Shape

Answer 22

Observing whether the tongue is thin or swollen, long or short, and whether specific parts of the tongue are swollen

Question 23

Tongue Coating

Answer 23

AKA Fur or Moss
- consists of the tips of the papillae
- physiological by-product of the stomach’s digestion
- tongue coating can provide information about variety of internal conditions

Question 24

Tongue Moisture

Answer 24

Indication of the body’s fluids
- can be dry, moist, or wet

Question 25

Normal tongue

Answer 25

colour: pale red and ‘fresh-looking’
shape: supple, neither too flabby nor too stiff. Not cracked, does not tremble or quiver when extended, and neither swollen nor thin
coating: thin and white
Moisture: slightly moist, neither too dry nor too wet