TCM Diagnosis: Pulse and Tongue in Traditional Chinese Medicine

Chinese traditional medicine diagnosis methods — particularly pulse diagnosis (脉诊, mai zhen) and tongue diagnosis (舌诊, she zhen) — represent some of the most distinctive diagnostic techniques in world medicine. Developed over two thousand years, these methods allow the trained practitioner to assess the patient's condition without instruments, relying on careful observation and palpation.

Pulse Diagnosis

Pulse diagnosis involves feeling the radial artery at the wrist in three positions (superficial, middle, deep) and assessing the pulse's quality: rate, rhythm, strength, and shape. A skilled practitioner can distinguish over 30 different pulse patterns, each corresponding to different TCM diagnoses.

Tongue Diagnosis

The tongue's color, shape, coating, and moisture provide information about the patient's internal condition. A red tongue indicates heat; a pale tongue indicates blood deficiency; a thick coating indicates dampness; a thin coating indicates a relatively healthy condition. The tongue is considered a "mirror of the internal organs."