Traditional Chinese Medicine: Internal Medicine

Traditional Chinese medicine internal medicine (中医内科学) encompasses the diagnosis and treatment of internal diseases — conditions affecting the body's internal organs and systems. Based on the theoretical framework of TCM, internal medicine addresses diseases of the respiratory, digestive, cardiovascular, urinary, and nervous systems through herbal formulas, acupuncture, and other traditional methods, offering alternatives and complements to Western internal medicine.

Major Internal Medicine Subspecialties

TCM internal medicine includes major areas: "respiratory medicine" (肺系疾病) — treating cough, asthma, and colds; "digestive medicine" (脾胃疾病) — treating stomach pain, bloating, and diarrhea; "cardiovascular medicine" (心血管疾病) — treating palpitations, chest tightness, and hypertension; "urinary medicine" (肾系疾病) — treating kidney issues and urinary problems; and "neurological medicine" (脑系疾病) — treating headaches, dizziness, and insomnia. Each area has characteristic patterns and treatment strategies.

Pattern Differentiation in Internal Medicine

TCM pattern differentiation (辨证论治) guides internal medicine treatment: "exterior patterns" (表证) — early-stage conditions with fever and aversion to wind; "interior patterns" (里证) — deeper conditions affecting internal organs; "cold patterns" (寒证) — conditions of cold with pale tongue and slow pulse; "heat patterns" (热证) — conditions of heat with red tongue and rapid pulse; "deficiency patterns" (虚证) — weak conditions with insufficient qi, blood, yin, or yang; and "excess patterns" (实证) — strong conditions with pathogenic excess. Treatment is based on the pattern, not the Western diagnosis.

Common Formulas and Treatments

TCM internal medicine employs classic formulas: "Jin Gui Shen Qi Wan" (金匮肾气丸) — for kidney yang deficiency; "Liu Wei Di Huang Wan" (六味地黄丸) — for kidney yin deficiency; "Xiao Chai Hu Tang" (小柴胡汤) — for shaoyang disorders; "Si Jun Zi Tang" (四君子汤) — for qi deficiency; "Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang" (补中益气汤) — for spleen qi sinking; and "Xiao Yao San" (逍遥散) — for liver qi stagnation. Acupuncture points are selected based on pattern differentiation, with points like ST36 (足三里) and SP6 (三阴交) commonly used.