The Eight Outlines

tutor

yin and yang, external and internal, hot and cold, weak and strong.

Four clinical diagnostics
Inspection:
Yin Patterns:
Pale or dark complexion, tiredness and likes to lie down, lack of strength, does not like physical activities, fat slippery tongue with oily look.
Yang Patterns:
Red face, hot body, prefers cool, uneasiness, dry and cracked lips, dark red tongue with yellow fur, or even with cracks, or black and with spurs.

Listening and Smelling:
Yin Patterns:
Voice is weak, quiet and dislikes talking, weak breathing, short of breath.
Yang Patterns:
Voice is strong and menacing, impatient, talkative, breathing is rough and fast with sound of phlegm, shouting and/or cursing.

Inquiring:
Yin Patterns:
Foul smelling feces, lack of appetite, uneasiness and not thirsty, or prefers warm beverages, urination is long and clear or short of urine.
Yang Patterns:
Stool is hard or constipated, or with foul smell, does not like to eat, dry mouth, thirsty and wants to drink, urine is short and dark.

Palpation:
Yin Patterns:
Stomach is painful and likes to be pressed, body and feet are cold, pulse is deep, thin, slow and weak.
Yang Patterns:
Stomach is painful and dislikes being pressed, body and feet are warm, pulse is large, floating, fast, and slippery and strong.


Location of Illness
External: skin and hair, muscle and meridians
Internal: zang fu, blood vessels, and bone marrow


Cold Patterns and Hot Patterns
Warm and Cold Preferences:
Cold Patterns: Prefers warm and dislikes cold;
Hot Patterns: Prefers cold and dislikes warm.

Thirst :
Cold Patterns:not thirsty
Hot Patterns: thirsty and likes cold drink

color of face:
Cold Patterns: pale
Hot Patterns: red or pink

limbs:
Cold Patterns: cold
Hot Patterns: hot

feces:
Cold Patterns: loose
Hot Patterns: rigid

urine:
Cold Patterns: light color and long duration
Hot Patterns: dark and short duration

tongue:
Cold Patterns: pale and with white coating
Hot Patterns: red and with yellow coating



Weak (deficient) Patterns (xu zheng) and Strong Patterns (shi zheng)

length of illness:
Weak (deficient) Patterns: illness has been lasting for long duration Strong Patterns: illness has been lasting for short duration

body type:
Weak (deficient) Patterns: weak
Strong Patterns: strong

energy:
Weak (deficient) Patterns: low and depressed
Strong Patterns: excited


voice and breath:
Weak (deficient) Patterns: low voice and weak breath
Strong Patterns: strong voice and strong breath

pain:
Weak (deficient) Patterns: likes being pressed
Strong Patterns: does not like being pressed

fullness in chest and abdomen:
Weak (deficient) Patterns: not painful when pressed. Fullness comes and goes.
Strong Patterns: painful when pressed. Fullness does not subside.

temperature:
Weak (deficient) Patterns: chest, palms and soles are uncomfortably warm. Feverish in the afternoon.
Strong Patterns: hot body

chill:
Weak (deficient) Patterns: chill sensation subsides when the body is covered or in a warm environment
Strong Patterns: chill sensation does not subside when the body is covered or in a warm environment


tongue phenomenon:
Weak (deficient) Patterns: tongue has tender look. No fur or little fur.
Strong Patterns: tongue has aged look and fur is thick and has an oily look.

pulse phenomenon:
Weak (deficient) Patterns: weak
Strong Patterns: strong