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Horses and Traditional Chinese Medicine, Part Three
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Chinese Physiology and Philosophy
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| The first two articles briefly explained the history and philosophy of Chinese Medicine. We now proceed with a short introduction to Chinese physiology, anatomy, and philosophy. It is important to understand this aspect of Traditional Chinese Medicine and its particular application to the horse. An ailment or injury can only be effectively treated by having a practitioner accurately diagnose through the utilization of the Yin/Yang and the Five Elements theory. In this manner, the cause of the problem can be identified and treatment prescribed accordingly. Benefits of such a treatment program are long-term in most cases. |
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| While diagnosing a horse, the TCM practitioner has to first identify the syndrome related to the condition. (A syndrome is a group of disease symptoms commonly found in association with one another.) Chinese medicinal formulas and acupuncture are based on syndromes. For example, when the lungs are energy deficient and symptoms appear such as coughing and/or shortness of breath, this is identified as the Fei Qi Xu syndrome. Other symptoms such as poor appetite, bloated stomach, loose stools, or tiredness of the limbs indicate that there is a problem with the spleen. Consequently, this syndrome is now called Fei Pi Qi Xu or lungs/spleen energy deficiency. A correct identification of the syndrome simplifies the treatment of the problem and thereby focuses on dealing with the cause. |
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