HERBALCONSULTS

The TCM Causes of Disease

Modern Western medical science tends to isolate physical factors such as germs, bacteria and viruses as the cause of all diseases. Many of these “causes” are viewed merely as symptoms of the disease by the Chinese physician. From this perspective a certain organ is unable to resist outside invasion because it is already weak. Killing the germs might eliminate the immediate symptoms but doesn’t restore strength and health to the diseased organ and tissues. It therefore fails to treat the real cause of the disease and it is only a matter of time before the organ is attacked again. They stress the question why germs “attack” According to Chinese theory the reason is that germs gather and flourish only in weakened parts of the body in patients with low resistance. The true cure is to counteract the conditions which give way for disease to develop in the first place instead of just killing the germs.

Six external causes are identified, which permit disease to develop when in excess. They are governed by meteorological conditions of climate and season. The excess of certain meteorological conditions (symbolically) tends to have negative effects on the body. If the resistance of patients is low, heat, damp, cold, and dryness, gather in weakened parts of the body.

In Chinese medical theory the major internal causes of disease are the Seven Emotions. These emotions – anger, anxiety, concentration, fear, fright, grief, and joy – cause disease and injury to vital organs only if they become uncontrollable and overwhelming. However, it is not the intensity but the duration of an extreme emotion.

To maintain health proper exercise is considered vital. The lack of exercise is one of the miscellaneous causes of disease, because it makes the blood flow sluggish. Excessive physical labor or fatigue, however, will also weaken the body and open doors to disease. Chinese medical literature stresses the importance of preventive care: proper diet, exercise, breathing, moderation in sex, and preventive herbal prescriptions are considered vital.