TCM Dictionary - Search Explorer
The TCM Dictionary is massive, so the fastest way to find something is to search. As an example, try a search for 'liver qi'. The more obscure the TCM concept, the better. The dictionary combines terms, definitions, medications, and acupuncture prescriptions.
There are 71 terms starting with "O"
obesity
Fatness, corpulence. Traditional literature contains little reference to weight control. With the influence of modern medicine, greater attention is being paid to the problem. Obesity is attributed to phlegm-damp or qi vacuity, or as is often the case, a combination of the two.
obesity infertility
Infertility resulting when phlegm-damp arising internally in obese people becomes lodged in the thoroughfare and controlling vessels or when excessive fat congests the uterus and the uterine vessels. Obesity infertility is usually associated with heart palpitations, shortness of breath, and copious vaginal discharge.
Medication: Treat with Palace-Opening Pill, which contains pinellia (Pinelliae Tuber), atractylodes (Atractylodis Rhizoma), ligusticum (Ligustici Rhizoma), tangerine peel (Citri Exocarpium), cyperus (Cyperi Rhizoma), medicated leaven (Massa Medicata Fermentata), and
Acupuncture: Base treatment mainly on CV and ST. Select CV-12 (Center Stomach Duct), ST-36 (Leg Three Li), ST-40 (Bountiful Bulge), ST-25 (Celestial Pivot), CV-6 (Sea of Qi), CV-4 (Pass Head), SP-6 (Three Yin Intersection); and KI-13 (Qi Point); needle with even suppl
oblique insertion
Synonyms: slanted insertion.
Insertion of a needle at roughly 45.
oblique-running pulse
An anomaly in the position of wrist pulse in which the pulse runs from the cubit position over the posterior pace of the styloid process of the radius toward LI-4 (Union Valley).
obliviousness of hunger and satiety
obstruct
To cause blockage of the airways, interstices, spleen, etc., hampering their normal functioning. Dampness and phlegm are often described as causing obstruction, as in dampness obstructing the center burner, damp-heat obstructing the spleen and stomach, phlegm obstructing the network vessels of the lung, and phlegm obstructing the orifices of the heart.
obtaining qi
Causing the acupuncture needle to elicit the sensations associated with the presence of qi at or near the insertion site. These sensations include subjective sensations in the patient and an objective sensation felt by the practitioner's fingers. The subjective sensation experienced by the patient can be described as twinging distention, heaviness, tingling or numbness depending on the point in question and the condition of the patient. This should not be confused with the local sensation of pricking pain that may accompany needle insertion. Obtaining qi is a deeper sensation, duller in nature, and less localized than the sharp pain associated with the stimulation of subcutaneous nerves. The objective sensation felt by the practitioner can be described, to use the metaphor of Song to Elucidate Mysteries, as a sudden deep tightening that resembles the feeling of a fish biting on a fishing line. As long as the needle moves easily, qi cannot be obtained. Since some patients report the slightest sensation in order to avoid further probing by the acupuncturist, it is better to rely on the subtle objective sensation. Channel-freeing manipulation, needle flicking, and qi-moving manipulation are techniques designed to help obtain qi.
occipital bone
Synonyms: pillow bone.
offensive bursting
The use of powerful pus-outthrusting medicinals such as pangolin scales (Manitis Squama) and gleditsia (Gleditsiae Fructus) to promote the expulsion of pus and toxin in the treatment of sores.
offensive treatment
Synonyms: attack.
office of assistant
office of conveyance
office of general
Synonyms: liver holds the office of general, whence strategies emanate.
office of justice
office of labor
office of monarch
office of reception
office of the granaries
oil paste
Synonyms: medicinal paste.
oily ashen nail
Synonyms: ashen nail.
oily sweat
Synonyms: sticky sweat.
Sticky oily sweat that does not run easily; observed in yang collapse vacuity desertion patterns. Compare expiration sweating.See medicinal paste.
ointment
A modern preparation made by adding finely ground materials to petroleum jelly (Vaseline) or glycerin.
old phlegm
A phlegm pattern arising when fire evil fumes in the upper burner, depressing lung qi, and causing fluids to congeal into phlegm that in time becomes gluey. Old phlegm is characterized by phlegm binding in sticky lumps that adhere to the throat and are difficult to cough up or swallow. Other signs include parched body hair, dry pharynx, thirst, cough and hasty panting, and a complexion that is white like the color of withered bones.
Medication: Free depression and downbear fire; soften hardness with cold salty medicinals; moisten the lung and disperse phlegm. Use Two Matured Ingredients Decoction plus unripe bitter orange (Aurantii Fructus Immaturus), pumice (Pumex), mirabilite (Mirabilitum), sc
open and closed supplementation and drainage
A method of achieving supplementation and drainage that involves pressing or not pressing the finger (or an alcohol-soaked swab) on the point after needle extraction. Supplementation is achieved by lightly pressing and rubbing the point after needle extraction to close the hole and prevent channel qi from discharging. Draining is achieved by waggling the needle on extraction without pressing to open the hole and allow channel qi to discharge. Alternatively, slow needle extraction after which the point is quickly pressed with the finger supplements, whereas swift needle extraction with slow pressing of the point drains. Elementary Questions states, ``Needling repletion, open the needle hole with the left hand; needling vacuity, close the needle hole with the left hand.''
open mouth and closed eyes
Synonyms: thoracic oppression.
A sign observed in desertion patterns.
opening and discharging
opening blocks
opening the orifices.
opening the orifices
A method of treatment used to address clouded spirit and coma due to evil obstructing the orifices of the heart. Opening the orifices employs acrid aromatic penetrating medicinals which penetrate the heart and free the orifices, repel foulness, and open blocks. Opening the orifices is applied in the treatment of sudden clouding reversal (clouding of consciousness due to abnormal qi flow) in diseases such as fright wind, epilepsy, wind stroke, or angina pectoris, or in coma ¬''±ø: ¯«§Ó©ü°g} caused by internal block occurring in externally contracted heat (febrile) disease. Opening the orifices constitutes emergency treatment of the tip. Its principal effect is to resuscitate the patient, and eliminate distention and oppression in the chest and abdomen caused by foul turbidity. Distinctions are made between the following methods:
Medication: See clearing heat and opening the orifices (cool opening); expelling cold and opening the orifices (warm opening); transforming phlegm and opening the orifices; clearing heat, transforming phlegm, and opening the orifices. In most cases, prescribed medica
Acupuncture: To open the orifices of the heart, select as the main points GV-26 (Human Center), KI-1 (Gushing Spring), HT-7 (Spirit Gate), and PC-8 (Palace of Toil); apply wide-range lifting and thrusting and twirling, retaining the needles until the patient regains c
opening the orifices and arousing the spirit
opening the orifices.
opening the orifices and freeing the spirit
Synonyms: increasing food intake; opening the stomach and increasing food intake.
opening the orifices.
opening the stomach
To increase the appetite. The stomach governs food intake. This function is related to the spleen, since the spleen ``moves the fluids of the stomach.'' Opening the stomach thus means increasing the stomach's intake of food. Commonly used stomach-opening medicinals include barley sprout (Hordei Fructus Germinatus), crataegus (Crataegi Fructus), rice sprout (Oryzae Fructus Germinatus), and gizzard lining (Galli Gigerii Endothelium). An example of a stomach-opening formula is Peanut Gruel.
opening the stomach and increasing food intake
Synonyms: opening with acridity and downbearing with bitterness.
opening the stomach.
opening with acridity and discharging with bitterness
A method of treatment that uses acrid-flavored medicinals to diffuse exterior evils and bitter-flavor medicines to clear and drain interior heat. If, for example, a patient has a slight aversion to cold, heat~effusion, headache, scant sweat, thirst, sore throat, yellow tongue fur, and a rapid floating pulse, the exterior evil can be effused and dissipated with cool acrid medicinals such as mulberry leaf (Mori Folium), chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemi Flos), and vitex (Viticis Fructus), whereas the interior heat can be cleared and discharged with isatis leaf (Isatidis Folium) and bushy sophora (Sophorae Subprostratae Radix).
A method of treatment that uses acrid-flavored medicinals to free phlegm-damp in the chest and stomach duct and bitter-flavored medicinals to treat damp-heat in the chest and stomach duct. The two can be used together to treat phlegm-damp-heat obstruction causing glomus and oppression, distention and fullness, and nausea and vomiting. This method makes use of acrid medicinals such as magnolia bark (Magnoliae Cortex), bitter orange (Aurantii Fructus), ginger pinellia (Pinelliae Tuber cum Zingibere Praeparatum), and tangerine peel (Citri Exocarpium), and bitter medicinals such as coptis (Coptidis Rhizoma) and scutellaria (Scutellariae Radix).
opening with acridity and downbearing with bitterness
opening with acridity and discharging with bitterness.
opening, closing, and pivot
Synonyms: freeing blocks; opening blocks; freeing the orifices; opening the orifices and arousing the spirit; opening the orifices and freeing the spirit.
From Elementary Questions. Interior-exterior levels in the channel system. ``Opening'' means open to the exterior; ``closing'' means confined in the interior; ``pivot'' means located between opening and closing. Among the yang channels, greater yang governs opening, yang brightness governs closing, and lesser yang governs the pivot. Among the yin channels, greater yin governs opening, reverting yin governs closing, and lesser yin governs the pivot.
oppression in the chest
Discomfort and vexation in the chest caused by damp-heat or phlegm-damp obstructing the central burner and inhibiting qi. Compare oppression in the heart and chest and stifling oppression in the heart and chest.
oppression in the heart and chest
oral gan
gan of the mouth.
oral putrefaction
A white mold-like coating covering the tongue and the whole of the surface of the oral cavity, or small patches of mucosal erosion known as erosion spots. Oral putrefaction indicates the development of sweltering damp-heat in patterns of damage to yin by stomach vacuity. This generally occurs in enduring or severe illnesses and indicates complex patterns that are difficult to cure.
orally taken paste
rich paste.
organ
The English term organ is used to denote a bowel or viscus.
organ cough
five bowels and six viscera cough.
organ fright pattern
bowel and visceral fright pattern.
organ pattern identification
bowel and visceral pattern identification.
organ qi
bowel and visceral qi.
organ stroke
bowel and visceral stroke.
oriental medicine
Chinese medicine and the medical arts of Korea, Japan, and other Far Eastern lands that developed from it. In China, this term is rarely used.
orifice
Any one of the openings of the body. The upper orifices or clear orifices are the eyes, ears, nostrils, and mouth, whereas the lower orifices or turbid orifices are the anal and genital orifices. These are collectively referred to as the nine orifices.
orifice of the heart
Plural in English) The orifices of the heart spirit. Chinese medicine traditionally holds that when the ``orifices of the heart'' are free and uninhibited, the spirit-mind is clear, and that when the orifices of the heart are blocked, there is clouded spirit, mania, or withdrawal. Although the literal meaning ``orifices of the heart'' implies that the term denotes a physical entity, the location and nature of the entity is not explained. Thus the term either denotes a speculative entity or is merely a metaphor describing consciousness as a ``window'' on the outside world. The tongue. Elementary Questions says, ``The heart governs the tongue... its orifice is the tongue.''
orifice opening
orifices of the kidney
The ears.
orifices of the lung
The nostrils or nose.
origin
Beginning; source. In Chinese medicine, ``origin'' appears in the terms original qi and lower origin (the kidney). It connotes the basis of life. The character is also a synonym of, dark, mysterious.
original house mansion
mysterious house.
original qi
Source qi. Right qi.
original qi vacuity
qi vacuity.
original yang
Kidney yang seen as the origin of life, standing in complementary opposition to original yang (kidney yin).
original yin
Synonyms: a-shi point.
Kidney yin seen as the origin of life, standing in complementary opposition to original yin (kidney yang).
ouch point
Points that are sensitive to palpation and chosen as sites for acupuncture treatment. These points are most often used to treat disorders in their immediate vicinity, but also treat disorders distant from the point. Ouch points are not necessarily located on the channels. Because their locations vary and reflect the disease and its relationship to the patient, these points are inherently unchartable.
outcrop
excrescence.
outer assisting bone
The smaller bone of the lower leg.
outer body
The outer part of the body, the exterior.
outer canthus
The outer angle of the eye.
outpour diarrhea
water diarrhea.
outthrust
Synonyms: outthrusting the exterior.
The spontaneous or induced forcing of evils to and through the exterior of the body, including those which provoke maculopapular outthrust (outbreak of rash) on so doing.
outthrusting macules
A method of treatment used in febrile disease marked by exuberant internal heat to clear heat and cool the blood in order to treat faint macules that have not fully erupted. A representative macule-outthrusting formula is Macule-Transforming Decoction, which contains crude gypsum (Gypsum Crudum), anemarrhena (Anemarrhenae Rhizoma), raw licorice (Glycyrrhizae Radix Cruda), scrophularia (Scrophulariae Radix), rhinoceros horn (Rhinocerotis Cornu), and rice. The method known as cooling the blood and transforming macules makes use of the same formula, Macule-Transforming Decoction, plus moutan (Moutan Radicis Cortex), dried/fresh rehmannia (Rehmanniae Radix Exsiccata seu Recens), isatis leaf (Isatidis Folium), and lonicera (Lonicerae Flos) and minus raw licorice (Glycyrrhizae Radix Cruda), and rice.
outthrusting papules
A method of treatment used to promote the eruption of macules in the initial stage of measles.
Medication: Outthrusting macules makes use of cool acrid exterior-resolving medicinals such as mint (Menthae Herba), schizonepeta (Schizonepetae Herba et Flos), forsythia (Forsythiae Fructus), coriander (Coriandri Herba cum Radice), scallion white (Allii Fistulosi Bu
outthrusting the exterior
outthrusting papules.
overcoming dampness
Dispel dampness, especially when wind medicinals are used.
overwhelming
In the doctrine of the five phases, an abnormal exaggeration of restraining, where one of the phases is weakened, causing the phase that under normal circumstances would overcome it to invade and weaken it further. For example, wood normally restrains earth, but if earth is weak, then wood overwhelms it, rendering earth even weaker. In terms of the viscera, this means that the spleen, normally only restrained by the liver, will, if weak, be completely overwhelmed, becoming even weaker.
oxhide lichen
An episodic skin disease characterized by thickening and hardening of the skin that gives it the appearance of the skin of an ox's neck. Oxhide lichen starts with itching, the appearance of irregular flat papules, and in some cases browning of the skin. Subsequently, the papules coalesce and the skin becomes dry and hard with sores that weep and that are itchy especially at night. It is attributed to wind-damp-heat toxin depressed in the skin or to insufficiency of construction-blood and blood vacuity engendering wind and depriving the skin of nourishment. It is often associated with emotional disturbances.
Medication: Quicken the blood and course wind; clear heat and dispel dampness. Tangkuei Drink. Ill-Wind Oil Paste.
Acupuncture: Select ouch points, BL-17 (Diaphragm Transport), BL-12 (Wind Gate), BL-40 (Bend Center), LI-4 (Union Valley), LI-11 (Pool at the Bend), SP-9 (Yin Mound Spring), and SP-6 (Three Yin Intersection). Needle with drainage. Tap and cup the ouch points to bring