Chinese Medicine Dictionary

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There are 262 terms starting with "T"

tablet

A medicinal preparation made by mixing a powder of ground medicinal materials with a formative medicinal and compressing them into a mold. Tablets are convenient to carry and use. They easily absorb dampness, so should be kept in a dry place. Tablets may be hand or machine made. To make tablets by hand, the constituents are ground to a fine powders, and blended with flour and water paste or viscous rice water, pressed in a mold, and either oven-dried or left to dry in the shade. Less commonly, some of the constituents are boiled, and after straining off the dregs, the decoction is reduced to a paste, which is then mixed with the dry medicinals. See medicinal preparation.

tablet preparation

Synonyms: liang.

tael

Synonyms: Coccyx.

tail bone

take drenched

Swallowing (powders, paste, or glue) mixed with several times the volume of cold, warm, or hot water or other fluid. Medicinals that should not or need not be decocted are taken drenched to facilitate swallowing. Some medicinals such as amber (Succinum), cinnabar (Cinnabaris), or notoginseng (Notoginseng Radix) that are expensive or that should not be decocted are ground to a fine powder and mixed with warm water or an accompanying decoction and swallowed. Some gelatinous medicinals or mineral salts such as ass hide glue (Asini Corii Gelatinum), mirabilite (Mirabilitum), or malt sugar (Granorum Saccharon) can be dissolved in warm water or an accompanying decoction.

tang

Synonyms: chaotic red-thread vessels; chaotic vessels in the white of the eye.

The name of a dynasty ( 618--907).

tangled red-thread vessels

A disease pattern of the eye characterized by red vessels in the white of the eye that run in all directions like tangled threads. Tangled red-thread vessels are associated with dryness of the eyes and slight tearing and aversion to light. They are attributed to the enduring presence of evils causing stasis in the blood network vessels of the white of the eye. They are is observed in peppercorn sores, millet sores, eye strain, and long exposure to fumes or dust.

Medication: Dispel the evil and dissipate stasis. Compare red vessels invading the eye.

taste in the mouth

The taste experienced when there is nothing in the mouth. Changes in the taste in the mouth are of corroborative value in pattern identification. If the taste in the mouth is unaffected by illness, the mouth is said to be in harmony. This indicates that there is no heat in the interior. taste is the most commonly reported deviation from ``harmony of mouth'' and is attributed to bile. It is observed in lesser yang disease and depressed liver-gallbladder heat. taste in the mouth is attributable either to spleen-stomach heat or to dual vacuity of spleen-stomach qi and yin. taste, sometimes described as being ``fishy,'' is ascribed to kidney vacuity. taste in the mouth is a subjective feeling of sourness in the mouth, that in severe cases may be accompanied by a sour smell on the breath. It is attributed to liver heat, to spleen vacuity being exploited by wood, or to food stagnation. taste in the mouth is diminished sense of taste. It is usually associated with no enjoyment in food and poor appetite. It is attributed to spleen-stomach vacuity or to dampness obstructing the center burner. See bitter taste in the mouth; sweet taste in the mouth; sour taste in the mouth; bland taste in the mouth. See also sliminess in the mouth.

taste of urine in the mouth

taxation

Physical exertion. Fatigue resulting from physical exertion. According to Elementary Questions, ``taxation causes wearing of qi.'' Severe lasting wear and tear on the body by overexertion or lack of exercise, and in a wider context by intemperate living (including dietary irregularities and sexual intemperance), the seven affects (emotional imbalance), or enduring disease. The damage resulting from any of these factors is referred to as taxation fatigue or taxation damage (these terms also have another specific meanings; see taxation fatigue). The damage resulting from overexertion or lack of exercise is classically described in terms of the damage by the five taxations (prolonged vision damages the blood; prolonged lying damages qi; prolonged sitting damages the flesh; prolonged standing damages the bones; and prolonged walking damages the sinews). Damage by excessive sexual activity is called sexual taxation. The harmful effects of intemperate living and the seven affects are referred to as internal damage, and when they cause severe lasting wear and tear on the body, the resulting patterns are called vacuity taxation or vacuity detriment conditions. Consumption (corresponding to pulmonary tuberculosis in Western medicine), a contagious disease that causes gradual wasting away of the body.

taxation causes wearing of qi

Synonyms: vacuity taxation cough; taxation damage cough.

Excessive taxation, panting, and excessive sweating can cause damage to qi, causing fatigue.

taxation cough

Synonyms: taxation fatigue.

Cough occurring in severe vacuity patterns due to taxation fatigue, sexual and drinking intemperance. Taxation cough frequently manifests as lung-kidney yin vacuity flaming fire or lung-spleen vacuity cold. See also spleen cough.

taxation damage

Synonyms: taxation cough.

taxation damage cough

taxation damage profuse menstruation

Profuse menstruation (menorrhagia) occurring when taxation fatigue causes detriment to the thoroughfare and controlling vessels. Menstrual flow gradually increases and becomes persistent. It is dull and pale in color. Accompanying signs include withered-yellow facial complexion, physical fatigue and lack of strength, and in some cases sagging aching pain in the abdomen.

Medication: Secure the thoroughfare vessel and stanch bleeding with Thoroughfare-Quieting Decoction.

Acupuncture: Base treatment mainly on CV, SP, and ST. Select CV-6 (Sea of Qi), SP-6 (Three Yin Intersection), SP-1 (Hidden White), BL-20 (Spleen Transport), ST-36 (Leg Three Li), and SP-3 (Supreme White); needle with supplementation and add moxa.

taxation detriment

Synonyms: taxation damage.

Any pattern caused by taxation which in turn causes vacuity detriment to yin-yang, qi-blood, or the organs. Taxation is the cause, whereas detriment is the resulting pattern. Taxation detriment is also used as a generic name for vacuity taxation and vacuity detriment. See also taxation fatigue.

taxation fatigue

Overexertion, intemperate living (including dietary irregularities and sexual intemperance), or the seven affects (emotional imbalance) as a cause of disease. A disease pattern resulting from taxation fatigue. Overexertion, dietary irregularities, sexual intemperance, and affect damage tend to damage spleen qi and kidney essence; hence taxation fatigue is characterized by fatigue and laziness to speak, panting on exertion, heat vexation, spontaneous sweating, and heart palpitations.

Medication: Use Center-Supplementing Qi-Boosting Decoction. For pronounced yin fire with heat agitation, add phellodendron (Phellodendri Cortex) and dried/fresh rehmannia (Rehmanniae Radix Exsiccata seu Recens) to supplement water and rescue yin. For vexation, combin

Acupuncture: Base treatment mainly on CV, SP, and ST. Select CV-6 (Sea of Qi), BL-20 (Spleen Transport), ST-36 (Leg Three Li), CV-12 (Center Stomach Duct), SP-6 (Three Yin Intersection), and SP-3 (Supreme White); needle with supplementation and moxa if appropriate. Fo

taxation heat~effusion

Heat~effusion in vacuity taxation patterns, attributable to qi-blood depletion or yang debilitation and yin vacuity. It takes the form of steaming bone taxation heat~ effusion, and vexing heat in the five hearts. Accompanying signs differ according to the nature of the vacuity. See yin vacuity heat~effusion, yang vacuity heat~effusion, blood vacuity heat~effusion, and qi vacuity heat~effusion.

taxation malaria

Enduring malaria occurring when patients suffering from debilitation of right qi or enduring taxation detriment contract the evils that cause malaria. Taxation malaria is characterized by mild aversion to cold and mild heat~effusion occurring in the day or at night, with attacks being brought on by taxation. Patients often suffer from qi vacuity copious sweating and reduced food intake. mother-of-malaria.

Medication: Supplement vacuity and terminate malaria, using Center-Supplementing Qi-Boosting Decoction plus achyranthes (Achyranthis Bidentatae Radix), processed flowery knotweed (Polygoni Multiflori Radix Praeparatum), and mume (Mume Fructus). If there is pronounced

Acupuncture: Base treatment mainly on GV, PC, SI, ST, and back transport points. Select GV-14 (Great Hammer), GV-13 (Kiln Path), PC-5 (Intermediary Courier), SI-3 (Back Ravine), CV-12 (Center Stomach Duct), ST-36 (Leg Three Li), SP-2 (Great Metropolis), BL-20 (Spleen

taxation relapse

Relapse due to taxation. During recovery from an illness, before qi and blood have returned to normal or when residual heat is still present, physical exertion, affect damage, dietary or sexual intemperance can damage right qi and cause a relapse of the illness.

taxation steaming

steaming disease.

taxation strangury

Synonyms: vacuity taxation.

Dribbling painful urination brought on by taxation fatigue. Distinction is made between spleen taxation and kidney taxation.

Medication: Spleen taxation is treated by fortifying the spleen and boosting qi, using formulas such as Center-Supplementing Qi-Boosting Decoction or Spleen-Returning Decoction and their variations, whereas kidney taxation is treated by supporting vacuity and supplem

Acupuncture: Base treatment mainly on the three yin channels of the foot and on alarm and back transport points of BL (CV-3 and BL-28). Main points: BL-28 (Bladder Transport), CV-3 (Central Pole), SP-9 (Yin Mound Spring), KI-3 (Great Ravine), and SP-6 (Three Yin Inter

taxation timidity

tb

Abbreviation for the triple burner or the hand lesser yang triple burner channel.

tea

The dried leaves of the shrub Camellia sinensis (tea leaves) or the drink made by infusing tea leaves in hot water. Powders made loosely into cakes with binding medicinals which are prepared by brewing like tea, either with tea leaves or without.

tear hall

Synonyms: lacrimation.

The hole from which tears flow (i.e., the outlet of the lacrimal gland). Also called tear orifice.

tear orifice

The hole from which tears flow.

tearing

The discharge of tears other than for emotional reasons. A broad distinction is made between heat tearing, cold tearing, and tearing on exposure to wind. In young children, crying without tearing is a sign of a relatively serious condition.

tearing on exposure to wind

Synonyms: tear hall.

A sign of liver channel vacuity cold or liver channel wind-heat. Periodic tearing unassociated with exposure to wind may be due either to liver-kidney depletion or to effulgent yin vacuity fire.

tears

The humor of the liver.

tears are the humor of the liver

The liver opens at the eyes; hence tears are the humor of the liver.

teeth are the surplus of the bone

The teeth are the product of a surplus qi of the bone, and since the kidney governs the bone, the teeth are considered to be related to the kidney qi. The growth and condition of the teeth are considered as a reflection of kidney qi. See slowness to teethe; change of teeth; loosening of the teeth; desiccated teeth; black teeth.

teeth dry as desiccated bones

Synonyms: greater yang.

desiccated teeth.

temple

Synonyms: somnolence.

The area medial to the eyebrow bone (superciliary arch), in front of the upper part of the ear.

ten formula types

Synonyms: elbow taxation.

Diffusing, freeing, supplementing, discharging, light, heavy, lubricating, astringent, dry, and moist formulas. Ten Formula Types diffusing formula freeing formula q supplementing formula discharging formula n light formula heavy formula lubricating formula astringent formula dry formula moist formula

ten questions

Inquiry into the following ten areas: (1) cold and heat; (2) sweating; (3) head and body; (4) stool and urine; (5) appetite; (6) chest; (7) hearing; (8) thirst; (9) previous illnesses; (10) cause of present illness. In addition, the practitioner should inquire into effectiveness of previous medication, menstruation in women, and smallpox and measles in children.

ten strange pulses

Ten critical pulse conditions, include the seven strange pulses, i.e., pecking sparrow pulse, leaking roof pulse, flicking stone pulse, untwining rope pulse, waving fish pulse, darting shrimp pulse, and seething cauldron pulse, plus the three others: Upturned knife pulse : A pulse like a knife with the blade pointing upward, i.e., fine, stringlike, extremely tight. Spinning bean pulse: : A pulse that comes and goes away elusive like a spinning bean. Also called a spinning pill pulse. Frenzied sesame seed pulse: : A pulse that feels like sesame seeds under the finger, extremely fine and faint, and urgent, skipping and chaotic.

ten-principle inspection of the complexion

A method of evaluating the facial complexion according to ten paired principles: floating and sunken; clear and turbid; weak and strong; diffuse and intense; moist and perished. Floating and sunken ( fu2 chen2): A floating complexion is one where the color appears to be in the skin; it signifies disease in the exterior. A sunken complexion is one where the color appears to be below the skin; it indicates that the disease is in the interior. A floating complexion that gradually becomes sunken indicates disease passing from the exterior into the interior. A sunken complexion that gradually becomes floating indicates disease passing from the interior out to the exterior. Clear and turbid ( qing1 zhuo2): A clear complexion is clean and bright; it means that the disease is in yang. A turbid complexion is murky and dull; it means that the disease is in yin. A clear complexion that becomes turbid and a turbid complexion that becomes clear indicates disease movement from yang to yin or yin to yang. Weak and strong ( wei1 shen4): A weak complexion is pale-colored; it is associated with vacuity of right qi. A strong complexion is deep-colored; it signifies exuberant evil qi. A strong complexion changing to a weak complexion or vice-versa indicates repletion-vacuity conversion. Diffuse and dense ( san4 tuan2): A diffuse complexion is a dispersed complexion; it signifies illness about to resolve; a dense complexion is an unbroken complexion, and means a disease gradually gathering. A diffuse complexion becoming dense indicates that although the disease is of recent onset, it is gradually gathering; a dense complexion becoming diffuse indicates that although the illness is long standing, it is about to resolve. Moist and perished ( ze2 yao1): A moist complexion is one with a sheen; it signifies life. A perished complexion is a desiccated complexion; it signifies death. A perished complexion that becomes moist indicates the return of essence-spirit; a moist complexion that becomes perished indicates debilitation of qi and blood. The ten principles are helpful in assessing the development of a disease. However, they must be correlated with the five colors. For example, a red complexion means heat. A weak red complexion indicates vacuity heat, whereas a strong red complexion is repletion heat; a floating weak red complexion indicates vacuity heat in the exterior, while a deep weak red complexion indicated vacuity heat in the interior.

tendency to sleep

tender-red tongue

A tongue that is a pale soft red (pastel red) in color. It is a sign of severe vacuity.

tender-soft tongue

Synonyms: abdominal urgency and heaviness in the rectum.

A tongue that looks smooth and tender like the flesh of a child.

tenesmus

The urgent desire to evacuate, with difficulty in defecation characterized by heaviness or pressure in the rectum. Tenesmus with stool containing pus and blood is a major sign of dysentery.

tennis elbow

tension of the sinews

Tension of the sinews preventing normal bending and stretching. Sinew hypertonicity is mostly attributable to contraction of wind-cold in general vacuity, or to blood or liquid vacuity depriving the sinew vessels of nourishment. It is observed in lockjaw, tetany, impediment, fright wind, and wind stroke.

Medication: Use Five Accumulations Powder to dispel wind and dissipate cold or use Four Agents Decoction to nourish blood and increase humor.

Acupuncture: Needle the meeting point of the sinews, GB-34 (Yang Mound Spring), and add other points according to cause and location.

terminating lactation

A method of treatment used to stop the flow of milk.

Medication: Preparea a decoction of stir-fried barley sprout (Hordei Fructus Germinatus) and drink as tea. Decoct 80--100~g (some say only 60~g) per day, and take for 3--5 consecutive days. Some also claim that raw barley sprout should be used. If signs such distenti

Acupuncture: Select GB-21 (Shoulder Well), ST-36 (Leg Three Li), bilateral GB-37 (Bright Light), and bilateral GB-41 (Foot Overlooking Tears); needle with drainage, and addg moxa at GB-37 and GB-41.

tertian malaria

Malaria characterized by episodes occurring every other day.

testicle

Synonyms: tetany.

Either of the egg-shaped contents of the scrotum. The Inner Canon makes no comment about the function of the testicles, although it mentions them six times in the context of disease, e.g., The Magic Pivot states, ``In disease of the small intestine, there is smaller-abdominal pain and pain in the lumbar spine referring to the testicles.''

tetanic disease

tetanic reversal

Synonyms: lockjaw.

Tetany accompanied by clouding reversal (loss of consciousness).

tetanus

tetany

Severe spasm such as rigidity in the neck, clenched jaw, convulsions of the limbs, and arched-back rigidity. Repletion patterns are attributed to wind, cold, dampness, phlegm, or fire congesting the channels, whereas vacuity patterns occur when excessive sweating, loss of blood, or constitutional vacuity causes qi vacuity, shortage of blood, and insufficiency of the fluids, depriving the sinews of nourishment and allowing internal wind to stir. To resolve tetany, repletion patterns are treated primarily by dispelling wind and secondarily by supporting right qi, whereas vacuity patterns are treated primarily by boosting qi and nourishing the blood and secondarily by extinguishing wind. Distinction is made between soft tetany and hard tetany, the former being distinguished from the latter by the presence of sweating and absence of aversion to cold. The terms yin tetany and yang tetany are synonymous with soft and hard tetany, or may denote tetany with and without counterflow cold of the limbs respectively. Tetany may occur as a signs of a variety of different diseases, including but not limited to tetanus (see lockjaw); occurring in infants and children, it is referred to as fright wind. See fright and fright wind.

thick tongue fur

Synonyms: night sweating.

A thick tongue fur indicates the presence of an evil, usually dampness or phlegm. The thickening of the tongue fur means the advance of the evil, whereas its thinning marks regression.

thief sweating

thigh

The upper section of the leg from the knee to the trunk; the thigh bone. The Magic Pivot states, ``the distance between the thighs is six inches and a half.''

thigh bone

The bone of the upper leg.

thigh joint

The area at the upper extremity of the thigh at the crease between the thigh and trunk.

thigh pivot

The prominence at the top of the lateral aspect of the thigh. The socket of the hip joint.

thin tongue fur

Synonyms: greater yang channel.

A tongue fur is thin if the underlying tongue surface shows through faintly. A thin white tongue fur may be normal, or may be a sign of initial-stage external contraction. Other thin furs are of pathological significance judged by their color and texture.

third yang channel

Synonyms: greater yin channel.

third yin channel

thirst

A sense of dryness in the mouth with a greater or lesser urge to drink. Thirst most commonly reflects insufficiency of yin fluids and/or the presence of heat that causes fluid loss through sweating, as observed in lung-stomach heat, yin vacuity, and blood vacuity. It may occur when water-damp, phlegm or static blood cause obstruction. It can also reflect impaired transportation of the essence of food and water due to spleen vacuity or in impaired transformation of fluids due to kidney vacuity.

thirst with a liking for warm drinks

thirst with no desire to drink

thirteen ghost points

A group of points that originated from the Tang dynasty physician Sun Si-Miao's method for treating conditions such as mania, withdrawal, and epilepsy that were formerly attributed to demonic influence or possession. See Table .

thoracic fullness

fullness in the chest.

thoracic glomus

glomus in the chest.

thoracic impediment

chest impediment.

thoracic oppression

oppression in the chest.

thoracic pain

chest pain.

thoracic yang

Synonyms: penetrating vessel.

chest yang.

thoroughfare vessel

One of the eight extraordinary vessels. The thoroughfare vessel has a total of five paths. The first starts in the lower abdomen and emerges in the qi street, traveling up with the foot lesser yin kidney channel and passing from the umbilicus to the chest, where it disperses between the ribs. The second path begins where the channel disperses in the chest. It runs up the throat and face, skirting the lips, and terminating in the nose. The third path emerges from the qi street in the lower abdomen at KI-11 (Pubic Bone), then descends along the medial aspect of the thigh to the popliteal fossa. Continuing down along the medial margin of the tibia, it passes behind the medial malleolus before dispersing in the sole of the foot. The fourth branch diverges from ST-30 (Qi Thoroughfare) and descends obliquely down the lower extremity to the medial malleolus. It enters the heel, crosses the tarsal bones of the foot, and finally reaches the great toe. The fifth channel separates from the main course in the pelvic cavity and runs to the spine, which it then ascends. The thoroughfare vessel is the sea of the major channels. It has a regulating effect on all twelve regular channels, and its main function is to regulate menstruation, for which reason it is sometimes called the ``sea of blood.'' In women, uterine bleeding, miscarriage, menstrual block, menstrual irregularities, scant breast milk, lower abdominal pain, and blood ejection. In men, seminal emission, impotence, and conditions classed in Western medicine as prostatitis, urethritis, and orchitis. See uterus.

thought

One of the five minds, associated with the spleen.

thought causes qi to bind

Synonyms: wart.

Excessive thought or cogitation can cause binding depression of spleen qi that affects normal splenic movement and transformation, causing glomus and fullness in the chest and stomach duct, poor appetite, abdominal distention, and thin stool.

thousand-day sore

threaded ligation

A method of treating fistulas involving the threading of a medicated thread or fine shreds of elephant skin through the pathway of the fistula. This method makes use of the tensile strength of the thread to speed the degeneration of tissue to eventually open the fistula.

threatened miscarriage

Lumbar and abdominal pain, sagging sensation, and bleeding from the vagina in pregnancy. In modern practice, a urine pregnancy test is routinely performed. See stirring fetus.

three bars of the finger

Synonyms: three categories of cause.

The wind, qi, and life bars. See infant's finger examination.

three causes of disease

External, internal, and neutral causes of disease. The term ``three causes'' was coined by Chen Wu-Ze in his A Unified Treatise on Diseases, Patterns, and Remedies According to the Three Causes published in 1174. External factors are the six excesses. Internal causes are the seven affects. Neutral causes (literally ``non-external-internal'') include eating too much or too little, taxation fatigue, knocks and falls, crushing, drowning, and animal, insect, and reptile injuries.

three dispersions

upper dispersion, center dispersion, and lower dispersion. dispersion-thirst, center dispersion, and kidney dispersion. See dispersion-thirst.

three gems

Essence, qi, and spirit.

three grades

Three categories of medicinals of The Divine Husbandman's Herbal Foundation Canon. Top-grade medicals are those that are nontoxic and can be taken for long periods of time without harming the body. Medium-grade medicinals are those that are nontoxic or not greatly toxic and can treat disease and supplement vacuity. Low grade medicinals are ones that are toxic or harsh in their effects, cannot be taken over long periods, and are used to dispel heat and cold evil qi or to break accumulations and gatherings. The classification system of The Divine Husbandman's Herbal Foundation Canon is now considered to lack precision and consistency, some medicinals marked as top grade, for example, being toxic.

three hairs

The region just proximal to the base of the nail of the great toe, at which a number of hairs are often found growing. Not to be confused with tuft of hair.

three kingdoms

Synonyms: three gems.

The name of a dynastic period ( 220--280).

three mysteries

three positions and nine indicators

From Elementary Questions. An ancient pulse-taking scheme. The three positions are three areas on the head, upper limbs, and lower limbs, each area having three pulse points (indicators), which in most cases can be located by the acupuncture point located at the site. See the list below. Possibly owing to a change in mores, the less invasive practice of feeling only the wrist pulse replaced the system of taking the pulse at multiple points, which was probably no longer practiced by the Later Han (1st century ). From The Classic of Difficult Issues. An ancient pulse-taking scheme. In the context of the wrist pulse, the inch, bar, cubit positions are the three positions, and the superficial level, mid-level, and deep level of each of these are the nine indicators. Three Positions and Nine Indicators Head Upper limbs wrist pulse Lower limbs in men and in women

three postpartum crises

Three severe or critical conditions observed after giving birth: postpartum vomiting, postpartum night sweating, and postpartum diarrhea.

three postpartum desertions

Qi desertion, blood desertion, and desertion of the spirit after childbirth. Qi desertion is characterized by shortness of breath, blood desertion by flooding and spotting, and desertion of the spirit by raving and hallucination.

three postpartum diseases

postpartum tetany, postpartum depression and veiling, and postpartum defecation difficulty.

three postpartum surges

Upward surge of wasted blood from undischarged lochia into the heart, lung, and stomach. See wasted blood surging into the heart; wasted blood surging into the lung; wasted blood surging into the stomach.

three worm diseases

From The Origin and Indicators of Disease. A generic term for longworm disease, redworm disease, and pinworm disease.

three yang channels of the foot

Of the twelve channels, the three that run on the anterior, lateral, and posterior face of the leg, i.e., the foot yang brightness stomach channel, the foot lesser yang gallbladder channel, and foot greater yang bladder channel. These channels run from the head down the neck, back, and legs to the feet.

three yang channels of the hand

Of the twelve channels, the three to run over the lateral aspect of the arm. They are the hand yang brightness large intestine channel, the hand greater yang small intestine channel, and the hand lesser yang triple burner channel.

three yin channels of the foot

Of the twelve channels, the three that pass along the medial aspect of the leg. They are the foot greater yin spleen channel, the foot lesser yin kidney channel, and the foot reverting yin liver channel. They all start from the foot, and ascend the leg and abdomen to the chest.

three yin channels of the hand

Of the twelve channels, the three that pass along the medial aspect of the arm. They are the hand greater yin lung channel, the hand lesser yin heart channel, and the hand reverting yin pericardium channel. The all start from the chest and run out to the hands.

three-edged needle

Synonyms: three mysteries.

A thick needle with a sharp, three-edged tip used for letting blood. A three-edged needle is the modern equivalent of the sharp-edged needle among the nine needles in ancient times. The use of presterilized, disposable lancets has replaced the three-edged needle for bloodletting in many acupuncture clinics. See bloodletting for instructions on how to use it.

throat

The cavity passing through the neck comprising the pharynx (upper part) and larynx (lower part). A red sore hot swollen throat or throat nodes (tonsils) indicate stomach or lung heat flaming upward; if yellowish white putrefaction speckles are also present, the cause is intense toxic heat. A dry red sore throat generally with slight swelling indicates effulgent yin vacuity fire. A pale red sore throat without the presence of heat or swelling may indicate vacuity fire floating upward. A slightly red sore swollen throat with grayish white putrefaction speckles or patches that are not easily removed may be diphtheria, which is attributable to scorching of lung-stomach yin liquid by dryness-heat. Diseases affecting the throat include: baby moth; throat wind; throat impediment; throat lichen; welling-abscess of the throat; diphtheria.

throat impediment

A generic name for swelling and soreness of the throat. Throat impediment is attributed generally either to externally contracted wind-heat or to yin vacuity. Critical swelling and soreness of the throat in which the throat becomes severely occluded.

Medication: Wind-heat is treated with Lonicera and Forsythia Powder plus isatis root (Isatidis Radix), belamcanda (Belamcandae Rhizoma), and scrophularia (Scrophulariae Radix), whereas yin vacuity can be treated with Six-Ingredient Rehmannia Pill.

Acupuncture: For wind-heat, base treatment mainly on LU and LI. Select GB-20 (Wind Pool), LI-11 (Pool at the Bend), GV-14 (Great Hammer), LI-4 (Union Valley), TB-1 (Passage Hub), and LU-5 (Cubit Marsh); needle with drainage. Prick LU-11 (Lesser Shang) to bleed. For yi

throat lichen

Lichen in the throat; so called because it appears as a moss or lichen growing in the throat. Throat lichen is attributable either to liver-kidney depletion or to stomach heat fuming the lung. It starts with a dry itchy, slightly sore throat that appears dark and gloomy in complexion, and is covered with red threads, like the veins of a Chinese flowering crabapple leaf . Subsequently, the affected area begins to putrefy and take on the appearance of being coated with moss or lichen. Other signs include pain on swallowing that is mild in the morning, more pronounced in the evening, and most severe at night, and a hoarse voice.

throat moth

throat node

The slightly protruding flesh between the front pharyngeal pillars (palatoglossal arch) and the rear pharyngeal pillars (palatopharyngeal arch). Swelling of the throat nodes is called nipple moth, equivalent to tonsillitis in Western medicine.

throat pass

The constricted aperture between the mouth and throat at which the uvula is located.

throat wind

A severe sudden soreness and swelling of the throat with labored breathing, discomfort in swallowing, phlegm-drool congestion, difficulty talking, and, in severe cases, there may be clenching of the jaw and stupor. Throat wind is caused by wind-heat with preexisting heat in the lung and stomach, with wind and fire fanning each other and binding to produce the sore throat. Successive generations of physicians have distinguished different forms of the disease and used different names for them. Distinction is made between acute throat wind, putrefying throat wind, throat-locking wind, and throat-entwining wind. Acute throat wind (also called constricting throat wind) is characterized by sudden swelling of the throat. Putrefying throat wind is marked by putrefaction and ulceration. Throat-locking wind is characterized by clenched jaw. Throat-entwining wind is characterized by rigidity of the neck as though it were entwined by a snake. See these entries.

throat-entwining wind

Throat wind in which the neck that is rigid as if entwined by a snake. Throat-entwining wind is attributed to accumulated heat in the bowels and viscera and wind-phlegm welling upward. There is redness, soreness, and swelling inside and outside the throat pass, with local numbness and itching that may spread as far as the anterior chest. The neck is rigid as if entwined by a snake. The swelling spreads deep down into the throat to the epiglottis and larynx, causing hasty labored breathing, phlegm rale, qi tightness in the chest and diaphragm, green-blue finger nails, vigorous heat~effusion in the hearts of the palms, hypertonicity of the jaw, and difficulty in swallowing fluids. In severe cases, blockage of the throat can threaten death by asphyxiation.

Medication: Resolve toxin and discharge heat; disperse swelling and disinhibit the throat. Use Scourge-Clearing Toxin-Vanquishing Beverage. Modern methods may be necessary to maintain respiration.

Acupuncture: Base treatment mainly on LI, LU, and ST. Select LI-4 (Union Valley), LI-11 (Pool at the Bend), LU-5 (Cubit Marsh), ST-44 (Inner Court), CV-22 (Celestial Chimney), LU-10 (Fish Border), ST-40 (Bountiful Bulge), CV-24 (Sauce Receptacle), and ST-6 (Cheek Carr

throat-locking wind

Synonyms: baby moth.

Throat wind with clenched jaw. Throat-locking wind is caused by brewing lung-stomach heat with subsequent contraction of wind evil, which settles in the throat. There is soreness inside and outside the throat pass, with a red swelling as large as a hen's egg. There is oppression in the chest, short hasty breathing, difficulty in speaking and swallowing, jaw clenched tight as a lock, bad breath, constipation, and great heat~effusion and aversion to cold.

Medication: Course wind and clear heat; resolve toxin and disperse swelling. Use Throat-Clearing Diaphragm-Disinhibiting Decoction or allow Six Spirits Pill to dissolve in the mouth. When pus has formed, lance to drain, and insufflate Borneol and Borax Powder.

throughflux diarrhea

Diarrhea after eating, with nontransformation of food. soggy diarrhea. spleen diarrhea.

Medication: Warm the center with formulas such as Aconite Pill Âm''±ø: ¸tÀÙÁ`¿ý??} containing aconite (Aconiti Tuber Laterale), mume (Mume Fructus), dried ginger (Zingiberis Rhizoma Exsiccatum), and coptis (Coptidis Rhizoma).

Acupuncture: Base treatment mainly on CV, ST, and back transport points. Select CV-12 (Center Stomach Duct), LR-13 (Camphorwood Gate), ST-25 (Celestial Pivot), ST-36 (Leg Three Li), BL-23 (Kidney Transport), CV-4 (Pass Head), CV-9 (Water Divide), and CV-6 (Sea of Qi).

thumb body-inch

Synonyms: drawing-pin intradermal needle.

From A Thousand Gold Pieces Prescriptions. The distance between the transverse creases on the inside of the thumb as a standard method of calculating one body-inch. See body-inch.

thumb-tack intradermal needle

A small needle about 2--3 mm long, continuous with and perpendicular to a circle of wire that forms the head. Thumb-tack needles are mostly used in ear acupuncture or facial acupuncture, and are implanted into the skin using tweezers and then held in position with tape. See needle implantation.

thunder head wind

A disease characterized by lumps and swellings of the head and face, sometimes accompanied by abhorrence of cold and vigorous heat~effusion or by headache, and with a sound of thunder in the head. Thunder head wind is attributed to wind evil assailing from outside or to phlegm-heat engendering wind.

Medication: Treat by clearing, diffusing, upbearing, and dissipating, using Clearing Invigoration Decoction. When due to phlegm-heat, it can be treated with Phlegm-Expelling Pill. If there is abhorrence of cold and vigorous heat~effusion, Schizonepeta and Ledebouriel

thunder rampart

thunderous rumbling in the intestines

Severe rumbling intestines.

tian-gui

heavenly tenth.

tidal heat~effusion

Heat~effusion, sometimes only felt subjectively, occurring at regular intervals, usually in the afternoon or evening ( postmeridian tidal heat~effusion). Tidal heat~effusion may form part of both vacuity and repletion patterns.

tidal reddening of the cheeks

tie

ties of the five viscera home to the heart

The Gateway to Medicine states, ``The ties of the five viscera connect with the heart; the heart connects with the ties of the five viscera. The tie of the heart is connected with the ties of the five viscera. It transports blood percolates marrow. Hence, disease among the five viscera first affects the heart... '' The word ``tie'' may refer to blood vessels.

tiger's mouth

The region between the first and second metacarpal bones, where LI-4 (Union Valley) is located.

tiger's-whiskers clove sore

A clove sore at the corners of the mouth. See human center clove sore.

tight pulse

A stringlike pulse that has marked forcefulness. ``Stringlike'' denotes a quality, whereas ``tight'' denotes a quality and a strength. A tight pulse is always stringlike, whereas a stringlike pulse is not necessarily tight. A tight pulse is associated with cold and pain.

tingling

Synonyms: sound of cicadas in the ear.

tinnitus

Unreal ringing, buzzing, or rushing sounds heard in the ears. Distinction is made between repletion and vacuity. Repletion patterns are attributed to ascendant counterflow of liver fire or phlegm fire. Vacuity patterns are attributed to depletion of kidney yin or center qi fall. In repletion patterns, tinnitus is of rapid onset and is characterized by the sound of frogs or of the tide. In vacuity patterns, it is like the sound of cicadas or a flute or pipe.

tinted vision

The sensation of a shadow in front of the eyes, which in severe cases may be green-blue or reddish yellow in color. It may precede clear-eye blindness. Tinted vision is attributed either to insufficiency of the liver and kidney or to phlegm-fire or damp-heat.

tip

Synonyms: biaoju; whitlow; flare-tip abscess.

tip-abscess

A sore suddenly arising in the flesh, as big as a bean or as small as a millet seed, and, in severe cases, as big as a plum, with a root, starting as a red spot and subsequently turning black. A tip-abscess is associated with pain, and with a pain response in the heart. It can affect any part of the body, but most commonly occurs on the ventral aspect of the finger tips.

to treat disease, it is necessary to seek its root

From Elementary Questions. The first principle of treatment, whereby the cause or essential nature of disease rather than its manifestations are addressed. Treating disease by the root, or radical treatment, applies to most diseases and is divided into two forms: straight treatment and paradoxical treatment. Treating a disease by the tip, or signs treatment, represents an exception to this principle that applies under clearly defined conditions. See principle of treatment.

to treat wind, first treat the blood; when the blood moves, wind naturally disappears

To nourish the blood is to enhance the elimination of wind. See dispelling wind and nourishing the blood.

toad head scourge

Massive head scourge with swelling around the neck spreading over the head, giving the appearance of a frog or toad. See massive head scourge.

toad skin

encrusted skin.

toad-egg menses

The passing of moles (fleshy masses) bearing the appearance of toad eggs during menstruation; occurs when the period is overdue and the patient suffers from drumlike distention of the abdomen. The patient may be comatose.

Medication: Treat by dual supplementation of qi and blood with Perfect Major Supplementation Decoction.

tofu tongue fur

Synonyms: orifice of the heart; magic root.

tongue

Synonyms: wind gan of the mouth.

The soft fleshy process of the floor of the mouth used in chewing, swallowing, and tasting food. The Magic Pivot says, ``Heart qi flows through to the tongue; when the heart is harmony it can taste the five flavors.'' The Magic Pivot states, ``The tongue is the moving part of the voice.'' Parts of the tongue include: tip of the tongue; root of the tongue; tongue margins; center of the tongue. Examination of the tongue constitutes a major element of diagnosis. See tongue examination.

tongue blister

A vesicle on the upper or lower surface of the tongue. Tongue blisters are attributed to spleen-kidney vacuity heat flaming upward or accumulated spleen-heart heat.

tongue body

Synonyms: tongue fur.

The tongue itself, in contradistinction to the tongue fur (coating). Examination of the tongue body focuses on the form, bearing, and color of the tongue. (1)

tongue coating

tongue examination

Synonyms: tongue coating.

Inspection of the tongue and its fur (coating). The tongue examination provides some of the most important data for pattern identification. It can reveal the state of qi and blood, advance and regression of disease, the degree of heat and cold, and the depth of evil penetration. Changes in the appearance of the tongue are particularly pronounced in externally contracted heat (febrile) diseases and diseases of the stomach and spleen. However, in clinical practice, serious illnesses are not necessarily reflected in major changes in the appearance of the tongue. Furthermore, normal healthy individuals may show abnormal changes in the appearance of the tongue. Therefore, the data provided by the tongue examination must be carefully weighed against other signs and signs, the pulse, and the patient's history, before an accurate diagnosis can be made. Distinction is made between the tongue body and tongue fur. Examination of the body of the tongue involves observing color, form, and movement. Examination of the tongue fur involves observing color and nature. The body of the tongue is of greatest significance in judging the strength of right qi. It may also provide an indication of the severity of the condition, as in the case of a pale tongue, which indicates blood and qi vacuity, or a crimson tongue, which indicates yin vacuity or penetration of evil heat to the construction aspect. The tongue fur, though primarily an indicator of the severity of a disease, is sometimes a useful measure of the strength of right qi. This is true in the case of a thick slimy fur, which indicates exuberant damp turbidity, or a peeling fur, which indicates stomach qi vacuity or damage to yin humor. The moistness of the tongue sheds light on the state of the fluids. For these reasons, the tongue examination is of special importance in externally contracted heat (febrile) diseases. When examining the tongue, the following four points should be kept in mind: (1) Light: The tongue examination should be conducted in adequately lit surroundings, with light shining directly into the mouth. Inadequate lighting may obscure color differences, such as the difference between yellow and white, or red and purple. (2) Stained fur: Some foods and medicines affect the color of the fur, and potentially the diagnosis. Milk and soybean milk stain the tongue fur white; coffee, tea, and tobacco leave brown stains; egg yolk, oranges, coptis (Coptidis Rhizoma), and ass hide glue (Asini Corii Gelatinum) leave yellow stains. Staining normally affects only the surface of the fur, and is washed away by saliva. If in doubt, the physician should ask the patient if anything that may have caused staining has been eaten. (3) The bearing of the tongue on extension: The patient should ensure that the tongue is relaxed and flat when extended. Forced or tense protraction may deepen the color of the tongue. (4) Miscellaneous factors: Consumption of rough foodstuffs or chewing gum may remove the tongue fur and deepen the color of the tongue body. Patients with missing teeth may tend to chew food on one side of the mouth, which may cause irregularities in fur distribution. In wind stroke patients, reduced mobility of the tongue may cause an increase in tongue fur. In patients tending to breathe through the mouth owing to nasal congestion or other factors, the surface of the tongue may be abnormally dry. Such changes in the tongue and tongue fur should not be taken to reflect internal morbidity. See tongue body and tongue fur.

tongue fur

The normally whitish substances partially covering the upper side of the tongue. Healthy people have a thin layer of fur on their tongue, which is due to upward steaming of stomach qi. Tongue furs are categorized as glossy, dry, thick, thin, clean, slimy, grimy, and peeling. (1) It is important to observe how moist and how thick the tongue fur is, whether it is clean, slimy or grimy, and whether or not there are signs of peeling. Moistness: A healthy tongue is kept moist naturally by saliva. A tongue covered with a transparent or semitransparent film of fluid is described as having a glossy fur, and indicates damp-phlegm or cold-damp. Exuberant damp due to spleen vacuity is characterized by a slimy glossy fur in association with spleen-stomach signs of oppression in the chest, nausea, and diarrhea. Yang vacuity water flood is marked by a glossy white tongue fur, as well as signs of cold limbs and puffy swelling. A dry fur generally indicates heat. A tongue that is so dry that it looks rough, and feels dry or even prickly to the touch, is described as being ``rough.'' It is mainly seen in external heat diseases and indicates damage to humor by exuberant heat. However, failure of fluids to reach the upper body in patients suffering from center phlegm-damp obstruction may also cause a dry fur. In such cases, the dryness is less severe; some degree of sliminess is present and the patient experiences thirst without any urge to drink. Western medical research shows that the moistness of the tongue depends on saliva secretion, viscosity, and evaporation speed. Dryness of the surface of the tongue is the most pronounced sign of dehydration. Thickness: The tongue fur is regarded as thin if the underlying tongue surface shows through faintly, whereas a thick fur is one that blots out the tongue surface completely. The thickness of the tongue fur is an index of evil exuberance, progression, and regression. A thick fur indicates a strong evil, whereas a thin fur indicates a weak evil. If the fur thickens the condition is advancing; if the fur thins, it is said to be transforming, and the condition is improving. Modern research shows that the thickness of the tongue fur is associated with the length of the filiform papillae. If the papillae are long, the tongue fur is thick; if short, the fur is thin. Clean, slimy, and grimy furs: An extremely fine fur with a grainy appearance is described as clean fur, and is a normal healthy fur. If the fur is thicker, appears as a layer of mucus covering the tongue, and no longer has its normal grainy appearance, it is described as slimy fur. If the mucus layer looks dirty, the terms grimy fur, slimy fur, or turbid slimy fur are used. A slimy fur indicates damp, phlegm, and food accumulations. These evils are said to be extremely strong when the slimy coating is ``generalized,'' that is, covering the entire tongue. A slimy fur that covers only the center or the root of the tongue indicates a chronic condition, and does not transform (i.e., disappear) easily. A grimy slimy fur indicates, on the one hand, the presence of turbid evils such as turbid damp and turbid phlegm, and on the other, stomach qi vacuity. In stomach qi vacuity, attention must be paid to safeguarding stomach qi when dispelling the evil. According to the findings of modern research, slimy tongue furs are attributed to an increase in the number of filiform papillae and their branches, and the collection of mucus, putrid matter, and sloughed epithelial cells between the papillae. Peeling: A patchy fur interspersed with mirror-like, furless areas is known as peeling fur. This generally indicates insufficiency of yin humor and vacuous stomach qi. A peeling fur that is nontransforming and slimy fur indicates nontransformed phlegm-damp and damage to yin humor and stomach qi, and suggests that the pattern is complex. A thick slimy fur that suddenly peels away completely indicates major damage to right qi. (2) White: The clinical significance of a white tongue fur is fourfold. A clean moist thin white fur is normal and healthy, but may also appear at the onset of sickness indicating that the evil has not yet entered the interior and right qi remains undamaged. A glossy white fur indicates cold; thin glossy white fur indicates external wind-cold or internal cold. A thick glossy white fur indicates cold-damp or cold-phlegm. A dry white fur indicates transformation of cold evil into heat. A thin, extremely dry white fur indicates insufficiency of fluids; thick dry fur indicates transformation of dampness into dryness. A white mealy fur with a red tongue body indicates impeded damp and deep-lying heat, which is treated by first transforming the damp to allow the heat to escape rather than with the excessive use of cool medicinals. A thick slimy white fur indicates phlegm damp, and is usually accompanied by a slimy sensation in the mouth, oppression in the chest, and torpid intake. Modern research suggests that a white tongue fur is essentially normal, and that a thick white fur is mainly associated with hypertrophy of the corneal layer of the filiform papillae for unknown reasons. See also oral putrefaction and bean curd tongue fur. Yellow fur: A yellow fur usually signifies heat. Because heat patterns vary in severity and may involve different evils, different forms of yellow fur are distinguished. A thin dry yellow fur indicates damage to liquid by heat evil, posing the need to safeguard liquid. A slimy yellow fur usually indicates damp-heat. An ``old yellow'' (i.e., dark yellow) fur and a ``burnt yellow'' (i.e., blackish yellow) fur indicate binding of repletion heat. A mixed white and yellow fur indicates the initial stages of the transformation of cold into heat that is associated with evils entering the interior. Modern research suggests that yellow fur is associated with the infectious stage of inflammatory conditions and is mainly attributable to hypoplasia of the filiform papillae, coloring by bacteria, and localized manifestation of an inflammatory disease. Black fur: A black fur may occur in cold, heat, repletion, and vacuity patterns, but most commonly indicates an exuberant evil. A rough, dry, black fur, somewhat parched in appearance, together with a red or crimson tongue body, indicates damp-heat transforming into dryness or damage to yin by intense heat. Usually, a thick slimy black fur indicates a phlegm-damp complication. A glossy black fur signifies either gastric or kidney vacuity. A slimy yellow fur with a grayish black coating generally indicates an exuberant damp-heat evil. A mixed gray and white fur or a gray thin slimy glossy fur generally indicates cold-damp. Modern research shows that black fur is most often seen in acute pyogenic infections, such as toxemia, gangrenous appendicitis, peritonitis, and cholecystitis. However, it may also occur in diseases such as chronic bronchitis and uremia. It mostly corresponds to what Western medicine calls a black hairy fur. Opinions differ as to the exact causes of black fur. Explanations include: growth of bacteria after long administration of antibiotics, absorption by the tongue fur of iron present in blood from minor bleeding in the oral cavity, and high fever and loss of fluid.

tongue is the sprout of the heart

heart opens at the tongue.

tongue margins

Synonyms: tongue rock.

The lateral edges of the tongue. The tongue margins can reflect the state of the liver and gallbladder. For example, red tongue margins indicate liver-gallbladder heat; speckles on the tongue margins indicate static blood amassment.

tongue mushroom

Synonyms: tongue mushroom.

tongue rock

A growth on the tongue like a bean or mushroom, with a big head and thin stalk. Tongue rock is attributed to seven-affect binding depression creating heat in the heart and spleen channels that transforms into fire and toxin. If enduring heat damages yin, it is red and ulcerated without skin, with continuous pain that is more severe in the evening than in the morning.

Medication: In the early states, drain heart-spleen channel fire using Red-Abducting Powder plus coptis (Coptidis Rhizoma) and rhubarb (Rhei Rhizoma). For damage to yin by enduring heat, treat by nourishing yin and clearing heat. Use Throat-Clearing Dryness-Moistenin

tongue spirit

The general vitality of the tongue manifest in its luxuriance or witheredness. A luxuriant tongue is fresh red in color and is able to move freely; it indicates sufficiency of liquid and humor, and a good chance of recovery from illness. A withered tongue is dull, dark, dry and withered; it indicates exhaustion of liquid and humor and a critical condition. Cao Bing-Zhang in his Guide to Tongue Diagnosis states, ``If it (the tongue) is luxuriant and moist, liquid is sufficient; if dry and withered, liquid is lacking. Luxuriance indicates presence of spirit. As to spirit, it means agility and a fresh bright red. If it is present, the patient lives; if it is not, the patient dies. Brightness and glossiness with the color of blood is a sign of life; dryness and dullness without the color of blood is a sign boding death.''

tooth

One of the hard bony appendages of the jaw, used for chewing food. In the infant, milk teeth (deciduous teeth) grow at the age of 6--7 months, and fall out at the age of 6--7 years; they are replaced by the permanent teeth in a process known as change of teeth. The teeth are located on the lesser yin kidney channel. The teeth are the surplus of the bone, which is associated with the kidney ( kidney engenders bone and marrow.) When the kidney is replete, the teeth are healthy and firm; kidney vacuity may be characterized by loosening of the teeth or desiccated teeth. The foot yang brightness channel enters the upper teeth, while the hand yang brightness channel enters the lower teeth. Tooth decay, for example, is often explained in terms of yang brightness heat. Among the seven gates, the teeth are the door gate. Diseases of or affecting the teeth and gums include: slowness to teethe; toothache; tooth decay; dry teeth; desiccated teeth; parched teeth; grinding of the teeth; teeth. See also gum.

tooth bed

Synonyms: cheek carriage bone.

tooth carriage

tooth decay

Rotting of the teeth characterized by the cavities and toothache. Tooth decay is attributed to a lack of oral hygiene or to wind, phlegm, dampness and heat steaming in the hand and foot yang brightness channels, which enter the lower and upper teeth respectively.

Medication: Clear heat and relieve pain using Stomach-Clearing Powder, Jade Lady Brew, or Coptis Gallbladder-Warming Decoction. Attention should be paid to oral hygiene. Wash mouth regularly with a decoction of lonicera (Lonicerae Flos), forsythia (Forsythiae Fructus

Acupuncture: Elementary Questions states, ``For toothache, needle the hand yang brightness.'' Base treatment mainly on LI and ST. Select LI-4 (Union Valley), LI-5 (Yang Ravine), ST-6 (Cheek Carriage), ST-44 (Inner Court), and ST-7 (Below the Joint); needle with draina

toothache

Synonyms: cheek carriage bone.

Pain felt in the teeth. Toothache is most commonly caused by tooth decay, a rotting away of the teeth, that the ancient Chinese ascribed to the work of ``worms.'' Where decay is absent, Chinese medicine attributes toothache to wind-fire, wind-cold, stomach heat, kidney vacuity, or qi vacuity.

topical eye medication

A liquid, powder, or paste preparation (eye drops, eye powder, eye paste) applied to the eye or surrounding flesh. The application of a such a preparation.

topically applied paste

topsy-turvy speech

Synonyms: torpid stomach.

Speaking in garbled order. Observed in phlegm reversal headache.

torpid intake

Synonyms: torpid intake.

Impairment of the stomach's governing of intake (see stomach governs intake). Torpid intake is attributable to spleen-stomach vacuity or to damp-heat obstruction and is characterized by indigestion and poor appetite, and in some cases by a sensation of bloating. See poor appetite.

torpid stomach

torpid stomach intake

Synonyms: hunchback.

tortoise back

A deformity in infants in which the spine curves outward giving the back the appearance of a tortoise's shell; hence the name. Turtle back is attributed to congenital insufficiency and/or poor nourishment after birth manifesting in spleen qi vacuity depriving the bones and governing of nourishment.

tortoise's head

tortoise's head welling-abscess

A condition in which the yin head (glans penis) becomes swollen and purple.

Medication: Apply powdered calcined turtle shell (Amydae Carapax Calcinatus) blended with egg white (Galli Albumen).

tortoise's-back phlegm

Synonyms: yin head.

Flowing phlegm of the back. See flowing phlegm.

toxic qi

toxicity

Synonyms: pestilential qi.

The quality of a medicinal that makes it cause illness or discomfort.

toxin

Any substance that that is harmful to the body when eaten or entering the body through a wound or through the skin, such as lacquer toxin or pitch toxin. The toxin of animals is called venom. See also toxicity. Any virulent evil qi, e.g., toxic qi, which denotes scourge epidemic qi; occasionally, a disease caused by such, e.g., seasonal toxin. Evil qi that causes painful reddening and swelling, suppuration, or weeping discharge. See heat toxin; damp toxin. A label for certain conditions of external medicine, e.g., cinnabar toxin; innominate toxin swelling; bend-center toxin sore; bian toxin sore; fetal toxin.

toxin swelling

Swelling due to the presence of toxin (heat toxin, damp toxin). See toxin.

tracking wind and expelling cold

A method of treatment used to address wind evil with cold evil and damp phlegm and static blood in the network vessels manifesting as pain in the sinews and bones of limbs. Minor Network-Quickening Elixir is a representative wind-tracking cold-expelling formula.

transform

transformation

( transform). Change, usually of a gentle or gradual nature in relative contrast to transmutation, sudden or major change. Transformation implies progressive (productive) and regressive (destructive) change, and in the former case is frequently rendered as formation. Hence, fire formation refers to the natural transformation of evils or yang qi into fire (progressive change), whereas transforming phlegm refers to a method of treatment to eliminate phlegm (i.e., regressive change). Transformation often specifically refers to digestion (which in modern medicine is called xiao1 hua4), e.g., nontransformation of food.

transformation into fire

Synonyms: heat formation.

A pathological change that results in a fire pattern. Excessive exuberance of the yang qi of the body, externally contracted evils (or stagnant qi, blood, phlegm, or food), seven-affect internal damage, and depletion of yin humor may all cause transformation into fire. (1) Extreme heat transforming into fire, as a result of excessive exuberance of the yang qi of the body. Under normal circumstances, yang qi nourishes the spirit and emolliates the sinews, warms the bowels and viscera and the whole body, and drives all physiological activity. Under such normal circumstances, yang qi is what is called the lesser fire. But when yang qi becomes overexuberant, qi, blood, fluids, and essence are damaged. When this happens, yang qi becomes a damaging force that is known as vigorous fire. Dan Xi described this as ``Exuberant qi is fire.'' Elementary Questions explains the physiological and pathological significance of the ``lesser fire'' and the ``vigorous fire'' as follows: ``The vigorous fire consumes qi, qi consumes the lesser fire; the vigorous fire dissipates qi, the lesser fire engenders qi.'' (2) Depressed evils transforming into fire. Externally contracted evils (wind, cold, dryness, dampness, etc.) may all enter the interior and become stagnant. With the yang qi of the body they then transform into heat or fire. Depressed cold transforms into heat, and depressed dampness transforms into fire. Pathological products of the body (such as phlegm-damp or static blood), food accumulations, and worm accumulations may also become depressed and transform into fire. The reason why depressed evils transform into fire is that they cause depression of yang qi. Depressed yang qi engenders heat and transforms into fire, causing an internal repletion heat bind. (3) Excesses among the five minds transforming into fire. Mental and emotional stimulus can cause imbalances of the yin and yang and the qi and blood of the body, which given rise to binding depression of qi dynamic, which in time transforms into heat. The most common clinical example of this is affect-mind depression preventing the normal free coursing of the liver and causing liver qi to become depressed and stagnant and transform into fire. This is called ``liver fire''. (4) Effulgent yin vacuity fire. When essence and blood are depleted or yin humor suffers major damage, the resulting yin vacuity give rise to yang hyperactivity, creating vacuity heat that engenders vacuity fire. Generally speaking, yin vacuity internal heat manifests in generalized signs, while effulgent yin vacuity fire is concentrated in a particular place, giving rise to local signs such as toothache, sore throat, steaming bone, or reddening of the cheeks. (5) Distinction is made between repletion and vacuity fire. Repletion fire mostly arises when depressed evils transform into fire; it is of rapid onset and tends follow a short course, and is characterized by vigorous heat~effusion, red face, thirst with a liking for cold things, short voidings of yellow urine, constipation, erosion and sores of the mouth, red tongue and red eyes, dry yellow tongue fur, and surging rapid pulse. In severe cases, there is clouded spirit and manic agitation. Vacuity fire arises from depletion of essence and blood; it tends to develop slowly and last for long time, and is characterized by vexing heat in the five hearts, in some cases steaming bone, postmeridian reddening of the cheeks, insomnia, night sweating, dry mouth and throat, dizziness and tinnitus, red tongue with scant fur, and a rapid fine pulse. Excess among the five minds transforming into fire can manifest in the form of repletion fire, as in liver fire flaming upward; it can also manifest in the form of vacuity fire, as in effulgent heart fire. See repletion fire; vacuity fire.

transformation into heat

The development of heat signs in externally contracted disease. In the initial-stage, external evils such as wind, cold, dryness, and dampness invade the body and give rise to an exterior cold pattern marked by aversion to cold and a thin white tongue fur. If the evil then penetrates the qi aspect, aversion to cold is replaced by aversion to heat, thirst, dry lips, heart vexation, constipation, reddish urine, a red tongue with yellow fur, and a rapid pulse. On Warm Heat states, ``Cold damage evil lingers in the exterior, and then transforms into heat and enters the interior.'' Compare transformation into fire.

transforming dampness

A method of treatment used to address dampness in the upper burner, in which aromatic medicinals are used. Damp evil in the exterior is treated by coursing the exterior and transforming dampness. Damp warmth seasonal epidemic with sore throat and oppression in the chest is treated by clearing heat and transforming dampness. See coursing the exterior and transforming dampness; clearing heat and transforming dampness. dispelling dampness.

transforming phlegm

Synonyms: sweeping phlegm and opening the orifices; sweeping phlegm and arousing the brain; eliminating phlegm and opening the orifices.

Any method of treatment used to eliminate phlegm gently. The method of transforming phlegm takes different forms depending on the location and cause of the phlegm pattern. Phlegm in the lung causing cough is treated by transforming phlegm and suppressing cough. Specific patterns are treated by specific methods. Externally contracted wind-cold causing nondiffusion of lung qi with nasal congestion, itchy throat, cough with copious phlegm, and thin white tongue fur is treated by diffusing the lung and transforming phlegm. Heat evil congesting the lung, reducing humor to phlegm, and characterized by cough, expectoration of thick yellow phlegm, red face, heat vexation, and a red tongue with yellow fur is treated by clearing heat and transforming phlegm. Warm dryness or insufficiency of lung yin causing dry cough and difficult expectoration of phlegm, and a red tongue with dry yellow fur is treated by moistening the lung and transforming phlegm. Lung-kidney yin vacuity with exuberant internal damp phlegm, characterized by cough and nausea, counterflow panting and copious phlegm, and cough especially pronounced at night, is treated by supplementing the lung and kidney and transforming phlegm. Transforming Phlegm dispelling phlegm: my description was originally based on all the phlegm-transforming terms I had collected. WHAT SHALL WE DO??} transforming phlegm and suppressing cough diffusing the lung and transforming phlegm clearing heat and transforming phlegm moistening the lung and transforming phlegm supplementing the lung and kidney and transforming phlegm drying dampness and transforming phlegm dispelling cold and transforming phlegm fortifying the spleen, warming the kidney, and transforming phlegm harmonizing the stomach and transforming phlegm dispersing food and transforming phlegm transforming phlegm and opening the orifices dispelling wind and transforming phlegm dispersing phlegm and softening hardness Damp phlegm due to devitalization of spleen yang impairing normal movement and transformation, characterized by white easily expectorated phlegm, oppression in the chest and nausea, slimy glossy white tongue fur, and possibly dizziness and heart palpitations is treated by drying dampness and transforming phlegm. Cold phlegm arising from spleen-stomach yang vacuity and collection of cold rheum in the inner body characterized by ejection of thin clear phlegm, aversion to cold, lack of warmth in the extremities, and a slimy tongue fur is treated by dispelling cold and transforming phlegm. Spleen-kidney yang vacuity with lung cold and phlegm obstruction characterized by physical cold and cold limbs, cold aching back and lumbus, cough with copious phlegm, enuresis accompanying acute cough, white tongue fur, and a slow sunken pulse is treated by fortifying the spleen, warming the kidney, and transforming phlegm. Phlegm lodging in the stomach, characterized by signs such as vomiting and nausea, is treated by harmonizing the stomach and transforming phlegm. Replete qi and exuberant phlegm causing cough and qi counterflow, oppression in the chest and copious phlegm, indigestion, distention and oppression in the stomach duct and abdomen, a slimy tongue, and a slippery pulse is treated by dispersing food and transforming phlegm. Phlegm confounding the orifices of the heart is treated by transforming phlegm and opening the orifices. Phlegm scurrying through the channels, characterized by deviated mouth and eyes, stiff tongue, and impeded speech, is treated by dispelling wind and transforming phlegm. Phlegm binding in masses, such as phlegm nodes, scrofula, and goiter, is treated by dispersing phlegm and softening hardness. See the entries listed below.

Medication: Treatment: Phlegm-Transforming, Cough-Suppressing, Panting-Calming Medicinals () Phlegm-Transforming Medicinals pinellia (Pinelliae Tuber) ginger pinellia (Pinelliae Tuber cum Zingibere Praeparatum) arisaema (Arisaematis Rhizoma) bile arisaema

transforming phlegm and opening the orifices

To treat clouded spirit in phlegm patterns. Distinction is made between heat phlegm and cold phlegm. Heat phlegm (re4 tan2) transforming phlegm and opening the orifices patterns are characterized by exuberant phlegm with rough breathing, clouded spirit and delirious speech, generalized heat~effusion, vexation and agitation, and a red tongue with yellow fur.

Medication: Use Bovine Bezoar Pill or Supreme Jewel Elixir. Use Liquid Storax Pill.

Acupuncture: Main points: ST-36 (Leg Three Li), CV-22 (Celestial Chimney), ST-40 (Bountiful Bulge), PC-6 (Inner Pass), PC-5 (Intermediary Courier), and GV-26 (Water Trough). For heat phlegm, add LI-4 (Union Valley), LI-11 (Pool at the Bend), GV-14 (Great Hammer); need

transforming phlegm and suppressing cough

A method of treatment used to address cough and expectoration of phlegm using phlegm-transforming medicinals. Phlegm-transforming medicinals that are warm in nature and indicated for cold phlegm and damp phlegm include white mustard (Brassicae Albae Semen), arisaema (Arisaematis Rhizoma), pinellia (Pinelliae Tuber), perilla seed (Perillae Semen), perilla seed (Perillae Fructus), tangerine peel (Citri Exocarpium), dried ginger (Zingiberis Rhizoma Exsiccatum), and gleditsia (Gleditsiae Fructus). Phlegm-transforming medicinals that are cool in nature and indicated for heat phlegm and dryness phlegm include rorippa (Rorippae Herba seu Flos), tingli (Descurainiae seu Lepidii Semen), fritillaria (Fritillariae Bulbus), trichosanthes (Trichosanthis Fructus), arctium (Arctii Fructus), wax gourd seed (Benincasae Semen), and adenophora/glehnia (Adenophorae seu Glehniae Radix). Medicinals more balanced in nature such as platycodon (Platycodonis Radix), apricot kernel (Armeniacae Semen), peucedanum (Peucedani Radix), aster (Asteris Radix et Rhizoma), and tussilago (Tussilaginis Flos) can be used for most kinds of phlegm. Among formulas, Minor Green-Blue Dragon Decoction treats cold phlegm, and Two Matured Ingredients Decoction is effective for damp phlegm. Lonicera and Phragmites Mixture may be used for heat phlegm, and Dryness-Clearing Lung-Rescuing Decoction treats dryness phlegm. Cough-Stopping Powder is a general phlegm-transforming cough-suppressing remedy.

Acupuncture: Base treatment LU, SP, and ST. Select BL-13 (Lung Transport), LU-9 (Great Abyss), SP-3 (Supreme White), CV-17 (Chest Center), ST-36 (Leg Three Li), ST-40 (Bountiful Bulge), and LI-4 (Union Valley); needle with drainage. See dispelling phlegm.

transforming stasis

transforming stasis and moving the blood

dispelling stasis and quickening the blood.

transforming turbidity with aroma

A method of treatment used to address damp turbidity brewing internally using aromatic dampness-transforming medicinals. Transforming turbidity with aroma is used to treat distention and oppression in the abdomen and stomach duct, with upflow nausea and desire to vomit, thin sloppy stool, fatigue and lack of strength, and a slimy sensation and sweet taste in the mouth.

Medication: Agastache/patchouli (Agastaches seu Pogostemi Herba) and eupatorium (Eupatorii Herba) are commonly used. If there is dizziness and distention in the head, a slimy white tongue fur, medicinals such as acorus (Acori Rhizoma), fresh lotus leaf (Nelumbinis F

transmutation

Major, sudden, or untoward change. See transformation.

transmuted pattern

Conversion of repletion into vacuity or a simple condition into a complex one because of inappropriate treatment (incorrect use of sweating, ejection, or precipitation, or use of supplementation in the treatment of repletion patterns) or insufficiency of right qi. For example, excessive use of sweat-effusing medicinals in the treatment of greater yang cold damage patterns can cause detriment to heart yang and cause heart palpitations and fearful throbbing, and oppression in the chest. Another example is that of measles, where if papule outthrust is not complete, the papule toxin falls inward giving rise to a panting counterflow pattern. In both cases, the resulting condition is known as a transmuted pattern.

transport needling

From The Magic Pivot. One of the nine needling methods. Combining the five transport points with the back transport points.

transport point

Synonyms: covering bone. The lower transverse bone.

Any acupuncture point. Any of the five transport points.

transverse bone

The small bone under the root of the tongue.

Medication: hyoid bone. pubic bone.

transverse insertion

Synonyms: external injury.

Insertion of an acupuncture needle at an angle of about 15; it is applied to the head, chest, back, and abdomen, and on parts of the body with little flesh beneath the skin. A transverse insertion is also used in point joining, whereby the needle passes through two or more acupuncture points.

trauma

treating cold with cold

From Elementary Questions. A method of paradoxical treatment used to treat true internal heat and false external cold. In such cases, heat is true nature of the disease, and the cold is false. Hence, treatment involves the use of cool and cold medicinals. An example is when a patient presents great fever, great thirst, great sweating, and large surging pulse. and counterflow cold of the limbs. The counterflow cold of the limbs is a sign of false cold, while the other signs reflect true heat. This condition is treated with White Tiger Decoction taken cold. In the Elementary Questions, the term was originally written as ``treating heat with cold'', but was changed by later writers to align with treating the stopped by stopping and treating the free by freeing.

treating disease before it arises

To prevent disease. Elementary Questions states, ``When right qi dwells within, evil cannot interfere, and toxic qi can be avoided.'' It offers suggestions for oral medication to prevent epidemics. To treat disease in its early stages. It is said that ``the superior physician nips the bud.'' For example, recognition of dizzy head and vision, numbness of the thumb and middle finger, or twitching of the eyes and mouth is taken as a portent of of wind stroke as portends of wind stroke allows preventive treatment to be administered. To have a full grasp of the ways in which disease develops. Disease in the five viscera can undergo shifts that can be prevented by early treatment. The Essential Prescriptions of the Golden Coffer states, ``Treating disease before it arises, means that when liver disease is observed and when it is known that liver disease passes to the spleen, the spleen can be made firm.... So is it with the other viscera.''

treating heat with heat

From Elementary Questions. A method of paradoxical treatment used to treat true internal cold and false external heat. In such cases, cold is the true nature of disease, and heat is false. Hence, treatment involves the use of warm and hot medicines. An example is when a patient presents counterflow cold of limbs, clear-food diarrhea, a deep fine pulse, and floating-red cheeks, vexation and agitation, and thirst with desire for cold drinks that is immediately allayed by drinking). The counterflow cold clear-food diarrhea, and deep fine pulse are signs of true heat; the floating-red cheeks, vexation and agitation, and thirst with desire for cold drinks are signs of false cold. The condition is treated with Scallion Yang-Freeing Decoction taken cold. In the Elementary Questions, the term was originally written as ``treating cold with heat'', but was changed by later writers to align with treating the stopped by stopping and freeing the free by freeing.

treating lower body disease through the upper body

From Elementary Questions: ``When the disease in lower body, treat it through the upper body.'' In acupuncture, this means treating disease of the lower by needling points on the upper body. For example, prolapse of the rectum can be treated by by needling GV-20 (Hundred Convergences) at the vertex. In medicinal therapy, this means using medicinals that act from the upper body. For example, inhibited urination due to a dry lung that fails to move water manifesting in dry pharynx, vexation and thirst with a desire to drink, shortness of breath and rapid breathing, a thin yellow tongue tongue, and a rapid pulse can be treated through the upper burner with Lung-Clearing Drink.

treating the free by freeing

From Elementary Questions. A method of paradoxical treatment using freeing and disinhibiting agents to treat a disease patterns marked by freeness and disinhibition. For example, if food and drink accumulate and stagnate internally to give rise to glomus and oppression in the chest and stomach duct, distention and pain in the abdomen, no thought of food and drink, and diarrhea, then treatment must be to attack and expel the accumulation and stagnation using Unripe Bitter Orange Stagnation-Abducting Pill.

treating the root

Treating the cause or essential nature of disease. See principle of treatment.

treating the root and tip simultaneously

simultaneous treatment of the root and tip.

treating the stopped by stopping

From Elementary Questions. A method of paradoxical treatment using supplementing medicines to treat conditions marked by false obstruction and stoppage signs. An example is when a patient presents glomus and fullness in the chest and stomach duct that comes and goes and that likes pressure and warmth, as well as poor appetite, period vomiting, and pale tongue, and large vacuous pulse. The vacuity signs show that the glomus and oppression do not constitute a repletion pattern, but is caused spleen-stomach vacuity. Hence it is treated with Six Gentlemen Decoction.

treating the tip

A deviation from the normal practice of treating the root in the case of acute disease. For example, ascites is always the tip, never the root of the disease in which it appears, but by causing constipation and urine retention, and inhibiting respiration, initial treatment should aim to expel water before radical treatment (treatment that addresses the root) is prescribed. See principle of treatment.

treating upper body disease through the lower body

From Elementary Questions: ``When the disease is in the upper body, treat it through the lower body.'' In acupuncture, this means treating disease of the upper body by needling points on the lower body. For example, insomnia can be treated by needling ST-36 (Leg Three Li), and dizzy head and vision can be treated by needling LR-3 (Supreme Surge). In medicinal therapy, it involves using medicinals that act from the lower body. For example, a patient suffering from dizzy head and vision, tinnitus, a feeling that as though he has fireworks exploding in his eyes, a yellow tongue fur and a rapid surging pulse can be given wine-steamed rhubarb (Rhei Rhizoma) to provide light drainage.

treatment

Any action serving or designed to eliminate or alleviate sickness. See principle of treatment; method of treatment.

trembling tongue

A tongue that trembles as it moves. A trembling tongue is observed in ascendant hyperactivity of liver yang, internal wind stirred by exuberant heat, or qi vacuity. In the first two cases, the tongue is red or crimson, whereas in qi vacuity the tongue is pale.

triple burner

One of the six bowels, comprising upper, middle, and lower burners. The hand lesser yang triple burner channel passes through all three burners, linking up with many of the organs. The triple burner is an exterior organ, and its corresponding interior organ (for the purposes of acupuncture only) is the pericardium, to which it is connected by the hand reverting yin pericardium channel. The nature of the triple burner has always been the subject of disagreement. The following three points, however, seem to be well established: (1) The triple burner refers to specific body areas: According to this view, the organs of the human body are distributed among three segments, referred to as the upper, middle, and lower burners. The upper burner includes the head and chest, the heart and the lung. The center burner corresponds to the upper abdomen (the area above the umbilicus) and includes the stomach and the spleen. The lower burner corresponds to the lower abdomen (inferior to the umbilicus) but includes the liver and kidney. (2) The triple burner represents the waterways: Elementary Questions explains, ``The triple burner holds the office of the sluices; it manifests as the waterways.'' This is interpreted to mean that the main functions of the triple burner are the processing of fluids by qi transformation and ensuring free flow through the waterways. As such, qi transformation in the triple burner is a global expression for the roles played by the lung, spleen, kidney, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, and bladder in regulating the body's water metabolism. The Magic Pivot states, ``When the triple burner is open and permits effusion, it causes the five flavors of food to diffuse, nourishes the skin, makes the body firm, and keeps the body hair moistened, like the sprinkling of mist and dew. Such is the action of stomach qi.'' This fits the imagery of the phrase ``the upper burner is like mist,'' which in practice refers to the diffusion of defense qi and distribution of fluids by the lung. The Magic Pivot states, ``The center burner... strains off the waste and distills the fluids out of which the essence of grain and water is formed. This then flows upward into the lung channel where it is transformed into blood.'' This statement supports the phrase, ``The center burner is like foam,'' which refers to the movement and formation of the essence of grain and water by the stomach and spleen, the source of blood formation. ``In the middle burner, the small intestine connects through to the bladder... It transforms waste that is then sent down to the large intestine... and distills the juices, sending them down to the bladder.'' The intestines, kidney, and bladder are located in the lower burner. The small intestine governs humor, the large intestine governs liquid, and the kidney governs the opening and closing. Their combined functions explain the phrase ``the lower burner is like a sluice.'' (3) The triple burner is also a concept in pattern identification; see triple burner pattern identification.

triple burner channel

triple burner cough

Cough with abdominal fullness and no desire to eat or drink.

triple burner governs the sluices

triple burner pattern identification

A method of pattern identification developed in the Qing Dynasty by Wu Ju-Tong of the warm disease school on the basis of the experience of previous physicians. It divides warm diseases according to stage of transmission through the upper, middle, and lower burners. Diseases of the upper burner include invasion of the lung by external evils, construction-aspect evil patterns, and external evils penetrating the pericardium, which for the most part correspond to initial-stage externally contracted heat (febrile) diseases. Diseases of the center burner include gastrointestinal heat bind and spleen-stomach damp-heat, which usually correspond to midstage externally contracted heat diseases. Diseases of the lower burner include such conditions as deep penetration of evils, wearing of kidney yin, insufficiency of liver blood, and yin vacuity stirring wind, which correspond to the advanced stages of externally contracted heat diseases. The concept of the three burners and the triple burner method of pattern identification are also used in diagnosing internal damage miscellaneous diseases, but to a much lesser degree and in a less systematized way than that of externally contracted heat diseases.

triple burner repletion heat

Repletion heat in the upper burner (heart and lung), center burner (spleen and stomach), or lower burner (liver and kidney). Qi-aspect repletion heat.

triple burner vacuity cold

Vacuity cold in the upper burner (heart and lung), center burner (spleen and stomach), or lower burner (liver and kidney).

triple yang

A generic term for the three yang channels.

triple yin

Synonyms: yin disease.

A generic term for the three yin channels.

triple-yang channel malaria

Malaria developing in the three yang channels. Pathoconditions, Causes, Pulses, and Treatments states, ``In malaria, when cold is followed by heat and episodes are regular, the episodes usually take place in the S4 watch , S5 watch , or S6 watch . If there is one episode a day, this is lesser yang ; if there is one every other day, this is yang brightness or lesser yang .

triple-yang combination disease

Synonyms: yang disease.

The simultaneous appearance of greater yang , lesser yang , and yang brightness signs. On Cold Damage states, ``Triple-yang combination disease with a pulse floating and large, going beyond the bar, desire only to sleep, and sweating as soon as the eyes are closed.'' ``In triple-yang disease with abdominal fullness, heavy body making it difficult to turn, insensitivity of the mouth, grimy face, delirious speech, enuresis, and exacerbation of delirious speech by sweating.''

triple-yang disease

Disease in any of the three yang channels.

triple-yang headache

Headache associated with one or more of the three yang channels. See greater yang headache; yang brightness headache; lesser yang headache. See also headache.

triple-yin disease

Disease in any of the three yang channels.

triple-yin headache

Headache associated with one or more of the three yin channels. See greater yin headache; lesser yin headache; reverting yin headache. See also headache.

triple-yin malaria

quartan malaria. Malaria attributed to internal vacuity of original qi and insecurity of defense qi with the malarial evil lying latent in the three yin channels; hence the name. Treat mainly by supporting right. Quartan malaria disease occurring before the winter solstice after exposure to summerheat. Malaria occurring in episodes at night. See malaria.

trouser-bottom sore

trouser-bottom toxin sore

true

Pertaining to that upon which the health of the whole organism rests, in particular the kidney. For example, ``true yin'' and ``true yang'' refer to kidney yin and yang.

true cold and false heat

Any disease pattern presenting with signs of both heat and cold, in which the cold signs represent its essential nature, whereas the heat signs are deceptive. This accords with the principle that ``extreme cold resembles heat.'' True cold and false heat is identified when reversal cold of the limbs, diarrhea containing untransformed food, or faint pulse verging on expiration are found occurring simultaneously with agitation, no aversion to cold, thirst with desire for warm fluids, upbearing fire flush, or sore pharynx. Here, the cold signs are caused by exuberant internal yin cold, whereas the false heat signs (agitation, upbearing fire flush, and sore pharynx) are attributable to vacuous yang floating upward. The principle of treatment applied in such cases is treating heat with heat.

true eye damage

Any fissuring, piercing, or other lesion of the eye due to external injury.

true headache

Acute headache penetrating deep into the brain and reaching the vertex and accompanied by counterflow cold of the extremities up to the knees and elbows. A true headache is usually a critical sign, and is attributed to evils (some say wind-cold) invading the brain.

Medication: Use Galenite Elixir and large doses of Ginseng and Aconite Decoction.

Acupuncture: Either of the following methods can be used for emergency treatment of attacks: (1) Moxa GV-20 (Hundred Convergences). (2) Moxa GV-20 (Hundred Convergences), and BL-10 (Celestial Pillar). See headache.

true heart pain

A pattern described in The Magic Pivot in the following way; ``In true heart pain, the hands and feet turn blue-green up to the joints and heart pain is severe. If it occurs at dawn, death ensues in the evening; if it occurs in the evening, death ensues at dawn.''

Medication: Return yang and stem counterflow; open the orifices with aroma; quicken the blood and transform stasis. Traditional medication is Liquid Storax Pill for emergency treatment and Ginseng and Aconite Decoction plus aquilaria (Aquilariae Lignum) and notoginse

Acupuncture: Base treatment mainly on CV, BL, and PC. Supplement CV-17 (Chest Center), BL-15 (Heart Transport), BL-14 (Reverting Yin Transport), CV-14 (Great Tower Gate), PC-6 (Inner Pass), HT-5 (Connecting Li), PC-4 (Cleft Gate), and ST-36 (Leg Three Li); use large a

true heat and false cold

Any disease presenting with signs of both heat and cold, in which the heat signs represent its essential nature, whereas the cold signs are deceptive. This follows the principle that ``extreme heat resembles cold.'' True heat and false cold signs such as unsurfaced heat, reversal cold of the limbs, and even aversion to wind are found in combination with dry mouth, dry throat, thirst with desire for cold fluids, short voidings of reddish urine, hard stool, red tongue with slimy, yellow fur, and a forceful rapid pulse. The latter signs govern; the reversal cold of the limbs and aversion to cold are due to depressed heat in the interior preventing yang qi from reaching peripheral regions. The principle of treatment that applies in such cases is treating cold with cold.

true origin

Original qi in its relationship to the kidney. Compare lower origin.

true origin vacuity panting

Panting due to a vacuous kidney failing to absorb qi. True origin vacuity panting usually develops from enduring panting and cough or as a result major illness. It is characterized by hasty panting with shortness of breath, with more exhalation than inhalation, and is accompanied by a tendency to sweat easily on exertion, thin body and lassitude of spirit, and in pronounced cases blue-green or purple lips and nails, heart palpitations, swelling of the limbs, rapid fine sunken pulse. In severe cases, critical signs such as counterflow cold of the limbs, red face, vexation and agitation, and discontinuity of breathing may be observed.

Medication: True origin vacuity panting is treat by warming yang and banking up the origin, supplementing the kidney and promoting qi absorption. Use formulas such as Cinnamon Bark and Aconite Eight-Ingredient Pill, Metropolis Qi Pill, Ginseng and Gecko Powder, or Ga

Acupuncture: Base treatment mainly on back transport points, CV, GV, KI and LU. Select BL-13 (Lung Transport), Panting Stabilizer, BL-43 (Gao-Huang Transport), BL-23 (Kidney Transport), CV-4 (Pass Head), GV-4 (Life Gate), KI-3 (Great Ravine), LU-9 (Great Abyss), and

true qi

Original qi or right qi. The Inner Canon states, ``True qi is the product of that which is received from Heaven combined with grain qi, and which makes the body full.'' ``Heaven'' is explained as meaning congenital source qi. Heart qi. Elementary Questions states, `` Heart qi ascends counterflow; hence the mouth is dry and bitter.''

true repletion and false vacuity

Any disease pattern characterized by signs of both vacuity and repletion, in which the repletion signs represent its true nature, whereas the vacuity signs are deceptive. When damp-heat obstruction in the initial stage of nonicteric hepatitis presents such signs as fatigue and lack of strength, limpness and pain in the limbs, little thought of food and drink, and a soft soggy pulse, the condition may be wrongly identified as one of vacuity. Although there may be a spleen-stomach vacuity complication, the pattern of damp-heat obstruction is one of repletion. Careful examination will point to right diagnosis. Fatigue, lack of strength and weak limbs, together with oppression in the chest, abdominal distention, and a slimy tongue fur indicate encumbering damp rather than vacuity of original qi. If the tongue fur is yellow and slimy, and short voidings of reddish urine, the condition may be identified as one of damp-heat. Treatment should therefore aim to drain the repletion rather than to supplement the vacuity.

true vacuity and false repletion

Any disease pattern characterized by signs of both vacuity and repletion, in which the vacuity signs represent its true nature, whereas the repletion signs are deceptive. For example, vacuity panting that occurs when the kidney's function of governing qi absorption fails may be characterized by exuberant phlegm, panting and fullness, rapid breathing and inability to lie flat, as well as a slippery stringlike pulse, and a slimy tongue fur. These signs may easily be misinterpreted as repletion panting. Although there is lower body vacuity and upper body repletion, the pattern is, at root, one of vacuity. The exuberant phlegm congesting the upper body represents only the tip. Careful examination leads to the correct diagnosis. Respiration is short, rapid, and distressed, hence different from the rough breathing and strident voice typifying repletion panting; the slippery, stringlike pulse has no strength when firm pressure is applied; and finally, although the tongue fur is slimy, the body of the tongue usually has a slightly blue-green or purple hue. These signs all indicate vacuity falsely presenting as repletion, and the additional presence of cold limbs and cold sweating on the head provide further confirmation that vacuity panting is the correct diagnosis. Treatment should focus on restoring qi absorption. Generally speaking, when faced with a confusing array of signs, all the information derived from the four examinations should be carefully synthesized, paying special attention to such factors as age, constitution, and duration of the disease. Misidentifying vacuity or repletion as its opposite or as a vacuity-repletion complex may lead to grave errors in treatment.

true visceral complexion

One of five complexions of distinct color but desiccated, withered, and lacking in sheen, observed when visceral qi is bad and exposed. Elementary Questions describes the true visceral complexions as follows: that of the liver as ``green-blue as the color of new shoots of grass''; that of the spleen as ``yellow like unripe bitter orange (Aurantii Fructus Immaturus)''; that of the kidney as ``black as as cinders''; that of the heart as ``red as coagulated blood''; and that of the lung as ``white as dry bones''. Thus if the eyes and face and the whole body are dry and desiccated like yellow earth or like dried unripe bitter orange, this is the true visceral complexion of the spleen, indicating that the spleen and stomach are ``wasted'' (critically weakened); the true visceral color of spleen and stomach is thus ``exposed'' on the outside of the body.

true visceral pulse

A pulse indicating that the true qi of one or more of five viscera is bad and exposed; observed in critical stages of disease when the pulse is bereft of stomach, spirit, and root. Elementary Questions states, ``When the true pulse of the liver appears... it feels awesome like a knife blade, like the string of a lute... When the true pulse of the heart appears, it is hard and contending, and feels like coix seeds coming one after the other... When the true pulse of the lung appears, it is large and vacuous, like feathers in the flesh... When the true pulse of the kidney appears, it is contending and expiring, flicking against the fingers.... When the true pulse of the spleen appears, it is weak, sometimes frequent, sometimes sparse.... The appearance of any visceral pulse means death and is beyond cure.''

true wind stroke

Synonyms: kidney yang.

Sudden collapse with clouding loss of consciousness, in some cases with deviation of the eyes and mouth, hemiplegia, stiffness of the tongue impeding speech, and urinary and fecal stoppage, attributed to external wind.

Medication: Course and resolve wind evil. Use variations of Minor Life-Prolonging Decoction. For urinary and fecal stoppage in patients with exuberant qi and robust physique, treat by freeing and disinhibiting, uing formulas such as Three Transformations Decoction. I

Acupuncture: Base treatment mainly on BL, GB, and TB. Select GB-20 (Wind Pool), BL-11 (Great Shuttle), BL-12 (Wind Gate), TB-5 (Outer Pass), LI-4 (Union Valley), and LU-7 (Broken Sequence); needle with drainage. Moxa may be added if necessary. Selection of points acco

true yang

Synonyms: kidney yin.

true yin

tube insertion

Insertion of acupuncture needles using a find tube as a guide. Tube insertion employs a thin stainless steel, glass, or plastic tubular guide into which a tailless needle (one without the end ring) is placed before insertion. Insertion tubes are approximately 4 mm shorter than the needles for which they are intended, thus exposing a consistent length of the needle handle when the tube and the needle tip are allowed to rest on the skin surface. The needle is gently tapped into the skin until the top of the needle handle is level with, or just below, the top of the tube. The guide tube is then removed and the needle inserted to the appropriate depth. This technique is most often used with long and/or fine needles, as well as in the treatment of children and sensitive adults. Practitioners who favor the use of insertion tubes often develop skill in manipulating the tube and the needle with one hand. Such skill allows acupuncture points to be palpated and located with the index finger of the left hand, whereas the tube and needle are prepared with the right hand. Care must be taken when practicing this technique that clean fields are not compromised. The practitioner must not come in contact with the body of the needle.

tuft of hair

Synonyms: convulsions; tugging wind.

The region just proximal to the first metatarsophalangeal articulation at which a tuft of hair is often found growing. Not to be confused with three hairs.

tugging and slackening

Synonyms: tugging and slackening.

Alternating tensing and relaxation of the sinews, often observed in externally contracted heat (febrile) disease, epilepsy, and lockjaw. Tugging means a tensing and contraction, whereas slackening is a relaxation. Tugging and slackening together denote alternating contraction and relaxation of the sinews. In febrile disease, it is attributable to exuberant heat damaging yin with wind and fire exacerbating each other, and to congestion of phlegm fire. In summerheat disease with fatigued cumbersome limbs and copious sweating, it is a sign of damage to qi. In epilepsy and lockjaw, it is usually attributable to wind phlegm or phlegm heat. Tugging and slackening can also occur intermittently in spleen-stomach vacuity with vomiting and diarrhea, or in liver vacuity cold with rib-side pain and clouded or flowery vision. It is sometimes observed after blood loss.

tugging wind

Synonyms: massage.

tui-na

tumbled celestial pillar

A bowed head.

tumor

A growth on the surface of the body that is neither painful nor itchy. The Origin and Indicators of Disease states, ``A tumor is a sudden swelling in the skin and flesh that is as large as a plum at onset, growing gradually larger; it is neither painful nor itchy. It is not stiffly bound; rather it is lodged ( liu2) and does not dissipate, for which reason it is called. If untreated, it can become huge and will not be dispersed. It does not kill the person; care should be taken not to rupture them.'' Distinctions aremade between different kinds of tumor: qi tumor is soft and puffy (corresponds to neuroma cutis in modern medicine); blood tumor is characterized by dilatation of blood vessels knotting together (corresponds to angioma); flesh tumor is a spongy swelling like steamed bread that appears to well up from flesh (corresponds to lipoma); sinew tumor is marked by ``green-blue sinews'' like a pile of knotted intertwined worms (varicose veins) and swells up from the sinews (corresponds to phlebangioma, varicosity, cavernous hemangioma and other shallow lesions); bone tumor is stuck to the bone and is hard as stone (benign and malignant bone tumors); fatty tumor is a tumor with a blue-black speck in the center from which from time to time a white substance like bean curd dregs can be squeezed, and which may suppurate, thus becoming a suppurative tumor (corresponds to a cystic tumor). See the individual entries. Compare rock, which normally corresponds to a malignant tumor in Western medicine.

turbid

(1) murky; of the voice, unclear. (2) That which is turbid. Usually appears with the definite article as ``the turbid.'' See turbidity.

turbid evils harm the clear

Damp turbidity and phlegm turbidity obstruct clear yang and cloud the clear orifices, causing clouded consciousness and poor hearing.

turbid orifices

turbid qi

The turbid rich part of the essence of grain and water. Elementary Questions ``Food enters the stomach, the turbid qi goes to the heart, and spreads essence to the vessels.'' Cold evil. Foul air, e.g., exhaled air or flatus. Heavy matter as distinct from clear yang. Elementary Questions states, ``Clear yang is heaven; turbid qi is earth.'' ``When turbid qi is above, there is distention.''

turbid qi failing to bear downward

turbid qi goes to the heart

The turbid part of the essence of grain and water that goes to make blood, to be distributed around the body by the blood vessels, which are governed by the heart.

turbid slimy tongue fur

turbid urine

turbid water humor

Synonyms: turbid yin failing to bear downward.

From Elementary Questions, ``All cramp, arched-back rigidity, and turbid water humors are ascribed to heat.'' Turbid urine. See urinary turbidity.

turbid yin

Synonyms: turbid qi failing to bear downward.

Turbid substances within the body as distinct from clear substances referred to as clear yang. Elementary Questions states, ``Clear yang issues from the upper orifices; turbid yin issues from the lower orifices. Clear yang effuses through the interstices; turbid yin pervades the five viscera. Clear yang fills the four limbs; turbid yin flows to the six bowels.'' From this, it can be seen that turbid yin refers to the waste products of the body discharged in the form of urine and stool. In some contexts, it also refers to the blood. See turbid qi goes to the heart.

turbid yin failing to bear downward

Breakdown of the spleen and stomach's function of moving and transforming grain and water, whereby grain and water do not move downward normally. The main signs are glomus and oppression in the chest, belching and hiccough, nausea and vomiting, and distention and fullness in the stomach duct and abdomen. Other signs include heavy-headedness and cumbersome body, no thought of food and drink, and scant urine and sloppy stool.

Medication: Unripe Bitter Orange and Ovate Atractylodes Pill or Stomach-Calming Powder.

Acupuncture: Base treatment mainly on CV, ST, SP, and PC. Select CV-12 (Center Stomach Duct), CV-10 (Lower Stomach Duct), PC-6 (Inner Pass), ST-25 (Celestial Pivot), CV-6 (Sea of Qi), ST-36 (Leg Three Li), and SP-4 (Yellow Emperor); needle with even supplementation an

turbidity

Synonyms: lower orifices.

Turbid substances in the body. See turbid yin. The quality of murkiness or dirtiness (of dampness or phlegm). See damp turbidity; phlegm turbidity; turbid evils harm the clear. Murkiness of the urine or murky urethral discharge. See urinary turbidity; essence turbidity; white turbidity; red turbidity.

turtle-dove's tail

The process at the lower end of the breastbone; so called by the similarity of shape.

tv

Abbreviation for thoroughfare vessel. See thoroughfare vessel.

twelve channel divergences

Synonyms: regular channels.

Branches of each of the twelve channels that reach deeper parts of the body and then return to the primary channel. The divergences of the six yang channels return to the yang channel they branched from. The yin channel divergences connect to the channel with which they stand in exterior-interior relationship. For this reason, the twelve channel divergences have the function of complementing the main pathways by providing a link between the yin and the yang channels.

twelve channel sinews

Sinews following the path of the channels, together filling the entire surface of the body. They are named after the channels (e.g., hand yang brightness channel sinews). Morbidity of the channel sinews includes impediment , hypertonicity, and slackening.

twelve channels

The channels that form the basic structure of the channel system. The twelve channels comprise six channels of the hand and six channels of the foot, each channel duplicated on both sides of the body. Each channel ``homes'' and ``nets'' to bowels and viscera that stand in interior-exterior relationship. See Table . The twelve channels have the function of interlinking the bowels and the viscera and providing a network of qi and blood by which the whole body is nourished.

twelve cutaneous regions

Areas of the skin lying on and corresponding to the each of the twelve channels.

twelve formula types

The ten formula types plus cold formulas and hot formulas. The ten formula types plus upbearing and downbearing formulas.

twelve officials

The twelve organs.

twelve source points

The source points of the twelve channels. See source point.

twelve sources

Twelve acupuncture points, two of which are each associated with the gao and the huang, and the other ten being associated with one of the five viscera. For example, The sources of the lung are the two LU-9 (Great Abyss) points on either side. See Table . The Magic Pivot states, ``When the five viscera are diseased, then use the twelve sources.'' The notion of the twelve sources is similar but not to be confused with that of the twelve source points of twelve channels (see source point).

twenty-eight pulses

Twenty-eight commonly observed pulses listed by Li Shi-Cai. This list comprises the twenty-seven pulses of Li Shi-Zhen, with the addition of the racing pulse. The ``twenty-eight pulses'' still remains a standard list, but an additional large pulse is now often added. See the list below and pulse condition. The Twenty-Eight Pulses Floating: Superabundant under light pressure and insufficient under heavy pressure Sunken Not felt under light pressure, and felt only under heavy pressure Slow: Less than fours beats per respiration (less than 60 beats per minute) Rapid: Over five beats per respiration (over 90 beats per minute); associated with heat (with repletion heat when forceful and vacuity heat when forceless) Surging: Extremely large, billowing like waves and arriving with a great force Faint: Extremely fine and soft, and feels as if it is on the verge of expiry, barely detectable Fine: Like a fine but distinct thread Scattered: Diffuse and floating without root Vacuous: Forceless at all three positions, and feeling empty and vacuous under pressure Replete: Forceful at all three positions Slippery: A smooth-flowing pulse classically described as ``pearls rolling in a dish'' or ``small fish swimming'' Rough: The opposite of a slippery pulse, i.e., one that does not flow smoothly and that is classically described as ``a knife lightly scraping bamboo'' Long: Can be felt beyond the inch and cubit positions Short: Felt only at the bar point String-like: Feels like the string of a musical instrument Scallion-stalk: Floating and empty in the middle Tight: String-like and forceful Moderate: Three to four beats per respiration Drum-skin: String-like and empty in the middle Firm: Forceful and feels as though ``tied to the bone'' Weak: A deep pulse without force Soggy: A soft pulse lacking in force Hidden: A pulse even deeper than the deep pulse; considerable pressure has to be applied in order to feel it Stirred: A combination of the rapid, short, and slippery pulses Racing: 7 or more beats per respiration Skipping: Rapid irregularly interrupted Bound: Slow irregularly interrupted Intermittent: Interrupted at regular intervals

twinge

An acute localized distressing sensation, as often experienced when insertion and manipulation of acupuncture needles results in ``obtaining qi.'' Twinges are often shooting.

twirling

Synonyms: rotating supplementation and drainage.

A method of needle manipulation whereby the practitioner grasps the handle of the needle between his thumb and forefinger and twists the needle first one way and then the other, in an arc between 180 and 360. Avoid turning the needle in a single direction in order to prevent the needle from adhering to fibrous tissue and causing unnecessary pain. Rotating the needle rapidly in a wide arc drains; a narrow arc with slow motion supplements; a medium arc with medium speed produces even supplementation and drainage. The rotation method can be combined with the lifting and thrusting method described above.

twirling supplementation and drainage

A method of achieving supplementation or draining by rotating the needle between the thumb and index finger. Forward movement of the thumb and backward movement of the index finger making the needle rotate clockwise produces supplementing stimulus. Forward movement of the index finger and backward movement of the thumb making the needle rotate anti-clockwise produces a draining needle stimulus. See needle manipulation.

two intestines

Synonyms: red and white turbidity.

The large and small intestines.

two turbidities

two yin

Anus and genitals. Compare lower orifices.

two-finger press needle insertion

A two-handed needle insertion technique whereby the handle of the needle is held by the fingers of one hand and the tip is held between the thumb and index finger of the other hand to guide it into the body. The two-finger press needle insertion is performed in the following steps: (1) Hold the needle at the handle with the thumb and index finger of right hand, while the left thumb and forefinger support the shaft close to the tip with a small piece of sterile cotton. (2) Place the tip of the needle lightly on the surface of the skin over the point. (3) Insert the needle by exerting a quick, firm, downward thrust with both hands simultaneously. (4) Remove the cotton and continue to insert the needle until right depth has been reached.