Acupuncture & TCM Articles

Chinese Medicine - The 6 External Pathogens

Finding New Flows in Chinese Medicine

If you are looking for enhanced alternatives for your health looking at possibilities for external pathology and how it relates to your Qi is one of the places to begin. The consideration of pathology in Chinese medicine is what determines the need for a change in energy flow. By doing this, you will have the ability to gain back your health through holistic means.

The external pathogens are ways in which your energy flow can be disrupted. and when looking at external pathogens there are six general types that are examined. The body will find balance and energy when these are flowing correctly.

Chinese medicine takes environmental and universal laws and applies them to each individual and to this end the attributes of external pathogens are named after the weather patterns in the earth. These are divided into wind, heat, cold, summer heat, damp and dryness. Chinese medicine practitioners are able to define one of these in the body as not being aligned correctly and can then can begin to move back the Qi to normal.

The external pathogens begin with wind and, when looking at the human body, this is directly linked to the lungs and the air passage ways. Coughing and often times aches in specific joints can be the outcome when the 'Wind Qi' is off in a person. Because there is not a steady movement of air, passageways and other areas are unable to remain clear.

Heat, cold or summer heat is obviously related to body temperature and you can simply look at how warm or cold your body temperature is. If there is not a steady flow in specific areas, you can determine that your Qi in those areas is off. If there is severe heat in one area, such as from a temperature, then this is where the flow of energy is, significant in the relation to summer heat.

The final two external pathogens are the damp or dryness that is related to Qi. Dampness is known for blocking Qi from its proper flow and dryness, the absence of moisture, is relevant because it reduces flexibility. This is because dryness is brittle and is known for taking off bits and pieces.

What parts of a person's energy are blocked are determined by the various external pathogens. You can begin to change the flow of energy throughout your body by understanding the 'symptoms' that are taking place externally.