Diagnosing Medical Problems

Accurate diagnosis is the foundation of every treatment in Chinese medicine, even before choosing the method itself — acupuncture, herbal medicine, or Tuina. A good practitioner needs to understand the body and the person in front of them deeply, not only the symptom that brought them to the clinic. The renowned Chinese physician Zhang Jingyue described it this way:

Before treating a disease, a good practitioner must be able to distinguish between the “yin” and “yang” of heaven and earth, and between internal diseases and the external manifestations of the meridians. He knows which kinds of illness suit acupuncture, which suit moxibustion, and which suit herbal medicine. The practitioner must understand the connection between health and environment, master the standard process of diagnosis and treatment, and recognize the differences between people. He must find out the patient’s age and consider whether they are sociable or withdrawn, examine the affected areas while understanding the root of the disease, and observe the tongue and listen to the pulse. Only this way can a complete diagnosis be made.

The French philosopher Charles Louis Montesquieu coined a phrase that fits this approach well: “We lack not doctors, but medicine.” In other words, general knowledge is not enough — what is needed is an orderly diagnostic process that tailors the treatment to the specific person in front of us.

Why Accurate Diagnosis Matters More Than the Choice of Method

Many patients arrive at the clinic with a question about a specific treatment method — whether acupuncture, moxibustion, or herbal medicine would suit them. In practice, the first question to answer is not “which method,” but “what is the root of the problem.” Two cases with the same external symptom may require entirely different treatments, so skipping the diagnostic stage can lead to treatment that offers temporary relief without resolving the real issue.

The Five Stages of Diagnosis in Chinese Medicine

Diagnosis in Chinese medicine relies on five complementary stages, whose combination provides a full understanding of the source of the problem: observation, listening, smelling, questioning, and palpation. Each stage contributes a different perspective, and together they form a complete picture of the patient’s condition.

Observation

At this stage the practitioner examines whether the face looks radiant or drawn, whether there is coating on the tongue, and what the color of the face and skin are. These all provide initial clues about the state of energy and balance in the body.

Listening

The practitioner listens to the quality of the voice — whether it is weak or strong — and checks whether the speech is consistent, in order to gauge the patient’s spirit. In Chinese this is called Shen Qi, the energy of the mind, which reflects a person’s overall vitality.

Smelling

This stage is less relevant today, since most patients arrive for treatment after using various perfumes. In the past, a practitioner could rely on the body’s own scent — sour, sweet, or a burnt smell. Today a sweet smell can mainly be noticed in infants.

Questioning

The practitioner asks about the history of the illness and the location of the problem, in order to distinguish between internal and external issues and between different organ and meridian layers. The questions also cover medications the patient is taking, sleep habits, appetite, mood, and digestive function.

Pulse Palpation

The practitioner checks the pulse at the wrist — whether it is floating, sunken, slow, fast, strong, or weak — to distinguish between a state of deficiency and a state of excess, and to confirm that the pulse profile matches the patient’s symptoms. Alongside the pulse, the practitioner also examines the various meridian pathways involved in the overall picture.

From Diagnosis to a Personal Treatment Plan

After processing all the information gathered through the five stages, the practitioner builds a treatment plan tailored specifically to the patient in front of them. The ultimate goal is not only to treat symptoms and make them disappear, but to bring healing to the whole person — healing in which the complaints, problems, and pains that existed do not return.

Book a Treatment

Shai Davids incorporates the five traditional diagnostic stages into every assessment at the clinics in Jerusalem and Ramat Gan, in order to build a precise, personally tailored treatment plan. Feel free to get in touch to schedule an assessment, and to read more about what Chinese medicine is and about acupuncture.