🌿 Folk Prescriptions

Doctor: Associate Professor Qin Jian, Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University. Interviewed by: Reporter Qiu Ruixian. Staff Writer: Chen Qikun
When it comes to seeing a TCM practitioner, everyone knows the importance of “observation, auscultation, inquiry, and palpation.” However, clinical experience tells me that if a patient is skilled at cooperating appropriately, it can greatly improve the accuracy and speed of diagnosis. Don’t underestimate these small techniques—sometimes a touch of lipstick or a whiff of perfume can mislead a doctor.
“Observation”: Avoid lipstick and scraping your tongue
“Observation” mainly involves doctors gathering diagnostic information through visual cues. Any self-concealment of natural appearances can distort the observation results, leading to misdiagnosis. Modern makeup artistry can easily deceive—e.g., a sallow complexion normally indicating spleen deficiency might appear rosy after makeup, misleading the doctor. Lipstick can make a pale-lipped patient due to yang deficiency look like a healthy individual. Avoid makeup before visiting the doctor to let the doctor see your true self, aiding accurate diagnosis.
“Tongue observation” is a crucial part of TCM observation. Doctors aim to see the patient’s true tongue coating and color. Some patients brush their tongues vigorously in the morning, hoping to show a “beautiful” tongue—but this actually obscures the diagnosis. Different tongue coatings indicate different conditions: yellow coating indicates heat; gray-black and moist coating indicates cold. If patients drink orange juice or strong coffee before visiting, staining their tongue yellow or gray-black, misdiagnosis of heat or cold conditions may occur.
Additionally, some patients extend their tongue too long and pointedly, thinking it helps the doctor see better. They don’t realize that regardless of tongue color, stretching it too tightly and sharply makes it appear red—indicating heat. When extending the tongue, relax naturally, fully expose the surface, and extend only one-third of the tongue length outside the mouth.
Auscultation: Avoid chewing gum and suppressing cough
“Auscultation” involves doctors diagnosing based on patient sounds and odors. Perfumes or chewing gum can mask natural odors. Additionally, the strength of a patient’s voice provides useful diagnostic clues. Avoid exaggerating or suppressing your voice—don’t cough loudly out of fear the doctor won’t hear, nor suppress coughing until tears stream down.
Patients should note that despite doctors’ professional ethics, unpleasant body odors are universally unwelcome. This includes alcohol, garlic, and other strong smells.
Inquiry: Avoid vague terms like “heatiness” or “feeling weak”
“Inquiry” is the doctor’s method of listening to the patient’s account. Be specific—don’t vaguely say “heatiness,” “poor digestion,” “general discomfort,” or “feeling weak.”
When asked where you feel unwell or what help you need, describe your condition accurately using clinical symptoms (e.g., headache, fatigue) or objective signs (e.g., fever, rash). When asked how long symptoms have lasted, many Guangzhou patients always reply “very long (hao nai)” regardless of duration. When pressed again, still “hao nai,” refusing to use years, months, or days—frustrating indeed.
After stating your chief complaint, briefly and clearly explain the onset, progression, changes, treatment history, medication use, and outcomes. Avoid excessive adjectives. Share your past medical history, family history, and personal peculiarities (e.g., drug allergies, special dietary preferences). Female patients should also mention menstrual and reproductive history if necessary.
When asked further questions, answer honestly. Simple “yes” or “no” suffices. For elderly patients with poor memory or complex conditions, writing down your symptoms is a wise strategy.
Palpation: Avoid rushing and wearing dresses
Finally, “palpation” mainly involves pulse-taking and physical examination. Rapid walking affects pulse readings—rest for a few minutes outside the clinic before consulting. During pulse-taking, breathe evenly and keep muscles relaxed. Also, some examinations require touching the chest and abdomen. Female patients should avoid wearing dresses to facilitate examination.