Understanding Traditional Chinese Medicine: The Six Excessive Phenomena

In traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), the principle of balancing the body’s yin and yang is fundamental to improving a patient’s health. TCM recognizes six excessive phenomena—wind, cold, dampness, heat, dryness, and fire—that can influence health and contribute to disease. In contrast, Western medicine focuses on eradicating harmful bacteria to save lives, although the human body naturally carries numerous bacteria that are not harmful.

When wind is a factor, a TCM practitioner may detect a floating sensation on the patient’s skin near the right wrist or feel a wiry pulse near the wrist. In cases of cold dominating the body, the pulse may be slow and feel like it’s sinking. Similarly, if dampness is present, the pulse may feel sinking, slippery, and slow.

A heat phenomenon, on the other hand, results in a fast pulse, which may feel either wiry or surging. This can indicate vacuity heat or repletion heat. The combination of heat and dampness is referred to as “summer heat,” which manifests as a slippery and surging pulse, suggesting damp heat.

When dryness occurs, the body becomes dehydrated, leading to reduced blood output and a weak, fast pulse. Skilled acupuncturists can assess a patient’s health through pulse palpation, without relying on medical machines.