Better Diagnosis Series: The 10 Questions

[Guest guest]

Good Morning!

 

This week I have put together a series of different articles based on

helping all of us to know and understand the components in a

diagnosis and tools that may help in determining a proper and

affective way in determining the facts.

 

 

Better Diagnosis Series: The 10 Questions

 

Diagnosis is general judgement about diseases and syndromes as well as state of

health of the human body by collecting and analysing clinical data on the basis

of its diagnostic methods.

 

Diagnostics is a discipline to study the basic theories, methods and techniques

of diagnosis in medicine. With its substantial content, it is regarded as the

foundation of every clinical intake. Diagnosis includes diagnostic methods and

differentiation of syndromes.

 

Diagnostic methods consist of interrogation, inspection, auscultation and

olfaction, pulse-feeling and palpation. All these methods aim mainly at

providing objective basis for differentiation of syndromes by collecting

symptoms and signs from the patient.

 

Differentiation of syndromes refers to the process in which analysis and

inference are made on the basis of clinical materials acquired through various

diagnostic methods to determine the type of a disease. Such modes of logical

thinking as concept, inference and judgement are adopted in the differentiation

of syndromes. The type of a disease is drawn from a large amount of perceptual

materials. As a pathological generalization of a disease in its certain stage,

syndromes reflect the law and nature of a disease, serving as a basis for

treatment. Therefore, they differ from symptoms.

 

Determining if a disease pattern is acute or chronic, more exterior or interior,

more hot or more cold are some of the basic diagnosis techniques that tell you

where to look next as well as what to ask when working with a patient or client.

The etiology and pathology of the disease can tell you where it may be stemming

from and where it may be heading.

 

Asking questions is one of the strong points of an acupuncturists diagnostic

process. While many of the questions may seem irrelevant to the patient at the

time, they help to form a complete picture of the patient which allows for a

uniquely suited diagnosis and treatment protocol.

 

Traditionally the framework for asking diagnosis is the 10 questions:

 

» Hot, Cold and Fever, Chills

» Sweat

» Head & Eyes

» Pain

» Urine, Stool

» Thirst, Appetite, Taste

» Sleep

» Thorax, Abdomen

» Gynecological

» History

 

» History should include:

» Emotional State

» Drug Use - Recreational and Prescription

 

 

 

This is a great start and can give you a great foundation as to the patient's

history. Then, the next step is learning what to do with this information and

how you can use your alternative and complementary medicine to help!

 

 

Andrew Pacholyk, MS, L.Ac.

Peacefulmind.com

Therapies for healing

mind, body, spirit