In its long course of development, TCM has established a perfect theory of prevention based on the theories of yin-yang, five elements, qi-blood-body fluid, meridians, cause of disease and pathogenesis, still effectively guiding medical practice now. The core of this theory is prevention and therapeutic principles.
TCM pays great attention to prevention and takes prevention as the essential one of therapeutic principles, emphasizing the role of reinforcing healthy qi and eliminating pathogenic factors in restoring balance between yin and yang.
With full consideration of individual, local and seasonal conditions, it has established an effective system of therapeutic methods.
Prevention means to take measures to prevent the occurrence and development of disease. The principles of prevention in TCM cover two aspects: theory and methods.
Importance of prevention
TCM gives prevention the priority over treatment. Before the occurrence of a disease, it is important to take measures in advance to avoid suffering or aggravation, which is helpful for protecting healthy qi and maintaining health. Though correct and timely treatment can eliminate
pathogenic factors, restore health qi and cure disease, the attack of any
disease inevitably
damages healthy qi or causes sequelae. Up to
now there still some
diseases incurable or irreversible. So no
matter how excellent
therapeutic methods are, they must be
used as the last resort.
That is why Huang-di Neijing says that ¡°the best doctors
are
those who can prevent the occurrence of disease¡±. It
believes that resorting to treatment when disease has
already occurred is just like drilling a well when one
feels thirsty and manufacturing weapons when war
has already broken out.
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The theoretical basis of the principles of prevention
The principles of prevention are decided according to etiopathology and the transmission of pathogenesis in TCM. Etiopathology in TCM holds that the occurrence of disease results from insufficiency of healthy qi and attack of pathogenic factors, among which insufficiency of healthy qi is the key factor responsible for the onset of disease. That is why the principles of prevention in TCM pays attention to both the protection and cultivation of healthy qi and avoidance of the invasion of pathogenic factors. According to transmission of pathogenesis, disease transmits among the viscera when it has emerged. The regions and organs that are weakened or insufficient of healthy qi tend to be affected. That is why the principles of prevention advocate early treatment and control of transmission.
The guiding ideology of the principles of prevention
1. Emphasis on holistic concept
The human body forms an integrated wholeness in itself and with the external environment. That is why TCM emphasizes both the harmonious relationship between the body and external environment and the interrelationships between the viscera and the meridians.
2. Emphasis on the protective effect of healthy qi
Among various preventive measures, the protection
and cultivation of healthy qi is the most important one.
3. Emphasis on the integration of the body and the mind
The concept of health includes health of the body
and health of the mind. Since psychological factors
play a very important role in etiopathology,
TCM gives psychological regulation and cultivation
the priority over other preventive measures.
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The preventive methods
1 Giving prevention the priority
Giving prevention the priority means to take measures to prevent the occurrence of disease. Since the occurrence of disease is related to insufficiency of healthy qi and attack of pathogenic factors, the preventive measures taken should focus on reinforcing healthy qi ad preventing the invasion of pathogenic factors by means of regulating psychological state, diet and living habit as well as doing physical exercise. Besides, cares should be taken to avoid attack of pathogenic factors.
1) Regulating psychological state
Regulating psychological state covers three aspects: avoiding direct damage of the viscera and disturbance of qi and blood; avoiding invasion of pathogenic factors due to deficiency of healthy qi caused by psychological factors; protecting and cultivating healthy qi to further strengthen constitution. There are various ways to regulate psychological state, the general principle is to be free from avarice. If one keeps the mind tranquil, qi and blood will flow normally, yin and yang in the body can communicate freely with that in the natural world, which can not only prevent the invasion of pathogenic factors but also strengthen constitution.
2) Proper diet
Diet provides necessary nutrients for the body, but unhealthy eating habits and improper food (such as intemperance or starvation, unhygienic food and food partiality) impair the viscera and damage harmonious state of qi and blood. To cultivate health through regulating diet can supplement essence, adjust the state of yin and yang, improve constitution and strengthen body resistance. There are various ways to cultivate health through regulation of diet, these methods should be applied according to individual conditions. The general principle is to eat regularly at the right time in proper proportions with hygienic eating habits.
3) Proper living habits
Proper living habits include regular work and rest, temperance in sexual activity and proper clothing in different seasons. Proper living habits are effective in abiding by the variations of yin and yang in the natural world, protecting the viscera, qi blood and body fluid, and preventing invasion of pathogenic factors.
4) Exercising the body
Exercising the body can promote the flow of qi and blood, reinforce the functions of the viscera and prevent retention of pathogenic factors. There are various ways to exercise the body. However traditional ways to exercise the body are more effective for strengthening constitution, eliminating disease and prolonging life, such as Wu-qinxi (five-animals frolics), Baduanjin (eight-sections exercise), Yijinjing (tendon-relaxing exercise) and Taijiquan(taiji box), etc. These traditional exercises are slow in action and general in relaxation, very effective for
directing the flow of qi and blood. They combine static actions with
dynamic activities, effective for regulating both yin and yang without
damaging tendons and exhausting qi and blood. People with different
constitution should select different exercise.
5) Avoiding attack of pathogenic factors
Since pathogenic factors are the key elements in causing disease,
measures have to be taken to avoid the attack of pathogenic
factors in the cultivation of healthy qi. Some pathogenic factors
are very toxic, even strong constitution cannot resist them.
Thus the avoidance of these pathogenic factors is the only
way to prevent the occurrence of disease.
2 Preventing transmission and change
When disease has occurred, it may transmit from a local area to the viscera and other regions. In this case, measures have to be taken to stop such transmission and change. |
1) Early treatment
At the early stage, disease is easy to treat because it is still light and healthy qi has not declined yet. However, delayed treatment may worsen the disease and make it difficult to treat due to transmission of pathogenic factors from the external to the internal and damage of healthy qi. If healthy qi is seriously impaired and pathogenic factors become more and more predominant, the disease is hard to treat and tends to become aggravated. So early treatment is very important.
2) Controlling the transmission and change
Transmission and change refer to movement and change of disease in the external and the internal, the upper and the lower, the zang-organs and the fu-organs, the meridians and the collaterals, wei, qi, ying and blood phases. The transmission and change of disease follow certain rules and routes. Measures can be taken according to these rules and routes to prevent the transmission and change of disease in advance.
The method for controlling the transmission and change of disease is to regulate and nourish the organs or areas that the disease is liable to transmit
to by means of reinforcing healthy qi to prevent the
transmission of the disease. For example, it is
said in Jingui Yaoliie ¡°measures must be taken
to strengthen the spleen in the treatment of
liver disease because liver disease tends to
transmit to the spleen.¡± That means to
invigorate spleen-qi to prevent liver disease
from transmitting to the spleen. Take febrile
disease for another example. Since pathogenic
heat damages yin, the impairment of stomach-yin
can damage kidney-yin. Under such a condition,
the prescription composed herbs sweet in taste
and cold in nature for nourishing the stomach can be added with some herbs salty in taste and cold in nature for nourishing kidney-yin in order to prevent pathogenic heat from impairing the kidney.
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CHINESE
