Traditional Medicine in Asia

Traditional Medicine in Asia
Principles of Diagnosis
In Unani Tibb, great reliance is placed on
investigating the cause of the disease
thoroughly for proper diagnosis. The pulse,
urine and stool are employed as the general
indications to diagnose the various states
of the body.
Pulse
Pulse is a movement of expansion and
contraction in the receptacles of the
vital force (heart and arteries). The purpose
of this movement is to condition the vital
force with light air (oxygen from lungs). The
pulse can be discussed from the point of
view of:
� The general principles governing the
pulse;
� The type of pulse in each disease.
Each pulse-beat consists of two periods
of movement and two periods of rest.
Since each beat has one period of
expansion and one of contraction, it is also
important that between the two opposite
types of movement, there should be a
period of rest because it is impossible for
any movement to reach the end of its
course and change into any type of
movement without intermission. This has
been made clear in physics. It is, therefore,
obvious that each pulse-beat before the
next has two periods of movement and two
of rest, which are:
� Expansion (systolic);
� Rest between expansion and
contraction;
� Contraction (diastolic);
� Rest after the contraction (diastolic) of
preceding beat and before the
expansion of the next beat.
According to most physicians, the
phase of contraction in pulse is not
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perceptible. According to some it can be
perceived occasionally in a strong pulse on
account of additional strength; in a large
pulse on account of greater height; in a
hard pulse on account of greater
resistance, and in a slow pulse on account
of increased length of the beat.
Method of feeling the pulse
The pulse is felt by palpating the radial
artery at the wrist for three distinct reasons.
First it is more accessible, second, it is in
direct continuity with the heart and third,
because it is quite close to it.
The forearm should be kept in midprone
position, as in thin and weak persons
pronation increases the height and width
of the pulse but decreases the length, while
supination increases the height and length
but decreases the width.
Features of the pulse
Unani physicians have laid down 10
features for examining the pulse. In this way
the pulse varies in respect of its size, i.e., in
the degree of expansion as estimated by
its height, length, and breath; strength of
the pulse-beat as felt by the fingers; velocity
of the pulse-beat depending on the
duration of the movement; quality of the
vessel wall; fullness or emptiness of the
artery; quality of the pulse regarding its hot
or cold condition; frequency of pulse-beats
based on the length of the rest period
(between two beats); constancy and
inconstancy regarding the various features;
regularity or irregularity of the beats or
rhythm of the pulse.
Size
This is noted in the three spatial relations
of the pulse during expansion, i.e., height,
length, breadth. The pulse thus has nine
simple and a large number of compound
varieties which are the long, short and