Below are brief explanations of some common terms and concepts in Chinese medicine diagnosis that you would come across in a reading. Although Chinese medicine concept can be abstract, this helps you to understand better the discussion on this page.

• Qi - means energy and is the universal energy that pervades within and without us everywhere in our physical realm of existence. Strictly speaking in our body, qi is the vital force that causes all movements, activities, functions, growth, development, control, check and balance, nourishment, protection, and transformation.

• Blood - the food sustenance for life force and nourishment for all functions in our body. 

• Yin - pertains to the material basis of our body.

• Yang - pertains to the energetic, functional aspect of our body.

• Jing Essence - the vital substance which governs and originates the primal foundation for the soul aspect and physical aspect at the moment of conception as well as throughout life. Essence is intrinsically connected to and stored in the kidneys. Essence also helps to create bone marrow and reproductive vital substances such as semen, sperms, eggs, menstrual blood.

• Damp - refers to moisture in the body. The mentioning of damp in a diagnosis usually refers to an excessive accumulation that consequently produces problems.

• Heat, cold - temperature in our body. The mentioning of temperature in a diagnosis usually indicates an extreme level of imbalance.

• Wind - exists naturally in our body. The mentioning of wind in a diagnosis indicates an imbalance has occurred which causes the activity of wind to become excessive or in severe cases out of control.

• Meridian - another term for energy channel.

• Deficiency, excess - the condition of imbalance in the body relative to a normal balance.