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Listening and
Smelling
A significant
aspect of this part of diagnosis is the breathing of the patient and
the sound of the voice.
A loud assertive
voice suggests a yang pattern, while a weak or timid voice suggests
the opposite, a yin pattern. Restless and heavy breathing occurs in
an excess syndrome whereas shallow breathing is indicative of a deficient
condition. Even the sound of a cough gives an indication of the level
of phlegm in the lungs, and can be loud and sudden or weak and persistent.
The odor of the
body and its excretions are also important aids in diagnosis, and require
many years of experience to perfect. As such, this method is more widely
practiced in traditional eastern diagnosis than it is in the western
practices.
In general terms,
there are two distinct smells which are considered to detect the presence
of a hot, excess condition from a cold, deficient one. Yang (hot, excess)
conditions are associated with a rancid or rotten smell and Yin (cold,
deficient) conditions possess a strong, fishy aroma.
As a rule, any
unusual or abnormal odors can indicate an illness, those listed above
are merely a guideline.
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