Optimal Healing: A Guide to Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1st Edition

Glossary


ACTCM American College of Traditional Chinese Medicine

Addison’s disease a disease characterized by darkened skin, severe prostration, anemia, low blood pressure, diarrhea, and digestive disturbance caused by failure of the adrenal gland

adrenergic activated or transmitted by adrenaline

allergen a substance inducing an allergic response

anatomic pertaining to bodily structure

ankylosing spondylitis a disease characterized by fusion of the entire spine

antiplatelet causing platelets to not adhere to one another and thereby lessening the tendency for blood to clot

atrial fibrillation an abnormal heart rhythm that causes the heart to beat inefficiently and that sometimes results in abnormal clotting in the heart chamber. A clot can then potentially break off, pass to the brain, and result in a stroke.

autoimmune disease a disease characterized by the body’s immune system attacking the body’s own tissue

baseline function any bodily function at rest before the onset of an illness

Bei a TCM term describing an arthritic condition in which it is felt there is blockage of Qi

Ben the original root cause of a disease believed in TCM to be an imbalance in one of the eight dualities, an organ dysfunction, or a depletion of a bodily substance

beta-blocker a class of drugs that block the receptors (beta receptors) to beta-adrenergic stimulation. The result is lowered bodily response to adrenergic stimulation.

Biao the external manifestation of a root problem. In TCM, the symptom or sign that the patient presents is only the tip of the iceberg, the Biao. Treating it is not adequate to cure the patient. In addition to the Biao, the TCM practitioner must find the Ben.

Blood deficiency a TCM term equivalent to blood loss. There is not only loss of red blood cells (anemia) but also a depletion of the fluid part of the blood. In TCM, both need to be replenished.

Blood Stasis a TCM term that includes not only problems with abnormally clotted blood but also ecchymosis or bruising

Burners (Upper, Middle, and Lower) three regions of the body. The upper burner is the region above the diaphragm, the middle is the abdominal viscera, and the lower is the genitourinary tract and lower extremities.

Calming liver (or calming liver fire) to decrease sympathetic and adrenergic activity

carpal tunnel syndrome a syndrome characterized by tingling pain and/or numbness of the palmar aspect of the hand and sometimes pain in the palmar aspect of the wrist caused by compression by swollen soft tissue of the median nerve as it passes through a tunnel-like opening at the wrist. More advanced cases can involve weakness of the muscles moving the thumb.

cervical disc disease a disease of the discs in the neck. Discs all along the spine are resilient shock absorbers sandwiched between the vertebrae. They are made up of an outer fibrous layer and an inner jelly-like substance. When the cervical discs degenerate, there are tears in the fibrous layer, and the inner jelly can seep out and also become dry. The discs then lose their former height. This results in a narrowing of the opening for nerves to exit the spine. Impingement of the nerves in the neck where they exit from the spine to supply the upper extremities results in symptoms of neck pain and numbness or tingling in the arm or hand.

cirrhosis a condition of inflammation, destruction, and regeneration of liver cells leading to abnormal scarring

cluster headaches a type of vascular headache characterized by severe unilateral headaches that occur in a series or clusters within a short period

cortisol major glucocorticoid hormone produced by the adrenal cortex. It is involved in carbohydrate, protein, lipid, and water metabolism.

Coumadin a drug that interferes with the clotting mechanism

cytokines hormones regulating the immune response produced by cells of various tissues

diaphoresis sweating

Dispersing blood blood thinning

diuretic promoting eliminations of fluid by the kidney

double-blind studies a research method in which test subjects are divided into two groups; one receives the treatment to be tested and the other does not, but the two groups are “blinded” so that neither the subjects nor the researchers know who is receiving the treatment

Downbearing function of stomach peristalsis or the function of moving ingested food downward toward the intestines

ecchymosis bruising the accumulation of blood that has escaped from a broken blood vessel and seeped into surrounding tissue. In TCM, ecchymosis is part of blood stasis, which means blood has been prevented from coursing in a normal direction.

edema abnormal accumulation of fluid in the tissues

endometriosis a condition in which the cells that are normally found in the lining of the uterus grow outside their normal location

endorphin a pain-relieving hormone produced in the brain and pituitary gland

epididymitis inflammation of the epididymis, the tube transporting semen in the male genitourinary tract

erythropoietin hormone produced mainly in the kidney and liver that stimulates red blood cell production by the bone marrow

etiology cause of a disease

eustachian tube a tube-like structure connecting the middle ear to the nasopharynx

fecolith dried feces that becomes stone-like and can obstruct the opening of the appendix

feedback mechanism the normal regulatory mechanism for many physiologic functions that shuts off a gland when the level of its secretion has reached a normal level

fibrin a proteinaceous substance that holds a blood clot together

flexion contracture spastic contraction of muscles that flex limbs when counteraction by paralyzed extensor muscles is either too weak or absent as a result of a stroke

FSH follicle-stimulating hormone, a hormone secreted by the pituitary gland to stimulate the ovaries to ovulate

GI gastrointestinal

glaucoma a disease of the eye in which optic nerve cells degenerate, sometimes caused by increased fluid pressure in the eye

glomeruli the kidney’s filtering units

glycogen the molecular form glucose takes when stored in the liver

gout a condition caused by abnormal purine metabolism in which uric acid levels are abnormally high and crystallize in tissues causing painful inflammation, commonly in joints

granuloma a mass resulting from the body’s reaction, forming fibrous tissue to isolate a foreign substance

homeostasis the body’s mechanism of regulating various functions to maintain normality

Hot Qi a condition characterized by dry mouth, halitosis, nosebleeds, acne, and constipation. It represents a relative Yin deficiency.

hyperactive airway disease a condition in which the normal cough reflex is hyperactive, usually as a result of the bronchial airways having been injured in a respiratory infection and the normal mucous and ciliary action inside the bronchi not completely recovering

interferon a cytokine that fights viruses

Internal Heat a stage of an infectious disease in which there is fever. TCM explains that the Cold Evil has penetrated the skin and muscles, and entered the interior organs of the body.

Internal Wind the TCM explanation of the origins of a stroke. TCM explains that wind causes the catastrophic sudden illness; the origin of the wind is not atmospheric but from the interior of the body where there is excessive Liver fire, meaning excessive sympathetic stimulation leading to high blood pressure.

lumbar disc disease like cervical disc disease. The same degenerative process occurs in the lumbar area of the spine, with pinching of the nerves to the legs.

lumbar spinal stenosis a narrowing in the opening in the spinal column where nerves emerge, causing pinching of the nerves supplying the leg and foot

meralgia paresthetica a condition characterized by numbness in the front of the thigh caused by pinching of the lateral cutaneous nerve of the thigh

NSAID nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug

norepinephrine the hormone secreted by sympathetic nerves and the adrenal medulla, causing constriction of blood vessels

Painful Wind Chinese name for gout

pancreatitis inflammation of the pancreas

parasympathetic nervous system the part of the autonomic nervous system that stimulates vegetative function such as digestion

peristalsis the normal synchronized movement of the GI tract that propels ingested food and liquid down the GI tract

placebo in a double-blind research study, an imitation of a drug that has no active ingredients. It is given to the half of test subjects not receiving the drug being tested.

plantar fasciitis inflammation of the plantar fascia of the foot, characterized by pain in the sole and heel of the foot

Planted Wind TCM term for stroke

posttraumatic stress disorder a condition in which a person who has undergone severe stress remains in a state of hyperarousal for over a month

prostacyclin a substance made by endothelial cells lining blood vessels that dilates blood vessels and inhibits platelets from adhering to each other. It counterbalances the effects of thromboxane, which has an opposite action.

prostaglandin a substance that is made in various tissues with multiple physiologic effects, one of which is inflammation

Qi a widely used Chinese term literally meaning “air,” which, when combined with other words, is used to mean the essential mechanism by which a phenomenon that is not well understood functions

Quelling Wind herbs a group of herbs that have in common the effect of dilating small blood vessels

Raynaud’s Phenomenon a condition that involves excessive vasoconstriction of the fingers and toes, especially in the presence of cold temperatures

Relieving Surface herbs See Quelling Wind herbs.

Sjogren’s Syndrome an autoimmune disease in which the body attacks fluid-secreting glands, characterized by dry eyes and dry mouth

Solid a TCM term describing the body’s physiologic response to infection

sphincter of Oddi a smooth muscle that can contract or dilate to control the flow of bile entering the small intestines

Spleen wetness a condition of excessive fluid retention

steroid epidural a therapy in which steroid is injected into the epidural space of the spine to relieve the pain of disc disease

Summer Heat conditions commonly occurring in the summer months in ancient times. They can vary from heat stroke to food poisoning since there was no refrigeration in antiquity.

sympathetic nervous system the part of the autonomic nervous system that is activated with stress. It gears the body for “fight or flight.”

synergistic the mutually enhancing therapeutic effect of combining therapies such as drugs or herbs

Taoism the philosophy prevalent in China and influencing TCM. It purports that there is an order to the universe, the tao, which is maintained by the balance of dualistic forces. Taoists believe that illness begins with an imbalance of these forces.

T-cell cells made by the thymus gland for fighting infection

TCM traditional Chinese medicine

tendonitis an inflammation of tendons

tetanus a severe, life-threatening disease caused by the Clostridium tetanii toxin

thromboxane a substance produced by platelets that causes vasoconstriction and causes platelets to adhere to each other. It counterbalances the effects of prostacyclin.

titrate a method of determining the correct dosage of a therapy by increasing it stepwise until the desired effect is reached

tonification the therapeutic principle of restoring a weakened function or depleted bodily substance

tonify to replenish a depleted substance when it is deficient in order to restore function

toxic foods foods considered by TCM to have a toxic effect on the body, resulting in heat or inflammation

tumor necrosis factor a cytokine that promotes inflammation

uroshiol an allergenic substance present in poison oak and in mango skin

varicose ulcer a skin ulcer as a complication of varicose veins

varicose veins a condition in which the circulation of venous blood in the leg is poor, and the blood backs up and pools in the leg veins because of incompetent leg vein valves

vasectomy the male sterilization procedure in which the vas deferens is severed

vasodilators drugs or herbs that act by relaxing the smooth muscles of blood vessel walls to dilate the blood vessel

vertigo the symptom of spinning experienced by patients with either an inner ear condition or an insufficient blood supply to the brain as a forewarning of a stroke

wood ear a naturally occurring fungus, used in Chinese cooking, that has an anticlotting property

Wet fluid overretention or overproduction

Wet-Heat a bodily immune response leading to inflammation



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