3 Inspection of body
Inspection of body means to diagnose the patient by examining the physical conditions of the patient.
The body depends on visceral essence to nourish,while the functions of the viscera and the conditions of visceral essence may be reflected by the body. Therefore,inspection of the body may help doctors to understand the functional states of the viscera, the current conditions of qi, blood, yin and yang as well as the conflict between healthy qi and pathogenic factors which may suggest the possibility of contracting certain disease.
1.1.1.3.1 Physical strength and weakness
Inspection of physical strength and weakness may enable one to know the functions of the viscera and the conditions of qi and blood. Generally speaking, the conditions of the body correspond to the conditions of visceral functions and the states of qi and blood. That means internal exuberance ensures external strength and internal decline leads to external weakness.
Strength: Strength refers to the strong physique, the manifestations of which are lustrous skin, strong muscles, wide chest and thick bones which indicate sufficiency of qi, powerful functions of the viscera, exuberance of qi and blood and healthy body. Strong body means strong resistance against pathogenic invasion, no liability to contract disease, quick recovery from illness and favourable prognosis.
Weakness: Weakness refers to decline of body strength, the manifestations of which are dry skin, lean muscles, thin chest and bones which indicate insufficiency of qi, weak functions of the viscera, deficiency of qi and blood and weak physique. Weakness of the body indicates weak resistance against pathogenic invasion, easiness to catch disease, difficulty in healing and unfavourable prognosis.
1.1.1.3.2 Physical obesity and emaciation
Inspection of physical obesity and emaciation may suggest the possibility to contract certain diseases.
Obesity. Obesity is characterized by round head,short and thick neck, wide and fiat shoulders, wide-short-round chest, big belly, smaller body, flabby muscles,
dispiritedness and lassitude which are the signs of predomination of the body and asthenia of qi, suggesting insufficiency of yangqi and internal exuberance of phlegmatic dampness as well as susceptibility to vertigo, apoplexy and obstructive syndrome of the chest. That is why it is said that “obese people are predominant in dampness” and“obese people are susceptible to wind stroke”.
Emaciation: Emaciation is characterized by long head, thin and long neck, narrow shoulders, narrow and flat chest, small belly, higher body, thin muscles and dryness of skin which suggest asthenia of blood and internal exuberance of asthenic fire usually seen in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis and internal impairment by asthenic overstrain. That is why it is said that “thin people are predominant in fire” and“thin people are susceptible to cough due to pulmonary tuberculosis”.
If the whole body is extremely emaciated and the patient lies in bed and cannot rise up again, it is usually caused by chronic disease, severe disease and declination of visceral essence as well as unfavourable prognosis.
1.1.1.3.3 Deformity
Deformity includes chicken chest and tortoise back .The former refers to the evident protrusion of the lower part of sternum marked by longer posterior and anterior diameter and shorter left and right diameter of the thoracic cavity, usually seen in children. The latter refers to protrusion of the spinal column. Both cases are caused by congenital defects or postnatal malnutrition which lead to insufficiency of kidney essence and maldevelopment of the bones.
