Diagnosis through listening involves paying attention to the patient’s tone of voice, breathing patterns and taking a sniff of the patient’s breath.
The following tables show some of the conditions that may occur and what they mean.
Diagnosis through listening to the patient’s voice
Strong, loud voice | Presence of yang, heat. |
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Feeble, broken voice | Presence of yin, cold. Shows as deficient vital energy and lowered resistance. |
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Hoarseness or loss of voice due to recent illness | Caused by febrile factors, usually the result of external colds and heat. |
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Hoarseness or loss of voice due to prolonged illness | Lack of energy and reduced resistance; weakness of the lungs and kidneys. |
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Deep coughs, clear phlegm | Wind-cold has attacked the lungs. |
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Sudden coughing, thick and yellow phlegm | Excess heat in the lungs. |
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Phlegmy cough | Presence of phlegm. |
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Diagnosis through listening to the patient’s breathing
Strong and heavy breathing | Caused by febrile factors, excess pathogenic internal heat. |
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Weak, short breaths | Caused by deficiency in the function of the lungs. |
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Breathing difficulties, wheezing sounds | Asthma. |
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Uneven breathing or heavy sighing breaths | Serious condition, with damage to the vital essence or poisoning. |
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Loud breathing accompanied by snoring sounds | Stroke patients and comatose patients suffering from liver ailments and diabetes. |
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Rapid breathing, exhalation brings relief | Usually seen in cases of lung infection or phlegm-retention. |
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Low breathing sounds, inhalation brings relief | Decline in the function of the kidney |
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Diagnosis Through Smell
Bad breath | Poor digestion, heat in the stomach or poor oral hygiene. |
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Sourish breath | Undigested food in one’s system. |
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Decaying breath | Stomach ulcer and sores. |
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Body odour | Caused by pathogenic dampness-heat. |
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Nose emits odour, runny nose | Heat in the lungs or pathogenic dampness-heat accumulated in the spleen and the stomach. |
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