Why TCM is so individual
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, there is a well-known principle: “same disease, different treatments – different diseases, same treatment.” This sounds paradoxical, but it is precisely the core of TCM: treatment is not based on a Western diagnosis name, but on the basis of thecartridge that lies underneath.
Same complaint, different patterns
For example, two people might both suffer from headaches. For one, it’s a pressing pain in the forehead that increases with fatigue corresponding to a lack of energy and blood. For another, it’s a throbbing, throbbing pain on the sides of the head that worsens with stress corresponding to a rising Liver-Yang.
In TCM terms, these are two completely different patterns. One requires nourishment and support from the foundation, the other requires calming and downward movement. That’s why you sometimes get a completely different formula, treatment, or nutritional advice for the “same complaint.”
Different complaints, one underlying pattern
Conversely, very different complaints can be traced back to a single pattern. Consider someone with mild dizziness, dry eyes, poor sleep, and an irregular cycle. At first glance, these seem like separate issues, but TCM sees a common thread here: blood and yin deficiency in the liver and heart.
In such a case, one well-chosen TCM approach – for example, one focused on nourishing blood and Yin – can balance several seemingly separate complaints at the same time.
Practical value
This principle is precisely why TCM emphasizes consultation, pulse and tongue diagnosis, and questions about sleep, emotions, digestion, and menstruation. The name of the complaint is less important than the overall symptoms. This leads to the most appropriate approach – sometimes very different for the same complaint, and sometimes surprisingly similar for very different ones.