Pediatric diseases also have precursors. How can we prevent and diagnose them in advance in daily life? Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) generally diagnoses diseases through four methods: observation, auscultation and olfaction, inquiry, and palpation. When diagnosing illnesses in infants, there is a special method called "examining the finger markings."
"The 'finger markings' actually refer to the single blue vein on the palm side of a child's index finger near the thumb. Examining 'finger markings' is one of the traditional TCM methods for diagnosing pediatric diseases related to cold, heat, deficiency, and excess. It is usually used for children under 3 years old. To identify diseases through 'finger markings,' one must first understand the 'three sections of the tiger's mouth.' A normal child's 'finger markings' should be red and yellow intermixed, subtly visible beneath the skin. After falling ill, the color, location, and depth of the 'finger markings' will change accordingly with the disease.
Superficial markings indicate mild illness, while deeper ones suggest severe illness. If the 'finger markings' are clear, the child's condition is relatively mild; if the 'finger markings' have sunk deep into the skin, it indicates a more serious condition. For example, when a child first catches a cold, the 'finger markings' are clearly visible. However, if the illness progresses to tracheitis or pneumonia, the 'finger markings' may become less distinct.
The color of the markings helps differentiate between cold and heat conditions. If a child has caught a wind-cold, the 'finger markings' will be bright red and superficial; if they are pale red and deeply embedded within the skin, it suggests spleen-stomach deficiency-cold. If the 'finger markings' appear purple, the disease is heat-related. If the 'finger markings' are dark purple and deeply embedded within the skin, it indicates that pathogenic heat is stagnating internally. If the 'finger markings' are purplish-black, it signifies deep-seated heat that has obstructed blood circulation, indicating a critical condition.
Gentle pushing of the 'finger markings' reveals deficiency or excess. If the 'finger markings' are pale and disappear after being pushed, reappearing after a while, it often indicates lung deficiency or spleen deficiency. The child may exhibit symptoms such as poor appetite, loose stools, or constipation. If pushing the 'finger markings' does not cause significant changes, it usually indicates an excess condition or that pathogenic factors remain inside the body.
The length of the 'finger markings' reflects the severity of the condition. For milder cases, the 'finger markings' are shorter and generally only appear at the wind section. If the 'finger markings' reach the qi section, it indicates a more severe condition. If the 'finger markings' also appear at the life section, or even pass through the life section extending toward the fingertip, TCM refers to this as 'penetrating the sections and shooting the nail,' which signals that the disease has reached a very dangerous stage.
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