As you know, acupuncture uses needles to optimize and balance the flow of vital energy (Qi) in the body. When the flow of energy is unbalanced, or "stuck", mental, physical or emotional illness emerges as a result.

The diagnosis is made mostly by observation. The practitioner will take your pulse at several locations on your wrist, observe your face, your tongue and your skin.

The practitioner will take your pulse on both wrists. Surface pulse and deep pulse are evaluated, at several pulse points. Possible descriptions of the pulse can relate to the speed of the pulse, the strength and the nature. Often terms like flow, rapid floating or sunken are used.

Tongue observation is a very common method of diagnoses in Chinese Medicine. The color, level of moisture, texture of the tongue all provide information about the health condition of the person being diagnosed. The practitioner will look at the coating of the tongue, if it's white, gray or reddish. The dots on the tongue, if they are present, their color and condition. Is the tongue moist or dry? All these will contribute to the development of a treatment plan.

In addition to observations, the practitioner will also discuss your symptoms with you, find out about your lifestyle, nutrition, and exactly how you feel, at what time of the day. The practitioner will also try to find out any correlations with other factors. For example, do the symptoms increase when tired? Do they decrease after a rest, or after a certain food is consumed?

In short, diagnosis in Chinese Medicine is very different than diagnosis in a western clinic. Some of the questions and practices may surprise you and look quite different to you. However, the process of diagnosis is very thorough and time is taken to diagnose correctly.

The result of the diagnosis, too, will be significantly different from a diagnosis of a western physician, and might not have an immediate significance or meaning to you.

However, this diagnosis will lead to the creation of a treatment plan, and might lead to recommendations regarding your nutrition plan and lifestyle.