Basic Layers and Contents of Etiological Differentiation

　　
Etiological Differentiation (ED) is an important component of diagnosis and treatment in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).

TCM ED comprises two implications: To differentiate direct causes for the occurring of diseases and to seek the objective law or special trend on the pathogenesis of diseases:

(l) Three Basic Layers of ED, the first etiological layer is the change in movement of the Universe and geographic environment. Weather and environment are related to the occurrence and development of diseases. The second etiological layer is ecology and society. Global ecology has obvious influence on the occurrence and development of diseases. Social factors will make some diseases spread rapidly and will cause psychological problems. The third etiological layer is the human being, which is at the core of ED;

(2) Theoretical Contents of ED in TCM ED, the cause of a disease obviously corresponds to its nature, syndrome and natural environment. Pathogenesis is a key point for the occurrence, development and change of diseases, a comprehensive embodiment of etologica1 effect and a reflection of the law governing ED.

The theoretical contents of ED were mainly manifested in abstraction and systematization, the former is mainly manifested in three corresponding re1ations: the cause of a disease to its nature, to its focus and to its treatment. The real contents of ED 1ie in the comprehensive manifestation of interactions among various etiological factors, which can jointly cause a disease or independently cause different diseases.

By Li Jingdo