Diagnosis in Chinese Medicine: A Comprehensive Guide [Hardcover]

Giovanni Maciocia (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0443064482 | ISBN-13: 978-0443064487 | Publication Date: February 6, 2004 | Edition: 1

Easily accessible and heavily illustrated, this complete guide to diagnosis in Chinese Medicine places an emphasis on "real world" issues. Focusing on clear interpretations of signs and symptoms, it addresses the practice beyond the theory and leads readers through both basic and sophisticated levels of diagnostic interpretation. Since Chinese medicine diagnosis relies on a subtle appraisal of a patient's disharmony, many factors beyond traditional Western symptoms are considered, including a patient's voice, the absence of thirst, feeling hot or cold, the patient's smell, tone of voice, and glitter of eyes. This practical resource helps readers carefully interpret of a range of nuances.

• Provides a clinical understanding of Traditional Chinese Medicine
• Offers an unparalleled depth of information that is meticulously cross-referenced
• Includes all the signs and symptoms, however subtle, that a modern patient may present in the clinic
• Provides clinical experience and understanding from a leader in the field of Chinese medicine
• Clearly outlines the decision-making options in key situations to help readers through the most challenging topics
• Logically organized so readers can quickly find the information they need in clinical situations

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Articulated and precise, the text by Giovanni Maciocia maps out for the inexperienced reader a safe path through clinical symptoms and signs; for those who are experts in the art, it is a most useful manual for consultation. This book is indispensable both for students and for practitioners of all levels. "Massimo Muccioli, Professor of Acupuncture and Diet Therapy, Director of Faculty of Chinese Herbal Medicine, Scuola Matteo Ricci, Bologna

"Diagnosis in Chinese Medicine represents the most comprehensive and yet encyclopaedic and detailed textbook on diagnosis in English. In his usual style combining clarity, precision and experience, Giovanni Maciocia has filled an important gap in the TCM literature. This precise, clear, academic and detailed textbook on Chinese Diagnosis is an indispensable tool both for practitioners and students." Hamid Montakab, M.D., LAc

"Maciocia has consistently provided the West with precise knowledge and profound clarity concerning Eastern medicine. This new work continues his unique scholar-practitioner tradition of teaching and writing that simultaneously supplies immediately practical information with direct clinical application with theoretical insight and wisdom that makes one consider and ponder and see the Eastern tradition from new perspectives. This is an invaluable addition to what can only be described as the ongoing "Maciocia transmission." Ted Kaptchuk, OMD

"This new book on diagnosis brilliantly fills a gap in the existing literature. It appears encyclopedic yet is surprisingly useful in daily practice. While it is solidly based on Chinese medicine, this book guides the reader in applying the principles of traditional diagnosis to present-day western patients. Physician acupuncturists will especially appreciate the book's easy access to discover the significance of symptoms and signs they encounter in their practices. It's a remarkably good book." Joseph M. Helms, M.D.

"Diagnosis in Chinese Medicine is an indispensable tool for the interpretation of symptoms and signs. It is the first text that helps the practitioner to understand the significance of symptoms and signs making diagnosis and treatment strategies easier and more logical." Dr Carlo Maria Giovanardi

"For the last 16 years Giovanni Maciocia has been the one author in the field of oriental medicine whose books have become the essential study and practice texts for an entire generation in the west. With this long-awaited comprehensive book on diagnosis and differentiation of symptoms, he adds to this impressive body of work and no student or practitioner will want to be without it." Peter Deadman

"This book is an essential clinical reference for all practitioners and it is surely the most important book on Chinese medicine to be published in the last ten years. European Journal of Oriental Medicine

About the Author

Giovanni Maciocia, C.Ac. (Nanjing), Acupuncturist and Medical Herbalist, UK; Visiting Professor of the Nanjing University of Traditional Medicine, Nanjing, People's Republic of China

Product Details

• Hardcover: 960 pages
• Publisher: Churchill Livingstone; 1 edition (February 6, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0443064482
• ISBN-13: 978-0443064487
• Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 7.7 x 2.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #290,572 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

39 of 41 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent TCM Source, March 26, 2005

By 

JC "Jacquie" (Milwaukee, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Diagnosis in Chinese Medicine: A Comprehensive Guide (Hardcover)

This is an excellent book for TCM practitioners. It covers a wide variety of diagnostic techniques all included in one book (rather than having to buy 20 short books with similar info). From face diagnosis, to nail diagnosis, to in depth pattern recognition (for thin necks to swollen ears to stomach aches), Maciocia has included it all. I found the part about using palm lines to show tendencies towards certain types of diseases very interesting. There are colour plates in the back of the book that show examples of body type, tongues, and skin conditions.

The only problem I see is that it can be a little hard to find what you are looking for until you get used to using the book. With all of the info covered, Maciocia included a "How to use this book" section in the begining to help with that.

22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars If you have the Foundations book, you have this book, November 29, 2008

By 

Lisa W. - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Diagnosis in Chinese Medicine: A Comprehensive Guide (Hardcover)

As an acupuncture student, I always find I'm trying to learn more about the elusive art of diagnosis, tongue and pulse. I was hoping to find some answers with this book and unfortunately did not.

It's a very large book with a very large price, but it's not worth the price. The entire section on the different Zang Fu patterns is virtually identical to The Foundations of Chinese Medicine: A Comprehensive Text for Acupuncturists and Herbalists. Second Edition.

I felt like I paid for a book that I already owned. There is definitely a plethora of other information in this book too, but it's presented in an overwhelming manner that is also fairly repetitive. Anyone who has seen the previous Foundation text (the white and black one) and then read the latest edition, knows what I mean about the same information being repeated over and over. Think of those blue call-out boxes and the hard to follow charts with arrows pointing everywhere. Unfortunately, this book follows in the same style. Ideally, it should have been half the size to double its appeal.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars For Traditional Chinese Medicine Diagnosis this is the "desert island" choice., March 30, 2010

By 

Valerie Cameron (south Lismore, N.S.W., AU) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Diagnosis in Chinese Medicine: A Comprehensive Guide (Hardcover)

If any scientist or health professional queries you about your TCM study or practise don't waste your breath just tell them to get this book, if they are not really serious you haven't wasted your time and if they are serious they will have an intelligent,concise and convincing guide to how Acupuncture and Chinese Herbs can help relieve distressing symptoms and treat the disease itself. In addition they will understand this unique method of diagnosis that leads to the prevention of imbalance and disease.

As many Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine Students will be familiar with this book, I don't have to say much more than thatI feel very sorry for those who do not know of this book. While at a hospital in China I kept on saying "Maciocia says this" and I had to explain that it was an author to whom I was referring and that this information was accessible to all. I think what struck me was how easily Diagnosis in Chinese Medicine smoothly combines many varied signs and symptoms to make diagnosis natural and accurate, this book enables TCM diagnosis to be able to meet the modern world of health in general.