The Basic Principles Behind TCM(中医基础原理之病因)

The Causes of Disharmony
TCM divides the causes of disharmony into three main areas:
Internal Causes
which are illnesses caused by emotions. This include anger, sadness, worry, fear, joy, grief, pensiveness and shock and are usually termed as the seven emotions. While these emotions are normal and healthy responses to the many situations we encounter in daily life, they can cause disease when they are intense or prolonged, or are not expressed or acknowledged over a long period of time.
External Causes
which are causes of disharmony that relate to climatic conditions. There are six of these conditions, usually known as the six pathogenic factors or the six outside evils. They are: wind, cold, damp, fire and heat, dryness and summer heat. Different climatic conditions are appropriate during each season and we usually adapt to them as they come and go. However, extremes of weather such as a very cold winter or unseasonal weather such as a warm spell in winter make us more vulnerable to the effects of that climatic condition and consequently to becoming ill. Also, people whose underlying energy is weak are more vulnerable to the effects of climatic conditions than those who have a strong constitution.
Miscellaneous Causes
include work, exercise, diet, sexual activity and physical trauma. TCM thinks that these factors can have a profound influence on our bodies. For example, too much physical work can impair Qi, too much mental activity can damage the Spleen, someone who works outdoors is more liable to be at risk from the six outside evils, excessive sexual activity is considered to be damaging to the Kidney and injuries would make the injured body part more vulnerable to the outside evils.