Altern Ther Health Med. 1999 Mar; 5(2): 50-8.

Seeing to the distant mountain: diagnosis in Tibetan medicine.

Tokar E.

To make use of an ancient traditional medical system, we must first comprehend the singular concepts and language that system uses to understand and describe health and illness. The diagnostic procedure is the method by which a person's medical condition is interpreted into the conceptual framework and language of medical science. This article provides a description of traditional Tibetan medical diagnosis and explains how a Tibetan physician perceives and analyzes a presenting illness. It discusses the spiritual, psychological, and physical aspects of the Tibetan medical approach to diagnosis. Addressing these issues can help us to understand what is unique about this system of alternative medicine and how it can inform other models of medical practice.