Understanding Your TCM Pattern: What Does Your Quiz Result Mean?

There are many different types of diagnosis terms used in Traditional Chinese Medicine and it's easy to get confused about what they all mean. In TCM the way we diagnose you is based on terms such as Yin deficiency, Yang deficiency, too much heat, cold, dryness or dampness. In order to understand what this means for you, it's good to have a basic understanding of Chinese Medicine.

Yin and Yang

You might have heard about Yin and Yang before, but when it applies to the body, Yin usually represents fluids, replenishment, nourishment, and the body's ability to cool down or relax. Yin can also represent blood and the feminine element of nature. So when we say you are Yin deficient, it usually means you will have symptoms of dryness, lack of nourishment, and possible heat signs - such as rashes, itchiness, hot flushes or uncontrolled sweats.

Yang on the other hand is warming, moving and energetic. Yang represents the insubstantial and heating elements in the body. When you become yang deficient, it usually means you feel cold, cold hands and feet, lethargic, and tired; you might get diarrhea, or feel sluggish. You could appear pale and have the desire to urinate a lot.

HOT COLD DRY DAMP

HOT- speaks for itself- you feel hot; you might get rashes; you might get redness and irritability.

COLD- you feel cold, easily affected by cold temperatures - such as having arthritic knees. You might eat too much cold food, leading to coldness in your abdomen and issues with your period cycles; raw foods also contribute to cold accumulation and less absorption of nutrients.

DRY- dryness can affect the inside as much as the outside. Dry intestines lead to constipation, painful bowel movements, and less urination.

DAMP - this is a big one in the West, as we eat a lot of damp foods that lead to fluid accumulation and sticky stools. Dampness is what causes weight gain, insulin sensitivity, oedema and even the formation of tumors. It blocks things up and causes issues with the bodies normal transformation of food.

The Organs

If your quiz result mentions “Liver Qi stagnation” or “Kidney Yin deficiency”, you might wonder what that means—and whether something is wrong with that organ.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), organ names describe broader systems of function. They do not mean the same thing as a medical diagnosis involving the physical organ.

For example, a TCM Kidney pattern does not mean you have kidney disease. A Liver pattern does not mean your liver is damaged. When we talk about the Spleen for example - we are talking about a whole system - the Spleen, Pancreas, Stomach and the process of producing blood. TCM is a whole-isitic medicine and therefore includes a whole systems approach to health.

Your quiz result is an introduction to this framework. It can help you understand the language used in a consultation, but it cannot confirm a diagnosis.

First, understanding the language

Most pattern names combine an organ system with a description of what appears out of balance.

Term	What it means within TCM
Qi	The body’s activity and capacity to carry out its functions. It is often translated as “energy”, although that is only part of its traditional meaning.
Qi deficiency	A pattern in which those functions appear underpowered, often described through tiredness or reduced stamina.
Qi stagnation	A pattern of constrained movement, often associated with tension, discomfort or distension.
Blood deficiency	A traditional pattern of insufficient nourishment. It is not the same as anaemia, which requires medical assessment.
Blood stasis	A traditional description of impaired Blood movement. It does not mean a blood clot.
Yin deficiency	A pattern of reduced cooling, moistening and nourishing support.
Yang deficiency	A pattern of reduced warming and activating support.
Heat or Fire	Patterns featuring signs such as warmth, thirst, redness or agitation. “Fire” generally describes more intense Heat.
Cold	Patterns featuring cold sensations or discomfort that tends to improve with warmth.
Dampness	A traditional description associated with heaviness, fullness, sluggishness or certain fluid-related symptoms.
Phlegm	A related concept that can describe mucus or a broader traditional pattern of obstruction.
Wind	A description used for symptoms that move, change quickly or involve shaking or spasms.

These terms belong to the TCM framework. Dampness does not automatically mean fluid retention, Heat does not automatically mean inflammation, and Yin deficiency does not mean low oestrogen.

The Liver: movement, tension and menstrual flow

In TCM, the Liver is associated with the smooth movement of Qi, the storage of Blood, the tendons and menstrual function.

Liver Qi stagnation

This describes a pattern of tension and constrained movement.

Traditional clues include irritability, frequent sighing, breast tenderness, bloating or discomfort around the ribs. Symptoms may fluctuate with stress or become more noticeable before a period.

A simple way to understand it is: “Things feel tense, held or unable to flow comfortably.”

It does not mean you caused your symptoms by feeling stressed.

Liver Blood deficiency

This describes insufficient nourishment within the Liver system.

Traditional clues include dry eyes, dizziness, muscle cramps, tingling and light or infrequent periods.

The general idea is: “There is less nourishment available to support the eyes, muscles, tendons and cycle.”

These symptoms can also have medical causes, including iron deficiency, so the pattern should not replace appropriate testing.

Liver Yin deficiency

This describes reduced nourishing and cooling support. Dryness may occur alongside feelings of warmth, restlessness or night sweating.

Liver Blood and Liver Yin deficiency can overlap, but they are not interchangeable.

Liver Fire

This describes a stronger Heat pattern. Traditional clues include pronounced irritability, headaches, red eyes, a bitter taste or thirst.

The word “Fire” describes the pattern’s qualities; it does not mean the physical liver is overheating.

Liver Yang rising

This describes a pattern in which activity is understood as rising towards the head, often against a background of insufficient Yin support.

Headaches, dizziness, tinnitus and irritability are traditional clues. It is not a diagnosis of high blood pressure.

Liver Wind

This term is used in patterns involving tremors, twitching, spasms or certain forms of dizziness.

New or unexplained neurological symptoms need medical assessment rather than interpretation through a quiz.

Liver–Gallbladder Damp-Heat

This combines traditional Dampness and Heat features. Practitioners may consider it when digestive discomfort, a bitter taste, nausea or certain genital symptoms occur together.

Symptoms such as unusual discharge, itching or jaundice require medical assessment.

The Spleen: digestion and nourishment

The TCM Spleen system is associated with transforming food and drink into nourishment and managing fluids. This is broader than the function of the anatomical spleen.

Spleen Qi deficiency

This describes a pattern of reduced digestive capacity.

Traditional clues include low appetite, bloating after meals, loose stools and tiredness.

A simple description is: “Digestion feels easily overwhelmed, and nourishment does not seem to translate into steady energy.”

Spleen Yang deficiency

This includes features of Spleen Qi deficiency with more prominent Cold signs.

Traditional clues include feeling cold, abdominal discomfort relieved by warmth and loose or watery stools.

Spleen Qi sinking

This describes a traditional pattern in which the system’s “holding and lifting” function is weakened.

A dragging sensation or prolapse may be considered within this pattern. Prolapse also needs appropriate medical or pelvic health assessment.

Spleen not holding Blood

In TCM, the Spleen is traditionally said to help keep Blood within its vessels. This pattern may be considered when bleeding or easy bruising occurs alongside deficiency signs.

Heavy periods, unexplained bruising or other abnormal bleeding should always be medically assessed.

Dampness and Phlegm

These frequently appear alongside Spleen patterns.

Traditional descriptions may include heaviness, fullness, nausea, mucus or a sense of sluggishness. They are not automatic explanations for weight gain or “brain fog”.

The Kidney: reserves, reproduction and ageing

In TCM, the Kidney system is associated with growth, development, reproduction, bones, fluid regulation and ageing.

Its traditional concept of Essence, or Jing, refers to the reserves that support development and reproductive life.

Kidney Yin deficiency

This describes reduced cooling and nourishing support.

Traditional clues include night sweats, warmth in the evening, dryness, tinnitus or lower back discomfort.

A simple description is: “The body’s cooling and moistening support appears reduced.”

This pattern may be considered during perimenopause, but perimenopause does not automatically mean Kidney Yin deficiency.

Kidney Yang deficiency

This describes reduced warming and activating support.

Traditional clues include feeling cold, low stamina, lower back discomfort and certain urinary or fluid-related symptoms.

The general idea is: “The body’s warming support appears reduced.”

It is not the same as an underactive thyroid or an adrenal disorder.

Kidney Qi deficiency or Kidney Qi not firm

These patterns concern the Kidney system’s traditional capacity to maintain and contain its functions.

Practitioners may consider urinary frequency or leakage within this framework. These symptoms can also relate to bladder conditions, pelvic floor changes or other medical causes.

Kidney Essence deficiency

This concerns growth, development, reproductive function and ageing within TCM.

It is a broader traditional concept—not a measure of ovarian reserve, egg quality or fertility.

Kidney failing to receive Qi

This describes a traditional pattern involving difficulty supporting inhalation, usually considered alongside Lung patterns.

Breathlessness requires medical assessment.

The Heart: sleep and mental-emotional steadiness

In TCM, the Heart is associated with Blood circulation and the Shen, often translated as mind or spirit. This includes awareness, sleep and emotional presence.

Heart Blood deficiency

Traditional clues include difficulty sleeping, palpitations, forgetfulness or feeling unsettled.

The underlying idea is that the Shen lacks sufficient nourishment to settle comfortably.

Heart Yin deficiency

This combines reduced nourishment with more dryness or Heat features, such as night sweating, restlessness and disturbed sleep.

Heart Qi or Yang deficiency

These describe reduced functional support. Yang deficiency includes more prominent Cold features.

Fatigue, palpitations or breathlessness may appear in traditional descriptions, but those symptoms should not be assumed to have a TCM explanation.

Heart Fire

This describes pronounced Heat and agitation, with traditional clues such as marked restlessness, disturbed sleep, thirst or mouth ulcers.

Phlegm disturbing the Heart

This is a traditional description involving obstruction and mental disturbance. It should not be used as a quiz explanation for confusion or significant changes in mental state.

Heart patterns do not diagnose heart disease or replace assessment of chest pain, palpitations or breathlessness.

The Lung: breathing and fluid distribution

The TCM Lung system is associated with breathing, distributing Qi and fluids, and the body’s surface.

Common patterns include:

• Lung Qi deficiency: traditionally associated with a weak voice, reduced stamina, shortness of breath or spontaneous sweating.

• Lung Yin deficiency: traditionally associated with dryness, a dry cough or a dry throat.

• Wind-Cold or Wind-Heat affecting the Lung: descriptions used for different combinations of acute respiratory symptoms.

• Phlegm-Damp or Phlegm-Heat affecting the Lung: descriptions involving mucus, with differing Cold or Heat features.

These labels do not identify a virus, bacterial infection or respiratory disease.

The Stomach, intestines and Bladder

These systems have their own patterns, too.

System	Common patterns and their general meaning
Stomach	Qi deficiency describes reduced digestive function; Yin deficiency describes reduced moistening support; Stomach Heat describes Heat features; food stagnation describes fullness and discomfort associated with retained food in the traditional framework.
Large Intestine	Dryness may be considered with dry stools; Damp-Heat with certain diarrhoeal presentations; Cold or deficiency with other combinations of bowel symptoms.
Small Intestine	Traditional patterns include Heat, Cold and Qi-related discomfort. Symptoms overlap with other digestive and urinary patterns.
Bladder	Damp-Heat is traditionally associated with burning or urgent urination; other patterns concern difficulty transforming or passing fluids. Burning urination needs assessment for infection.

The Gallbladder also appears in Damp-Heat and some timidity or disturbed-sleep patterns. The Pericardium and San Jiao, sometimes called the Triple Burner, describe additional traditional relationships involving the Heart, coordination and fluid pathways. They are less commonly used as stand-alone results in a general wellbeing quiz.

Why you may recognise more than one pattern

TCM patterns often overlap.

For example:

• Liver Qi stagnation with Spleen Qi deficiency may describe tension alongside digestive symptoms.

• Heart and Spleen deficiency may describe disturbed sleep alongside fatigue and digestive weakness.

• Liver and Kidney Yin deficiency may describe a combination of dryness, warmth and reduced nourishing support.

• Heart–Kidney disharmony may describe disturbed sleep and restlessness within a broader relationship between these systems.

• Qi stagnation with Blood stasis may describe constrained movement alongside more fixed pain.

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A person can also have both deficiency and excess features—for example, reduced digestive capacity alongside Dampness.

This is why a practitioner considers the whole presentation rather than matching one symptom to one label.

What your result means for you

Your result is a starting point for understanding your symptoms through a traditional framework. It is not a fixed label or a confirmed diagnosis.

During a consultation, your practitioner will explore your symptoms, menstrual history, sleep, digestion and relevant medical history, alongside tongue and pulse assessment where appropriate.

For women in perimenopause, several patterns may be relevant. Hot flushes, fatigue, anxiety or changing periods do not each belong to one pattern, and a TCM pattern cannot establish whether you are in perimenopause.

The aim is to understand your individual presentation while recognising when medical investigation is needed.

Seek medical care for new, persistent or worsening symptoms, including very heavy bleeding, bleeding after menopause, unexplained weight loss or ongoing palpitations. Chest pain, severe breathlessness or sudden neurological symptoms need urgent care.

You do not need to fit neatly into one category to deserve support.