Sound characteristics of the constitution of women cold and heat

1. ObjectiveTo study the voice characteristics of subjects with cold and hot constitutions by applying the theory and methods of physical acoustics, so as to provide objective basis for herbalist doctors to determine the symptoms according to the auscultation.2. Methods2.1. Draw up a questionnaire for this study on cold and hot constitutions described in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) in accordance with researches and questionnaires thereon conducted in China, Japan and Korea.2.2 Divide the subjects (women aged 20 to 50) into three groups according to the questionnaire results, i.e. group subjects with cold constitution, group subjects with hot constitution and group subjects with mild constitution, collect 10 phonation information of the subject for study with the sono-frequency analyzer (the ten pronunciation phonated are Huang, Chong, Su, Shi, Gu, Yu, Tian, Zhu, Ming and Bi), meanwhile, collect the information on symptoms and tongue image, etc., and conduct statistics and analysis on difference in subject groups with SPSS software.3. Results3.1 Theoretical StudyDetermine the implications of the five tones, the relations between voice and the internal organs, main and collateral channels of the body, the acoustic characteristics of the five tones, the influence of five tones on body, the frequencies of the five tones and their calculation, five-tone diagnosis, as well as research on and significance of the five tones in China, Japan and Korea.3.2 Clinic Research 3.2.1. Divide the subjects into group subjects with cold constitution, hot constitution and mild constitution with 35-year old women as a mark according to Huang Di Nei Jing (the medical classic of Yellow Emperor). Of which, 57% women aged no less than 20 but no more than 35 are with mild constitution, 18% with cold constitution and 25% with hot constitution, that is, for women aged no less than 20 but no more than 35, women with mild constitution are more than women with hot constitution, women with hot constitution are more than women with cold constitution; for women aged no less than 35 but no more than 50, 52% are in mild group, 32% in cold group and 16% in hot group, i.e., women in mild group are more than women in cold group, and women in cold group are more than that in hot group.3.2.2 In accordance with the result ofχ2-test, women in cold constitution group usually have the positive symptoms such as chill feeling at hands, feet, abdomen or waist, they are more cold-blooded than ordinary people (with more dress than others); with obvious dysmenorrhea, they have small amount of dark purple blood in menses; they will feel uncomfortable in abdomen after eating cold foods, they don’t like to take the socks off even in summer as their feet feel chill, they don’t like to enjoy the air conditioner or electric fan due to little sweat, they often have diarrhea or near-runny defecation, they seemed to be with a bloodless face. While the positive symptoms of women in hot constitution group are that they feel hotter than ordinary persons (with less dress than others), like to enjoy air conditioner (chill air) or electric fan, they are so thirsty that they want to drink so often, they feel hot at the centers of hands and feet and would like to touch cold objects, the have no chill feeling at abdomen and waist, and they have more sweat and menses blood.3.2.3. Observe the color, shape, thickness and quality of tongue of the women in the three groups with naked eyes, finding that difference is only in the color of tongue. Of which, the thin white tongue coating is with P of 0.006, white tongue coating with P of 0.000 and yellow tongue coating with P of 0.003 (it makes sense in statistics when P <0.05). 3.2.4. Women with normal constitution in the subject group aging no more than 35 and the group aging no less than 35 is 0.001 (P = 0.001), which has an obvious difference, phonations of Jiao, Zhi and Yu have an obvious difference (P<0.05). While differences in phonations of Gong and Shang make no sense in statistics.3.2.5. The five-tone characteristics of women with cold and hot constitutions are deemed that, through comparison with LSD one another on the basis thatα=0.05, the average difference in phonations of testers with cold and hot constitutions during Yu range (440 Hz～523 Hz) and Jiao range (330 Hz～391 Hz )makes sense in statistics.3.2.6. Calculate the average frequencies of women in three groups according to the cent/frequency table of the 25 phonations, finding that the average frequency of phonations of women in cold group is 389.41Hz, and those in hot group and mild group are 395.16 Hz and 392.01 Hz respectively.4. Conclusion4.1 Theoretical StudyThe five-tone theory in TCM is the earliest medical acoustics in the world’s medical history. It contains the scientific elements relating to acoustics and medicine and has a broad prospect. The theory provides with keys and tasks in various aspects for TCM classics study, clinic research and experimental research. On the basis of scientific connotation, it is possible to produce acoustic apparatus with TCM characteristics for health care, diagnosis and therapy.4.2. Clinic Research4.2.1. Through observing women in different age group described in TCM, it is more clearly to see the tendency that woman’s constitution turns to cold from mild with her increasing age, which shows that Yang Qi plays a significant role in woman’s constitution. Compare and analyze the diagnosis image generated by thermal infrared imager and the symptoms of women with cold and hot constitution, finding the results are in consistency, among 394 testees in total, 246 women have the symptom of chill feeling at hands and feet, which generates great influence on women’s life. This research shows that a large proportion of women in the cold constitution group have symptoms that falls beyond the diagnosis range of TCM cold and hot constitution, such as shoulder sour, tiredness, edema, Painful Menses, easiness in prone to cold and difficulty in recovery, etc.4.2.2 The phonation frequencies of Jiao, Zhi and Yu of a woman with mild constitution are higher than the detection frequency of other phonations, In accordance with the theory of Five Viscera Harmonizing Pitch, women is dominated by blood, the liver and kidney are woman’s Congenital Dependence and woman is apt to be influenced by feeling, etc. man are more prone to phonation of Yu and woman to phonation of Jiao, and the frequency of phonation is proportional to temperature, therefore, man has a hotter constitution than woman because the frequency of Yu phonation is higher than that of Jiao phonation.4.2.3. The average frequency of phonations of women in the cold, mild and hot groups are 389.41Hz, 392.01Hz and 395.16 Hz, and the distribution of the five tones in the body are with difference between woman with cold constitution and that with hot constitution. However, human beings cannot distinguish the minimum difference in pitch due to the distinguish capability.4.2.4. Pitch has close relation with life. Although there are many thing that people cannot give interpretation, however, with the social development, the pitch comes closer to human beings and form a more and more closer relation with the life of human, it will, in final analysis, be the best cut-in point for diagnosis, health preservation, health care, therapy and entertainment.