An Analysis of the Application of Infrared Thermography in Traditional Chinese Medicine

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), with its long history spanning thousands of years, is deeply rooted in both cultural and historical contexts. TCM is based on a holistic view and the concept of dynamic balance, utilizing diagnostic methods such as observation, auscultation, inquiry, and palpation to assess the health status of the body, emphasizing disease prevention and the restoration of the body’s internal balance. However, with the advancement of modern medical technologies, the visualization of TCM’s effects and the objective evaluation of its therapeutic outcomes have been subject to external skepticism. Infrared thermography, an advanced medical imaging technology, has shown unique value in various medical fields in recent years. It detects the infrared radiation naturally emitted by the human body and generates thermal images that reflect the distribution of body surface temperature. This technology is non-invasive, painless, and can monitor temperature variations continuously or periodically, providing important physiological information to doctors. This paper aims to analyze the principles and equipment of infrared thermography, and to provide examples of its application in TCM in recent years, in order to highlight the potential and future prospects of infrared thermography in clinical TCM practice.