Telling the Story of the (Female) Body: Metaphorical Narratives of the Thyroid Gland

One of the mysteries of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is the metaphorical language it uses in describing conditions of the body. The human body is seen as an integrated system operating within the larger context of the natural system. Illnesses are therefore the results of imbalance within the individual system, and/or an imbalance between the individual system and the external natural system, which is very different from western medicine’s more localized and focused attention given to specific organs. This article looks at the TCM’s narrative of the thyroid (gland) and how this presents a different imagination as well as treatment of the related illnesses. Although western medicine relies on figures for indicating thyroid health, and surgery (or thyroid-targeted medication) as main measures of treatment, TCM refers to a holistic picture of the patient’s wellness to diagnose and treat thyroid conditions. This article is a first-person narrative of a middle-aged female who found herself in the extraordinary position of having visible thyroid swellings, and yet all of the vital signs were within healthy parameters. Visits to TCM clinics empowered the narrator with an alternative framework to understand and experience the body, and a refocus on life habits and emotional practices.