Diagnostic clues in Traditional Chinese Medicine

I had a patient, let’s call him Chris, who always comes in with a wool hat pulled over his ears. Yes, I know that these beanie hats are popular, but as I started to delve deeper into making a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) diagnosis for him, the hat seemed like more than a fashion statement. “Does wearing a hat that covers your ears make you feel safer?” I asked him. Looking surprised, he answered yes and asked me how I knew that. I don’t normally use people’s clothing choices to make a…