Ba Gang (Eight Principles) Diagnosis - Excess/Deficiency & Yin/Yang Flashcards
Excess / Deficiency
Meaning:
Two principles used to analyze the strength or weakness of the body’s resistance and the pathogenic factors during the process of disease development. This is distinguished by:
1) the pathogen present
2) the strength of the bodies qi
Excess Syndrome
Definition:
Presence of materials that the body doesn’t need (pathogens, wind, heat, phlegm, etc.)
Deficiency Syndrome
Definition:
Absence of materials that the body needs (qi, blood, body fluids, essence, yin, yang).
Excess
Cause:
Indicates diseases and symptoms caused by the weakness and insufficiency of body resistance. Excess condition refers to diseases and symptoms induced by an overabundance of exogenous pathogenic factors.
Main signs of Excess
List:
Loud voice, acute disease, restlessness, irritability, severe pain, coarse breathing, pain worse on pressure, high pitch tinnitus, profuse sweating, scanty urination, constipation, whole face red, throwing off bedclothes.
Pulse: full
Tongue: does not change body, but produces thick tongue coating
Deficiency
Cause:
No pathogen is present and the body’s qi us weak or it is yin, yang, or blood deficient.
Generally, deficiency condition is due to an insufficiency of antipathogenic factors when exogenous pathogenic factors are also in a weakened state.
Main signs of Deficiency
List:
Weak voice, chronic disease, listlessness, lying curled up with weak respiration, dull lingering pain, pain alleviated by pressure, slight sweating, frequent urination, loose stools, low pitched tinnitus.
Pulse: empty
Tongue: no change to body, but produces thin coating
Types of Deficiency
List:
- Qi Deficiency
- Yang Deficiency
- Blood Deficiency
- Yin Deficiency
In order of severity.
Qi Deficiency
Signs:
Pallor, weak voice, slight daytime sweating, slight dyspnea, fatigue, lack of appetite, weak pulse.
This is the least severe.
Yang Deficiency
Signs:
Similar to qi deficiency plus chilliness, bright pale face, cold limbs, no thirst, desire for warm drinks, loose stools, frequent pale and copious urination, weak pulse, pale and wet tongue.
Differences between Yang Deficiency and Qi Deficiency
Qi is an aspect of Yang, so Yang Deficiency is similar to Qi Deficiency, however in Qi deficiency, the function of Qi in transformation has broken down. Yang has the additional function of warming and protecting, so when Yang is deficient, more cold signs are produced.
Blood Deficiency
Signs:
Dull pale face, pale lips, blurry vision, dry hair or skin, depression, fatigue, poor memory, numbness, insomnia, scanty periods or amenorrhea.
Pulse: fine or choppy
Tongue: pale
Blood Deficiency
Causes:
Can occur when qi (especially spleen qi) is deficient for a period of time and qi does not produce blood. It can occur after childbirth, after hemorrhage, or after an illness that weakens qi or yin.
Yin Deficiency
Signs:
Low grade fever or feeling of heat in the afternoon “five palm heat”, or dry throat at night, agitated feeling in the afternoon or evening, night sweats, emaciation, malar flush, floating and empty.
Pulse: rapid
Tongue: red, peeling, with dry coating
Yin Deficiency
Cause:
This can begin when blood is deficient for a long time. Deficient Yin can also be caused when an Excess Heat condition damages the Yin of the body, by overworking, by excessive indulgence in stimulants, or sexual excess.
Differences between Yin Deficiency and Blood Deficiency
Blood is part of Yin and has the same source. Yin has the function of cooling, therefore when Yin is deficient there are heat signs. These are Empty Heat since the condition is one of deficiency of Yin versus excess of Yang. Yin also moistens, hence there are signs of dryness when Yin is deficient.
Organs most affected by Qi Deficiency
Lung and Spleen
Organs most affected by Yang Deficiency
Spleen, Kidneys, Lung, Heart, and Stomach
Organs most affected by Blood Deficiency
Heart, Liver, Spleen
Organs most affected by Yin Deficiency
Kidneys, Heart, Liver, Lung, Stomach
Signs of Liver Blood Deficiency
Blurry vision, depression, fatigue, numbness, scanty periods
Signs of Heart Blood Deficiency
Insomnia, pale face, pale lips, pale tongue
Yin / Yang
Meaning:
The summary or aggregate of the other six categories
Yin
Delineators:
Interior, empty, and cold are all Yin
Yang
Delineators:
Exterior, full, and heat are all Yang
Difference in sweat between Yin and Yang
Yang: oily sweat or “pearl-like” sweat
Yin: profuse sweat
Yin Collapse
Cause:
Indicates an excessive loss of vital essence and nutrient fluid
Yang Collapse
Cause:
Profuse consumption of body yang qi causes pathological changes and symptoms
Yin Collapse
Signs:
Main manifestations are the abundance of perspiration, skin that’s hot to the touch, hot limbs, dry mouth with desire to drink cold liquids in small sips, retention of urine, constipation
Pulse: floating, empty, and rapid
Tongue: Red-peeled, short, and dry
Yang Collapse
Signs:
Main manifestations are chilliness, cold limbs, weak breathing, profuse sweating (with oily sweat), no thirst, frequent profuse urination or incontinence, loose stools or incontinence
Pulse: minute, deep
Tongue: pale, swollen, short
