Etiology: External Factors Flashcards
What are the 4 categories of disease causing factors?
• I. Internal
• II. External
• III. Non-‐‑Internal/External (Aka “miscellaneous causes of disease”)
• IV. Pathologically-‐‑generated etiological
factors
What are the six Exterior Pathogenic Factors (EPF’s)?
- Wind
- Cold
- Damp
- Dryness
- Fire (Warmth, Heat)
- Summer-‐‑Heat
What are 6 Fundamentals of Six EPF’s?
- The Six Qi become the Six Evils (EPF’s; ie,
become pathogenic) when they are excessive
or unseasonal, or the climate changes
suddenly - EPF’s can only invade if the Zheng-‐‑Qi is
weak [in relation to the strength of the EPF] - All EPF’s, when affecting the body, invade
through the skin, nose or mouth. - Disease due to the Six EPF’s is closely
related to seasonal changes in the weather
and to living environment. - Each of the Six EPF’s may affect the body
singly or in combination. - The Six EPF’s may, during the process of
disease and under certain circumstances,
transform into each other.
Wind is the predominant qi is _____ and may easily invade the body after ______ or while ______.
spring - sweating - sleeping
What are the 4 characteristics of Wind?
- Wind is the primary EPF in causing
disease (Cold, damp, dryness and heat depend on
wind to invade the body). - Wind is a yang EPF and is characterized
by upward and outward dispersion (Easily invades yang portions of the body [Head, face, surface/exterior, back] and tends to cause the pores to open). - Wind blows in gusts and is characterized
by rapid changes (rapid change, migratory symptoms) - Wind is characterized by constant
movement (tremor, spasm, convulsions, dizziness, vertigo)
External vs. Internal Wind?
External Wind - invades the body from the outside (can penetrate into body) and obstructs qi and blood circulation which results in the malnourishment of the tissues (=spasm)
Internal Wind [also called Liver Wind] - pathology inside the body due to the lack of Liver Yin or Blood (creates empty space in vessels/ channels where wind blows through). Happens when sinews are mal-nourished. Unlike External Wind, Internal is defined by tremors and spasm (might not be present in EW)
Cold is the predominant qi of _______.
winter
What are the 2 characteristics of cold?
- Cold is a yin EPF and consumes yang-‐‑qi
- Cold causes contraction and stagnation
• Impairs opening and closing of pores
• Spasmodic contraction of tendons
• Impaired circulation of qi and blood
• Pain, restricted movement, aversion to cold,
Damp is the predominant qi of _______.
late-summer
What are the 4 characteristics of dampness?
- Characterized by heaviness (body, head, joints, etc) and
turbidity (discharge, sticky stool, turbi urine, stool w/ mucous) - Characterized by viscosity/”stickiness”, lingering and
stagnation (difficult to remove). - Damp is a yin pathogen which impairs yang and obstructs qi circulation (easily impairs Spleen-yang).
- Tends to descend and easily resides in yin areas of body (accumulate in/ affinity for lower/ yin portion of body)
Dryness is the predominant qi of _______.
Early-autumn tends to have ______
Late-autumn tends to have ______
autumn - warm-dry - cold-dry
What are the 2 characteristics of dryness?
- Consumes body-‐‑fluids (dry lips, nose, throat, skin, hair, scant urine, dry stool)
- Pathogenic dryness easily damages the
Lung (Lung is delicate organ, likes to be moist and
loathes dryness. Easily invades Lung via nose and mouth)
Heat (Fire, Warmth) is the predominant qi of _______.
summer
What are the 3 characteristics of heat?
- Fire is a yang EPF characterized by burning and upward direction (High fever, thirst, sweating, mouth and
tongue ulcers. Fire easily harasses the Shen: restlessness, insomnia..) - Fire often consumes yin/fluid (Consumes/burns yin/fluid. Forces yin/fluid to surface of body and out as sweat)
- Fire stirs up wind and disturbs blood (fire will generate own wind). Affects the Liver and deprives sinews and vessels of nourishment, stirring Liver Wind OR Fire speeds up blood circulation; in severe cases blood may extravasate and/or blood and flesh may rot.
Sumer-heat is the predominant qi of _______.
summer
