Full & Empty Conditions Flashcards
External pathogenic factor (Definition):
Climatic factors from ENVIRONMENT that invade the body’s exterior.
…Can become internal
External pathogenic factors (6)
- Wind
- Cold
- Damp
- Summer-heat
- Dryness
- Fire
Internal pathogenic factor (definition):
INTERNALLY generated (emotional disharmonies/imbalances in organ networks) OR the transformation of an external pathogenic factor
_____ can bypass the exterior stage and become an internal pathogenic factor immediately.
COLD
◦ Invasion of Cold in the Stomach
◦ Invasion of Cold in the Intestines
◦ Invasion of Cold in the Uterus
FULL conditions defined by:
The presence of a pathogenic factor** (with enough upright qi to fight it)
AKA “replete”, excess
Mixed Full/Empty conditions:
The presence of a pathogenic factor AND deficient upright qi*
Full conditions tend to manifest _____.
ACUTELY
( May remain acute, or become chronic in nature )
Upright (Zheng) Qi:
Body’s *resistance to pathogenic factors. ~Immune system
Includes all types of qi + essence, blood
EMPTY conditions:
Deficiency of upright qi* (NO pathogenic factor)
◦ Tend to manifest more mildly
◦ Pain more “achy”
◦ Typically chronic
◦ Net loss/drawdown, doesn’t happen overnight
Primary pathologies of QI (4):
- Qi Deficiency (Vacuity)
- Qi Stagnation
- Qi Sinking (Fall)
- Qi Rebellion (Counterflow)
*Internal pathogenic factors
“Vacuity is treated by ______”
SUPPLEMENTATION
QI STAGNATION (definition & causes):
Blockage or disturbance in the free flow of Qi in the body.
Due to:
◦ Emotional strain (most common**)
◦ Irregular eating habits
◦ Excessive work OR lack of exercise
QI STAGNATION (chief symptoms):
Distention (internal pressure). “Pain and distention with sensations of oppression”. Localized + non-specific, often moves from place to place
PLUS:
◦ Mental depression
◦ Frequent sighing
◦ Mood swings
◦ Pulse: WIRY*
◦ Tongue: normal / slightly red on sides
LIVER QI stagnation very common.
Qi SINKING (Fall):
Qi deficiency* WITH PROLAPSE OF THE VISCERA - uterus, rectum, stomach…
QI COUNTERFLOW (Rebellious Qi):
Qi Dynamic reverses (for a specific Zang-Fu organ). Flowing in the *wrong direction!
Stomach most common.
Primary pathologies of BLOOD (3):
◦ Blood Deficiency (Vacuity)
◦ Blood Stasis (Stagnation)
◦ Blood Heat
*Internal pathogenic factors
BLOOD DEFICIENCY (definition & causes):
Not enough blood! / Blood lacking quality
A deficiency of qi* may lead to a reduced capacity for the body to produce blood
◦ Poor production of blood (via spleen “movement & transformation failure”)
◦ Loss of blood / bleeding
BLOOD DEFICIENCY (chief symptoms):
◦ Sallow/PALE complexion & nails
◦ Dizziness
◦ Floaters
◦ Palpitations
◦ Insomnia
◦ Numbness of extremities
◦ DRY skin, lusterless hair
◦ Tongue: PALE
◦ Pulse: THIN
BLOOD STASIS (definition & causes):
Local stagnation of blood**; usually due to other pathogenic factors including: qi stag., cold, heat, injury, phlegm etc.
Also itself an important pathogenic factor! can become the cause of further disharmonies
BLOOD STASIS (chief symptoms):
◦ PAIN - fixed location, stabbing
◦ Masses & swellings
◦ Bleeding - associated w/ dark purple color*
◦ “Soot black” complexion
◦ Pulse: wiry, choppy, firm
BLOOD HEAT (definition & causes):
TOO MUCH HEAT in the blood. Caused by “heat toxin” entering the blood due to:
◦ Ext. contracted febrile diseases/misc. diseases
◦ Blood stasis
◦ Etc.
BLOOD HEAT (chief symptoms):
◦ “Frenetic movement” of the blood /hemorrhage
◦ Maculopapular eruptions
◦ Irritability, restlessness, delirium
◦ Fever, thirst
◦ Insomnia
◦ Pulse: Rapid, wiry
◦ Tongue: CRIMSON
INTERNAL COLD (definition & causes):
Cold affecting the internal organs.
Two types:
1. FULL COLD - transformation of external cold, typically more acute/severe
2. EMPTY COLD - Yang deficiency (“furnace going out”)
INTERNAL COLD (chief symptoms):
◦ “Crampy” pain alleviated by warmth
◦ Feeling of cold / cold limbs
◦ No thirst
◦ Thin clear discharges
◦ Bright white complexion
INTERNAL HEAT (definition & causes):
Heat affecting the internal organs. State of excess Yang* due to:
◦ Emotional stagnation/stress
◦ Diet
◦ Transformation of external heat
(Can coexist w/ cold and combine with dampness etc.)
INTERNAL HEAT (chief symptoms):
◦ Sensation of heat in the body
◦ Red face
◦ Thirst
◦ Mental restlessness*
◦ Tongue: RED
◦ Pulse: surging, excess, rapid
FIRE (definition & symptoms):
A MORE EXTREME VERSION OF HEAT w/ more intense & emotional symptoms - moves up* and can damage yin fluids
Due to:
◦ Excess hot foods/alcohol
◦ Emotional stress
◦ Smoking
INTERNAL WIND (definition & symptoms):
Aka “liver wind”.
Characterized by involuntary movements* and always related to a LIVER disharmony
◦ Tremors, convulsion
◦ Tics
◦ Dizziness
◦ Vertigo
◦ Loss of consciousness
INTERNAL DAMPNESS (definition & causes):
An excess of moisture/fluid, which disrupts normal organ function. “Heaviness”, “Dirtiness”, “Stickiness”, many organs may be affected.
Due to:
◦ SPLEEN QI deficiency**
◦ Invasion/transformation of EXTERNAL dampness
INTERNAL DAMPNESS (chief symptoms):
◦ Fullness in abdomen
◦ Feeling of heaviness
◦ “fuzziness”/brain fog
◦ Lethargy
◦ Turbid urine/discharge
◦ Muscle aches
◦ Sinus problems
◦ Tongue: STICKY coating
◦ Pulse: “slippery” or “soggy”
**Can turn into phlegm
INTERNAL PHLEGM (definition & causes):
The viscous, turbid, pathological accumulation of fluids** Thicker form of dampness. Obstructive.
Visible/substantial AND Invisible/insubstantial
Primary cause = SPLEEN QI DEFICIENCY
May also become a cause* of more serious diseases (along w/ blood stasis)
INTERNAL PHLEGM (chief symptoms):
[ Similar to dampness… ]
◦ Oppression of the chest
◦ Expectoration of phlegm
◦ Nausea
◦ A feeling of heaviness
◦ Feeling of “fuzziness” of the head
◦ Dizziness
◦ Tongue: swollen body, sticky coating
◦ Pulse: “Slippery”
And more: Phlegm is WIERD! and difficult to remove: tends to become chronic
Phlegm HEAT & Phlegm COLD patterns
