Functions of the Liver Flashcards
What are the 8 “functions” of the Liver?
- stores Blood
- ensures the smooth flow of Qi in all directions
- it controls the sinews/tendons
- manifests in the nails
- opens into the eyes (eyes receive light, like leaves)
- controls tears
- houses the Ethereal Soul (Hun)
- affected by Anger (‘anger can happen when Liver’s strategy isn’t deployed’)
What are the Liver correlations to smell, colour, taste, climate, sound?
- rancid (rancid meat)
- green
- sour
- wind
- shouting
What does the Hun (Ethereal Soul) provide for the Mind (Shen)?
- inspiration, creativity, life dreams, sense of direction in life
What is responsible for our capacity to recover energy, and contributes to our body’s resistance to exterior pathogenic factors?
Liver-Blood
What ‘role’ is the Liver often compared to?
Army General (The Grand Strategist)
- responsible for overall planning of body functions
- also said to influence our capacity to plan our life
- (rhythms, foresight, make sure all soldiers/Qi go where they’re supposed to)
What does the Liver HATE?
WIND
- Liver loves order, rhythm
- Wind causes disorder, dispersion, ruins plans
What does the Liver tend towards?
Stagnation
- things accumulate around it
- it needs a ton of resources in order to grow, has to wait until all resources are lined up, takes time (as with all things Liver)
S&S of Liver disharmonies:
pain, distension, emotional irregularities (all of them- when things don’t move/stagnate, causes emotional or physical pain)
T/F: Eye strain can cause Liver disharmony
True
- Liver opens into eyes
- blue light, excessive screen time = damaging to Liver
What are the Yin aspects of the Liver?
- stores Blood, regulates Blood (Blood volume, menstruation, Blood purification/regeneration)
- nourishes skin, eyes, tendons/sinews
What Liver condition might manifest as blurred vision, floaters, colourblindness, eye dryness?
Liver Xu (deficiency)
What Liver condition might manifest as bloodshot/red eyes, painful/burning eyes?
Liver Heat
Which side do pathologies related to the Liver often arise from?
The left side
arising from right side = Lung
T/F: The Liver is the ‘resolute organ’, and relates to an indomitable spirit and ambition, courage, and resoluteness?
True
Liver controlling sinews/tendons, which controls smooth movement and good muscle action is an example of what 5 elements relationship?
Wood controlling Earth
What is the Yang aspect of the Liver’s function?
- ensuring smooth flow of Qi in all directions
- necessary for proper digestion; bile production (GB partner); emotional state (stagnation = anger, frustration, depression)
When does the Liver help restore a person’s energy?
- at rest, Blood returns to Liver, contributes to restoring energy
What is the Liver’s role in defense from exterior pathogenic factors?
- function of storing and regulating blood volume
- irrigates and nourishes skin and muscles at appropriate time (during excercise), helps strengthen their resistance against pathogenic factors
How would stagnant Liver-Blood affect menstruation?
- painful periods, premenstrual tension, dark clots
How would Liver-Blood Heat affect menstruation?
- heavy periods
How would Liver-Blood deficiency affect menstruation?
- scanty periods / amenorrhea
If Liver-Blood fails to moisten and nourish the sinews, what happens?
muscle cramps and contraction of tendons
How might Internal Wind affecting the Liver manifest?
- convulsions, tremors (in Chinese Medicine, tremors are thought to be due to ‘shaking of the tendons’)
If Liver function is abnormal, it might affect the quality of the Blood (like an improper storing medium will spoil food). How might this affect the skin?
give rise to skin diseases such as psoriasis, eczema
The Liver function of ensuring smooth flow of Qi is called “shu xie”, what does this mean?
shu- ‘to dredge, disperse, scatter’
xie- ‘to let out, discharge, release, vent’
*interesting correlation w/ tendency towards stagnation- holding on to things inappropriately
What does the smooth flow of Liver Qi affect? (3)
- emotional state
- digestion
- secretion of bile
What does the smooth flow of Liver Qi (on a physical level) mirror?
the smooth ‘coming and going’ of the Ethereal Soul (Hun), on a psychic level
What physical sensations might accompany frustration, depression, or repressed anger caused by obstructed circulation of Qi?
- oppression of the chest
- lump in throat
- hypochondrial/abdominal distension
- in women, premenstrual tension including depression, irritability, distension of breasts
What might loose stools indicate in relation to Liver?
- SP Qi descending (rebellious), Liver Qi (horizontally rebellious) invading Spleen, obstructing it’s functions
Pain = ?
stasis
How might Liver-Blood deficiency affect the sinews?
cramping/ contractions / spasms
numbness
tingling
impaired extension/flexion of muscles
stiffness, rigidity, pain of joints might = ?
Liver-Blood Stasis
What may cause watery eyes?
Liver-Yang rising
Is the Ethereal Soul (Hun) yin or yang in nature?
- yang
- ‘spirit’ and ‘cloud’ characters
- at death survives the body and returns to the world of subtle, non-material energies
What can a lack of direction in life and mental confusion be compared to?
- the wandering of the Hun (Ethereal Soul) alone through space and time
- happens when Hun is not firmly rooted by (flourishing) Liver-Blood
What might cause a sensation as if you are floating right before falling asleep?
- severe deficiency of Liver-Yin or Liver-Blood
- the Hun is not rooted in Blood, may leave the body temporarily at night during sleep or just before sleep
What does is mean when the Hun is described as, “the coming and going of the Mind (Shen)”?
- gives Shen the necessary other dimension of life, ie dreams, visions, aims, inspiration, creativity, ideas, projects
- without these, Mind would be sterile, person would suffer from depression
Describe the interdependent relationship of the Hun and the Shen.
- Shen needs Hun for creativity, inspiration, vision, etc
- without this, person would suffer depression (flat, sterile life)
- Hun needs Shen to keep its “coming and going” under check and integrate all its ideas into psyche in an orderly fashion (Hun is like an ‘ocean’ of ideas)
- too much coming and going = chaotic behaviour, mania (too much material to be integrated)
- too little coming and going= little inspiration, vision, creativity = depression
What does greenish vaginal discharge indicate?
dampness in the Liver channel
T/F: the Liver controls planning.
True
T/F: the Liver is a resolute organ.
True
T/F: the Liver influences rising and growth.
True
T/F: The Liver is a regulating, balancing, and harmonizing organ.
True
T/F: The Liver arises from the Left side.
True
What is the only manifestation of Liver-Qi deficiency?
timidity, lack of courage, indecision
What is irritability, outbursts of anger, a red face, dizziness, tinnitus, tinnitus, headaches?
- separation of Yin and Yang and excessive rising of Liver-Yang or Liver-Fire
