Heart pattern Flashcards
What is the function of the Heart?
- Governs Blood
- Controls blood vessels
- Manifests in the complexion
- Houses the mind
- Opens into the tongue
- Controls sweat
What happens if blood and yin are deficient?
The mind will suffer and the person will feel unhappy.
What happens if the mind is disturbed?
If the mind is disturbed from emotional upsets, this can induce a weakness of blood or yin.
What pathogenic factors affect the heart?
Fire and Heat. Pathogenic factors fo not affect the heart directly.
What emotion is the heart associated with?
Joy.
When joy is excessive it can become a cause of disease and injure the heart.
Joy makes heart qi slow down and become deficient.
How do sadness and grief affect the heart?
Sadness and grief affect Heart-Qi. The lungs and heart are closely related as one governs Qi and one governs Blood.
Sadness and grief induce Qi deficiency of the Lungs, which overtime affects the heart and makes heart-qi deficient.
How does worry affect the heart?
Worry knots qi, therefore it causes stagnation of qi. It causes qi stagnation in the heart and chest, causing palpitations, a slight feeling of tightness in the chest and insomnia.
What are the signs and symptoms of Heart-Qi deficiency?
Palpitations
SOB on exertion
Spontaneous sweating
Tiredness
Pale face
Slight depression
What is the tongue and pulse in Heart Qi deficiency?
T: Pale / normal
P: Empty
What is the treatment principle of Heart Qi deficiency?
TP: tonify Heart Qi
What can lead to Heart - Qi deficiency?
- Emotional problems from sadness or grief
2. Blood loss
What are the general signs of qi deficiency?
SOB Sweating Pallor Tiredness Empty pulse
What are the signs and symptoms of Heart-Yang deficiency?
Palpitations
SOB on exertion
Spontaneous sweating
Tiredness
Feeling COLD Cold hands Bright pale face Stuffiness in the heart region In severe cases you may see dark lips as qi and blood stagnate
What is the tongue and pulse in Heart-Yang deficiency?
T: Pale and wet
P: Deep and weak or knotted (slow and irregular)
What is the treatment principle in Heart-Yang deficiency?
TP: Tonify and warm heart yang
What are the cold symptoms caused by in Heart-Yang deficiency?
Feeling of cold and cold hands is due to Heart-Yang not transporting blood to the extremities to warm them.
What are the signs and symptoms of Heart-Yang collapse?
Palpitations SOB on exertion Profuse sweating Coma Weak and shallow breathing Cold limbs Cyanosis of lips Grey / white complexion
What is the tongue and pulse in Heart-Yang collapse?
T: Very pale or blue/purple and short
P: Hidden, minute, knotted
What is the treatment principle in Heart-Yang collapse?
TP: Call an ambulance, rescue yang and restore consciousness
What does Heart-yang collapse develop from?
Derives from a chronic and severe deficiency of Kidney-Yang.
What are the signs and symptoms of heart-blood deficiency?
Palpitations Insomnia Anxiety Poor memory Dream disturbed sleep Easily startled
Dull pale complexion
Pale lips
What is the pulse and tongue in Heart Blood deficiency?
T: Pale, thin and slightly dry
P: Fine or Choppy
What is the treatment principle in heart blood deficiency?
TP: Tonify Heart blood, nourish heart, calm Shen
What are the causes of heart blood deficiency?
- Diet: a diet lacking in nourishment or in Blood-producing foods can lead to Spleen-Qi deficiency which influences the production of Blood, which may lead to heart blood deficiency
- Emotional stress: sadness, grief, anxiety and worry over a long period of time, which can depress the heart function.
- Severe blood loss
What is the pathology of insomnia in heart blood deficiency?
If blood is deficient, the heart suffers and the mind is deprived of its residence, hence insomnia, dream disturbed sleep, anxiety and propensity to be startled.
What are the signs and symptoms of heart yin deficiency?
Palpitations Insomnia Anxiety Poor memory Dream disturbed sleep Easily startled
Easily tired Dry mouth and throat Mental restlessness Night sweating Uneasy or fidgety
What is the tongue and pulse heart yin deficiency?
T: No coating, deep midline crack to tip
P: Floating empty
What is the treatment principle in Heart yin deficiency?
TP: Nourish heart yin, calm shen, clear empty heat
What is the difference between insomnia in heart-blood deficiency and heart-yin deficiency?
In heart-blood deficiency the patient will find it difficult to fall asleep but will sleep well.
In heart-yin deficiency, the patient will find it difficult to fall asleep and wake up many times during the night.
What are the signs and symptoms of heart fire blazing?
Palpitations Thirst Red face Insomnia Dream disturbed sleep Mental restlessness Bitter taste
Mouth and tongue ulcers
Agitation
Dark urine or blood in the urine
What is the tongue and pulse in Heart fire blazing?
T: Red with redder tip, possibly swollen with red papillae. Yellow coating, possible midline crack.
P: Full, rapid and overflowing, Possibly hasty (rapid and irregular)
What is the treatment principle in Heart Fire Blazing?
TP: Clear the Heart, drain Fire, calm the Shen
What can cause heart fire blazing?
Emotional stress: chronic anxiety, constant worrying and depression. Stagnate Qi which turns into fire.
Diet: Excessive consumption of hot energy foods, especially alcohol.
What are the signs and symptoms of Phlegm-Fire harassing the heart?
Palpitations Thirst Red face Insomnia Dream disturbed sleep Mental restlessness Bitter taste
Oppression of the chest Coughing phlegm Rattling sound in throat Agitation and rash behaviour Mental restlessness and confusion Incoherent speech/muttering Manic behaviour and depression Uncontrolled laughter, crying or shouting
What is the tongue and pulse in Phlegm fire harassing the heart?
T: Red, swollen, yellow dry sticky coating, deep heart crack. May have redder tip with papillae.
P: Full or overflowing, rapid and slippery or rapid, slippery and wiry
What is the treatment principle in Phlegm-Fire harassing the heart?
TP: Calm phlegm Fire from the heart and calm the Shen.
In Phlegm fire harassing the heart, what is the pathology of the mental symptoms?
All mental symptoms are due to phlegm obstructing the heart orifices and disturbing the mind.
What are the signs and symptoms of phlegm misting the mind?
Mental confusion
Mental depression
Dull clouded eyes
Lethargy
Stupor Incoherent or slurred speech Aphasia Rattling sound in the throat Vomiting phlegm
What is the tongue and pulse in phlegm misting the mind?
T: Swollen with thick sticky coating, heart crack
P: Slippery
What is the treatment principle in phlegm-misting the mind?
TP: Resolve phlegm, clear mind, open the heart.
What are the signs and symptoms of heart-qi stagnation?
Palpitations
Oppression or distention of the chest
Cold limbs
Slight SOB
Depression Slight lump in throat Sighing Poor appetite Slight nausea Slightly purple lips Pale complexion
What is the tongue and pulse in heart qi stagnation?
T: Slightly pale or purple on sides and chest area
P: Empty, very slightly overflowing in left front position
What is the treatment principle in heart-qi stagnation?
TP: Move heart Qi, open the chest, calm the Shen
What is the cause of heart qi-stagnation?
Emotional stress.
What are the signs and symptoms of heart vessel obstructed?
Palpitations Stabbing or pricking pain Oppression of the chest Cold hands SOB, can’t lie down
Depression Mental restlessness Pain aggravated by heat Coughing phlegm Heaviness Dislike of speaking Sighing Purple lips, face and nails
What is the tongue and pulse in heart vessel obstructed?
T: Purple on sides and in chest area, swollen with a sticky coat
P: Wiry, choppy or knotted. Slippery if phlegm is pre-dominate
What is the treatment principle for heart vessel obstructed?
TP: Call an ambulance.
Move heart Qi and blood, open chest, resolve phlegm, expel cold, calm Shen.
What are the signs and symptoms of heart blood stasis?
Palpitations
Stabbing or pricking pain (may radiate down inner aspect of left arm)
Oppression or constriction of the chest
Cold hands
Cyanosis of lips and nails
What is the tongue and pulse in heart blood stasis?
T: Entirely purple or just on sides and chest area
P: Choppy, knotted or wiry
What is the treatment principle for heart blood stasis?
TP: Call an ambulance.
Move blood, eliminate stasis, tonify and warm heart yang, calm Shen.
What are the front mu points of the heart and pericardium?
CV17 pericardium, CV14 heart.
