Lecture 1-2- Examining the Tongue and 5 elements with corresponding organs Flashcards
used to explain the properties of the organs, their mutual relationship and pathological changes
5 elements
moistens, fluid and moveable, downward movement
water element
flares upward, combustible and warming, upwards movement
fire element
can be bent and straightened, workable and solid, expansion movement
wood element
moulded and harden, solid and moldable, contraction movement
metal element
sowing, growing, reaping, nutrition, grounding and centre of stability movement
earth element
controlling cycle
controlled by another element to maintain order and balance
when the controller is in excess relative to the controlled
pathology will exist in the controlled
when the controller is in deficiency relative to the controlled
pathology will exist in the controller
insulting cycle
controller is relatively weaker than the controlled, reverse of the controlling cycle, backlashes the controller
5 element seasons
fire= summer
metal= fall
water=winter
wood=spring
earth= late summer, 18 day transitions
when does pathology occur within the 5 element cycle
- not nourishing child element of the generating cycle
- insulting cycle occurs on the controlling/ commanding cycle
in a 5 element generating cycle, how does pathology occur if there’s an EXCESS
- draws from mother element- excessively
- commanding/controlling cycle overly stimulated- excess Sx increase
organs: heart & small intestine, pericardium, san Jiao
emotion: joy & anxiety
sense: speech and taste
taste: bitter
season: summer
fire element
organ: lung and large intestine
secretion: mucuous
emotions: sadness & grief
sense: smell
taste: pungent
season: autumn
metal element
organs: spleen & stomach
secretion: saliva
emotions: pensiveness (daydreaming), overthinking
flavour: sweet
sense: taste
season: late summer, 18 days transition
climate: moist & thunderous
earth element
organ: kidney & urinary bladder
secretion: urine
emotions: fear & shock
flavour: salty
sense: hearing
season: winter
water element
organs: liver & gallbladder
secretion: tears
emotions: anger & jealousy
flavour: sour
sense: vision
season: spring
wood element
what to look for when examining the tongue
Body colour
body shape
tongue coating
tongue moisture
spirit/shen
what does the tongue colour reflect (YBN)
Yin organs
blood
nutritive Qi (Ying Qi) and body’s true condition
characteristics to look for tongue shape include
thin, swollen, long, short, texture, mobility,
what to look at for tongue coating
fur/ moss
tips of papillae
physiological by-product of stomach digestion
what does tongue moisture indicate
body’s fluids, could be dry, moist, or wet
what does the normal tongue entail
colour: pale, red and fresh looking
shape: not too flabby/ stiff, not cracked, doesn’t tremble or quiver
coating: thin & white
moisture: slightly moist
spirit: shen: radiant
factors of pulse diagnosis
Qi
blood
Yin and Yang
state of harmony/balance
feel the pulse not the rate, feel the amplitude, length, how close to the surface etc
pulse diagnosis
what are you looking for when taking the pulse: RFSL (Ryan fully stops loitering)
rate (how fast/slow)
strength (strong/ weak)
fullness (thick/ thin)
location
what element ha bitter taste, tissues in the vessels and senses in the tongue
fire element
what element has sweet taste, muscle tissues and senses in the mouth/lips
earth
what element has pungent taste, skin tissues, and senses in the nose
metal
what element has salty taste, bone tissues, senses in the ears
water
what element has sour taste, sinews tissues and senses in the eyes
wood
the body colour of the tongue indicates
blood, Qi and Yin conditions
body state of tongue represents which parts of the vital substances
blood & nutritive qi (yin qi)
the coating of the tongue represents
pathogens, and state of yang organs
