Module 5: Chest Pain, Hypochondriac Pain, and Epigastric Pain Flashcards
Chest yang can be suppressed by
pathogenic cold, blood stasis, or phlegm.
Pathogenic heat can damage
the channels and collaterals in the chest.
Zong qi is also called
Chest Qi, Ancestral Qi
severe stabbing chest pain with fixed location, worse at night.
Excess: Blood stasis
Worse at night from less movement (rest)
distending pain, may occur suddenly, can be induced by emotional stress,
frequent sighing.
Excess: Qi Stagnation
dull chest pain, stifling sensation in the chest, cough with profuse sputum
Excess: Phlegm obstruction
expectoration of yellow thick phlegm or pus, with blood and foul odor:
excess: lung abscess
Severe chest pain, sudden onset, pain may radiate to left arm and shoulder. Includes? (4 patterns)
Blood stasis
Qi stag
phlegm obstruction
lung abscess (heat)
Vague, chronic, mild pain includes
Qi xu, qi and yin xu
Palpitations, a feeling of distension or oppression of the chest, depression, a slight feeling of
lump in the throat, slight shortness of breath, sighing, poor appetite, weak and cold limbs,
slightly purple lips, pale complexion.
Tongue: slightly Pale-Purple on the sides in the chest area.
Pulse: Empty but very slightly Overflowing on the left Front position
Heart Qi Stagnation
Palpitations, shortness of breath with inability to lie down. depression, mental restlessness. a
flustered feeling, a feeling of oppression of the chest, stabbing or pricking pain in the heart
region that comes and goes and may radiate to the upper back or shoulder, pain aggravated by
exposure to cold and alleviated by heat, expectoration of phlegm, a feeling of heaviness, dislike
of speaking, cold hands, sighing, purple lips, face and nails.
Tongue: Purple on the sides in the chest area,
Swollen with a sticky coating.
Pulse: Wiry, Choppy or Knotted; Slippery if Phlegm
is predominant.
Heart Vessel Obstruction
Keys: Some signs of qi stag, some signs of blood stasis, some signs of phlegm
Palpitations, stabbing or pricking pain in the chest that may radiate to the inner aspect of the
left arm or to the shoulder, a feeling of oppression or constriction of the chest, cyanosis of lips
and nails. cold hands.
Tongue: Purple in its entirety or only on the sides in the chest area.
Pulse: Choppy, Wiry or Knotted.
Key symptoms: stabbing pain in the chest, cyanosis of lips, purple tongue.
Heart Blood Stasis
Cough, slight breathlessness, feeling of heat, chest ache, flaring of nostrils, thirst, red face
Tongue: Red with yellow coating
Pulse: Overflowing-Rapid.
Key symptoms: cough, feeling of heat. thirst, red tongue with yellow coating.
Lung Heat
Chronic cough coming in bouts with profusewhite sticky sputum that is easy to expectorate.
pasty-white complexion, a feeling of oppressionin the chest. phlegm in the throat. shortness of
breath, dislike of lying down, wheezing, nausea, a feeling of heaviness, muzziness and dizziness
of the head,
Tongue: Swollen tongue with a sticky white coating.
Pulse: Slippery or Soggy pulse
Damp Phlegm in the lungs
Palpitations, shortness of breath on exertion, tiredness, spontaneous sweating, a slight feeling
of stuffiness or discomfort in the heart region, feeling of cold, cold hands, bright-pale face.
slightly dark lips.
Tongue: Pale
Pulse: Empty
Heart Qi Xu
Slight shortness of breath, slight coughing, weak voice, dislike of speaking, bright-white
complexion, propensity to catch colds, tiredness, palpitations, depression, spontaneous
sweating, sighing.
Tongue: Pale
Pulse: Empty, especially on both front positions
Lung and Heart Qi Xu
Hypochondrial area is the house of what?
Liver and GB
The hypochondriac region is
traversed by
the Liver and Gallbladder channels
Obstruction or undernourishment of LV GB channels and organs may produce
hypochondriac pain
What does distention always mean?
Qi Stagnation
Severe and incessant pain can be caused by what 5 pathogens?
Shao Yang
Fluid retention
Liver Qi Stag
Blood Stag
Damp heat in the liver and GB
Vague, chronic and mild hypochondrial pain
Liver Yin Xu