Spleen Patterns

Question 1

Spleen Functions

Answer 1

Transforming and transporting and distributing Gu Qi

Spleen Qi ascends to meet Lung Qi, which descends and disperses

Holds and governs Blood

Spleen opens to the mouth

Controls muscles and limbs

Malnutrition, undernourishment, dietary issues, overthinking, overwork can inhibit fluids from moving properly and can lead to Dampness and digestive issues

Question 2

Spleen Emotions

Answer 2

Overthinking

Worry

Question 3

Deficiency Patterns

Answer 3

Qi Deficiency
Yang Deficiency
Qi Collapse, Qi Sinking
Not Controlling Blood in Vessels

Question 4

Excess Patterns

Answer 4

Damp-Cold Stagnating in Spleen

Damp-Heat Stagnating in Spleen

Question 5

Spleen Qi Deficiency

Answer 5

Etiology: Poor appetite, overthinking, hereditary weakness, old age, poor care when treating diseases

Symptoms: loose stool, poor appetite, lassitude of body and limbs, sallow face (pale, with no luster), fatigue, abdominal bloating after eating, emaciation, edema, laziness in speaking, thin body, obesity

T: pale with white fur
P: moderate and thready or weak and thready

Biomedicine: chronic hepatitis, liver sorosis, ulcer

Question 6

Spleen Yang Deficiency

Answer 6

Etiology: Spleen Qi Deficiency, excessive consumption of raw or cold foods, intake of cold or cool medicines, Kidney Yang Deficiency, insufficiency of ming men fire

Symptoms: All symptoms of SQDef, abdominal distention with pain, preference for warmth and pressure, diarrhea, intolerance of cold, cold extremities, scanty urine, profuse and white leukorrhea, pale face

T: pale, puffy, toothmarks with white, slippery fur
P: Weak or weak, deep and slow

Biomedicine: chronic enteritis, chronic hepatitis, liver sorosis, chronic nephritis

Question 7

Spleen Qi Collapse (Sinking)

Answer 7

Etiology: SQDef, overstrain, dysentery, chronic diarrhea, fatigue, excessive childbearing, improper care after childbirth

Symptoms: down bearing sensation in abdomen, distention of epigastrium and abdomen after eating, frequently and urgent defecation, chronic diarrhea, prolapse of rectum or uterus, turbid urine, shortness of breath, lassitude, weakness, white lusterless complexion

T: pale with white fur
P: weak

Biomedicine: inguinal hernia, chronic dysentery, chronic diarrhea

Question 8

Spleen Not Controlling Blood in Vessels

Answer 8

Etiology: SQD > chronic disease, overstrain damaging SP

Symptoms: black or bloody stool, reddish-brown blood in urine (hematuria), subQ hemorrhage, gingival bleeding, epistaxis, petechiae, hypermenorrhea, metrorrhagia (bleeding from uterus outside of menstruation) > lusterless and pale complexion, poor appetite, loose stool, fatigue, weakness, shortness of breath, laziness in speaking

T: pale with white fur
P: thready, weak

Biomedicine: thrombocytopenia, hypothyroidism

Question 9

Damp-Cold Stagnating in Spleen

Answer 9

Etiology: improper diet > excessive consumption of cold or raw foods, exposure to Cold and Damp, excessive endogenous dampness

Symptoms: fullness or stuffiness in abdomen, stickiness in mouth, anorexia, loose stool, nausea with retching, heaviness in head and body, profuse leukorrhea, dusky yellow face and skin

T: enlarged with white, greasy fur
P: moderate and thready or soggy

Biomedicine: gastritis, enteritis, chronic hepatitis, liver sorosis, chronic nephritis, colitis

• Yin jaundice = chronic > dusky yellow
• Yang jaundice = acute > bright yellow

Question 10

Damp-Heat Stagnating in Spleen

Answer 10

Etiology: external pathogenic Damp-Heat directly attacking SP, excessive intake of acrid warm fatty sweet foods or alcohol

Symptoms: oppression or fullness in epigastrium, nausea, anorexia, heavy sensation in body and extremities, icteric skin and sclera, sticky and bitter taste in mouth, tidal fever, scary and dark urine

T: red with yellow, greasy fur
P: rapid and soft

Biomedicine: acute hepatitis, acute cholecystitis