Spleen Patterns Flashcards
Spleen Functions
Governs Transformation and Transportation
Controls the Blood in the vessels
Controls the muscles and the four limbs
Opens into the Mouth
Manifests on the Lips
Controls saliva
Controls the ascending of Qi
Houses the intellect (Yi)
The Spleen is affected by pensiveness/worry
Spleen-Qi deficiency - Clinical Manifestations
*Poor appetite
Slight abdominal distension after eating
*Tiredness
Lassitude
Desire to lie down
Pale complexion
Weakness of the Limbs
*Loose stools
Tongue: Pale
Pulse: RMP: Qi-depth and/or Blood depth diminished, Yielding or Absent. Blood Spreading or Absemt or Reduced Substance.
Spleen-Qi deficiency - Pulse
Pulse: RMP: Qi-depth and/or Blood depth diminished, Yielding or Absent. Blood Spreading or Absemt or Reduced Substance.
Spleen-Qi deficiency - Tongue
Pale
Spleen-Qi deficiency - Aetiology
Diet - Excessive consumption of cold and raw foods can hinder the Spleen function of transporting and transforming and lead to Spleen-Qi deficiency. The Spleen prefers warm foods. Eating at irregular times or excessive eating can also strain the Spleen. Eating too little or eating a protein-deficient diet can also cause Spleen deficiency.
Emotional strain - Pensiveness and worry
Climate - prolonged exposure to dampness
Chronic disease - Dampness and Phlegm are a common consequence of protracted diseases.
Spleen-Qi deficiency - Pathology
Probably the most common pattern in general due to our irregular diets and excessive use of the mind in studying, working etc.
Central to all Spleen disharmonies. All other deficiency patterns are a variation of Spleen-Qi deficiency.
Abdominal distension, loose stools, lack of appetite - the impairment of the Spleen’s function of transforming and transporting.
Weak limbs - deficient nourishment to the limbs due to insufficient Food-Qi being transported.
Tiredness and Lassitude - Insufficient Food-Qi transported around the body.
Dampness and Phlegm - insufficient Spleen-Qi over a period of time will impair the Spleen’s ability to transform fluids, which may lead to obesity.
Spleen-Qi deficiency - Precursors
A ‘first line’ pattern usually a precursor to other patterns.
Lung-Qi deficiency - maybe a precursor.
Spleen-Qi deficiency - Developments
Dampness and/or Phlegm
Blood deficiency - deficient Food (Gu) - Qi fails to produce enough Blood, especially in women.
Spleen-Yang deficiency
Spleen-Qi sinking
Spleen not holding Blood
Spleen-Blood deficiency
Heart-Qi/Heart-Blood deficiency
Lung-Qi deficiency
Kidney-Yang deficiency - especially if there is Dampness
Spleen-Qi deficiency - Treatment Principle
Tonify Spleen-Qi
Spleen-Qi deficiency - Acupuncture
REN12 - Tonifies Spleen-Qi
ST36 - Tonifies Spleen-Qi. The stomach and Spleen are very closely related and points on the Stomach channel are often used to tonify the Spleen.
SP3 - The source point of the Spleen and tonifies Spleen-Qi
SP6 - Tonifies Spleen-Qi (ST36 and SP6 bilaterally with moxa on the needles is an extremely effective notification of the Spleen that gives the patient more energy almost immediately.
BL20, BL21 - Tonify Spleen-Qi (used in combination to treat chronic conditions of both Spleen and Stomach deficiency).
Spleen-Yang deficiency - Clinical Manifestations
Poor appetite
Slight abdominal distension after eating
*Tiredness, lassitude, desire to lie down curled up
Pale complexion
Weakness of the Limbs
*Loose stools
*Feeling cold
*Cold limbs
Oedema
Tongue: Pale and Wet
Pulse: EP: Entire right side could be weaker
RMP: Qi-depth and/or Blood-Depth diminished or Absent, or Deep, Weak.
Spleen Yang Deficiency - Pulse
Pulse: EP: Entire right side could be weaker
RMP: Qi-depth and/or Blood-Depth diminished or Absent, or Deep, Weak.
Spleen Yang Deficiency - Tongue
Tongue: Pale and Wet
Spleen Yang Deficiency - Aetiolgy
The same as Spleen-Qi deficiency - although more likely to be caused by exposure to cold and damp environment.
Spleen Yang Deficiency - Pathology
Almost the same as Spleen-Qi deficiency with the addition of Cold symptoms due to the failure of Yang to warm the body.
Oedema - impairment of the function of transforming and transporting fluids.
Pale, wet tongue - Pale: deficiency of Yang. Wet: Failure of transportation of fluids leading to accumulation of fluids on the tongue.
Spleen Yang Deficiency - Precursors
Spleen-Qi deficiency
Spleen Yang Deficiency - Developments
The same as Spleen-Qi deficiency - However, even more likely to lead to the formation of Damp and/or Phlegm
Spleen Yang Deficiency - Treatment Principle
Tonify and Warm Spleen-Yang
Spleen Yang Deficiency - Acupuncture
SP9 - Resolves dampness in the Lower Burner
REN9, ST28, BL22 can all stimulate the Spleen to transform and transport fluids and resolve oedema.
REN12 - Tonifies Spleen-Qi
ST36 - Tonifies Spleen-Qi. The stomach and Spleen are very closely related and points on the Stomach channel are often used to tonify the Spleen.
SP3 - The source point of the Spleen and tonifies Spleen-Qi
SP6 - Tonifies Spleen-Qi (ST36 and SP6 bilaterally with moxa on the needles is an extremely effective notification of the Spleen that gives the patient more energy almost immediately.
BL20, BL21 - Tonify Spleen-Qi (used in combination to treat chronic conditions of both Spleen and Stomach deficiency).
Damp-Heat invading the Spleen
*A feeling of fullness in the epigastrium and/or lower Abdomen
Epigastric and/or abdominal pain
Poor appetite
*A feeling of heaviness
Thirst without desire to drink
Nausea
Vomiting
Loose stools with offensive odour
Burning sensation in the anus
A feeling of Heat
Scanty dark urine
Low-grade fever
Dull headache with feeling of heaviness in the head
dull-yellow complexion
yellow sclera
Oily sweat
Bitter taste
Itchy skin or skin eruptions
Sweating which does not lead to the clearing of Heat
*Tongue: Red with sticky yellow coating
Pulse: EP: Rarely altogether Slippery or Faster, occasional Pounding (due to Heat) or Tense.
RMP: Slippery Robust, or Tense
Qi and Blood depths could be diminished.
Damp-Heat invading the Spleen - aetiology
Usually due to exterior Damp-Heat, exposure to hot and humid weather.
Eating unclean or contaminated food.
Damp-Heat invading the Spleen - Pulse
Pulse: EP: Rarely altogether Slippery or Faster, occasional Pounding (due to Heat) or Tense.
RMP: Slippery Robust, or Tense
Qi and Blood depths could be diminished.
Damp-Heat invading the Spleen - Tongue
Red with sticky yellow coating
Damp-Heat invading the Spleen - Pathology
Feeling of fullness in the epigastrum and/or abdomen, feeling of heaviness, nausea, sticky tongue coating, slippery pulse - Dampness
Low-grade fever- steaming of Damp-Heat, constant throughout the day.
Smelly stools, bitter taste, burning anus, scanty dark urine - Heat
Damp-Heat invading the Spleen - Precursors
Spleen-Qi deficiency - predisposes the patient to an invasion of exterior Dampness
In chronic cases can develop from a combination of Spleen deficiency and Heat (often in the Stomach)
Damp-Heat invading the Spleen - Developments
Aggravate Spleen deficiency - Damp obstructs the Spleen
Dampness/Phlegm - Heat aggravates Dampness by condensing Fluids in time my lead to the formation of Phlegm.
Damp-Heat invading the Spleen - Treatment Principle
Resolve Dampness
Clear Heat
Damp-Heat invading the Spleen - Acupuncture
SP9, SP6 - Resolve Dampness and Damp-Heat from the lower burner.
DU9 - Resolves Damp-Heat
LI11 - Clears Heat and resolves Dampness
BL20 - Tonifies the Spleen
GB34 - Resolves Damp-Heat
REN9 - Resolves Dampness by stimulating the transformation and transportation of Fluids.
REN9, REN11 and ST22 - Resolve Dampness from the Middle Burner
ST28, BL22 resolve Dampness from the Lower Burner.
