Spleen syndromes Flashcards
Spleen Qi Deficiency: signs and symptoms
T: & P
Aetiology:
Treatment:
Key symptoms:
Tiredness, loose stools, undigested food in the stools, poor or abnormal appetite.
Accompanying symptoms:
Abdominal distension after eating, lassitude, desire to lie down, pale complexion, weakness of limbs, inappropriate sympathy, over-thinking and worry.
Pulse: Deficient, especially right, middle position.
Tongue Body: Pale or Normal, Quivering, Swollen. If chronic, sides may have transverse cracks.
Pathology: Digestive symptoms are due to breakdown of Spleen’s Transformation and
Transportation (T & T) function.
The Spleen failing to transport Food Qi (Gu Qi) to the 4 limbs causes them to be weak. The Spleen also transports Food Qi (Gu Qi) throughout the body. Hence tiredness, lassitude and desire to lie down therefore result when Spleen Qi is weak.
Aetiology:
a) Poor diet - too much raw and/or damp-forming food, and irregular eating habits.
b) Mental strain and over-thinking.
c) Damp environment.
d) Chronic illness.
Treatment Principle: Tonify Spleen Qi.
Examples of Points:
Needle technique: Tonification.
Other applicable techniques: Moxa.
Spleen Yang deficiency, signs & Symptoms
T: & P
Aetiology:
Treatment:
Key symptoms:
Tiredness, loose stools, undigested food in the stools, poor or abnormal appetite,
Accompanying symptoms:
Oedema, desire to lie down curled up, cold limbs, tendency to obesity, spiritual fatigue.
Pulse: Deep, Weak, especially right, middle position, Slow.
Tongue Body: Pale, Wet, Swollen.
Pathology: Spleen Qi Deficiency PLUS Yang Deficiency. Digestive symptoms are due to breakdown of Spleen’s transformation and transportation (T & TI function. The Spleen failing to transport Food ai (Gu Qi) to the 4 limbs causes them to be weak.
The Spleen also transports Food Qi (Gu Qi) throughout the body. Hence tiredness, lassitude and desire to lie down result when Spleen Qi is weak. Feeling cold and cold limbs are due to the failure of Spleen Yang to warm the body. Oedema is due to a breakdown in the T & T function of the Spleen - fluids which are not transformed may accumulate under the skin as edema. Tendency to obesity is also due to a breakdown in the T & T function of the Spleen, which may lead to a build-up of fluids in the form of Dampness.
Aetiology:
a) Poor diet - too much raw and/or damp-forming food, and irregular eating habits.
b) Mental strain and over-thinking.
c) Damp and cold environment.
d) Chronic illness.
Treatment Principle: Tonify and Warm Spleen Yang.
Examples of Points:
Ren 12, St 36, Sp 3, Sp 6, Sp 2, BI 20, BI 21, B| 49.
Needle technique: Tonification.
Other applicable techniques: Moxa.
Spleen Qi Sinking: signs and symptoms
T: & P
Aetiology:
Treatment:
Key symptoms:
Tiredness, loose stools, undigested food in the stools, poor or abnormal appetite, bearing down sensation in abdomen.
AccompanYing symptoms:
Prolapse of stomach, uterus, anus or vagina, frequent/urgent urination, menorrhagia. Herreas
Pulse: Deficient, especially right, middle position.
Tongue Body: Pale or Normal.
Pathology: Same as Spleen Qi Deficiency PLUS impaired function of Spleen Raising Qi. Digestive symptoms are due to breakdown of Spleen’s Transformation and Transportation (T & T) function.
The Spleen failing to transport Food Qi (Gu Qi) to the 4 limbs causes them to be weak. The Spleen also transports Food Qi (Gu Qi) throughout the body. Hence tiredness, lassitude and desire to lie down result when Spleen Qi is weak. Frequent/urgent urination and menorrhagia usually occur only when there is Kidney Qi Xu too.
Aetiology:
a) Poor diet - too much raw and/or damp-forming food, and irregular eating habits.
b) Mental strain and over-thinking.
c) Damp environment.
d) Chronic disease.
e) Standing for long periods of time.
Treatment Principles: Tonify Spleen Qi. Raise Qi.
Examples of Points: St 36, Sp 3, Sp 6, Sp 2, Ren 12, BI 20, BI 21, B| 49, Du 20, Ren 6, St 21, Du 1.
Needle technique:
Tonification.
Other applicable techniques: Moxa.
Spleen not Controlling Blood: signs & symptoms
T: & P
Aetiology:
Treatment:
Key symptoms:
Tiredness, loose stools, undigested food in the stools, poor or abnormal appetite, menorrhagia or metrorrhagia.
Accompanying symptoms:
Purpura, blood spots under skin (petechia), blood in urine or stools, bruises easily, sallow pale complexion, abdominal distension after eating, lassitude, desire to lie down, pale complexion, weakness of limbs, inappropriate sympathy, over-thinking and worry.
Pulse: Deficient or Thin, especially right, middle position.
Tongue body: Pale or Normal.
Pathology: All symptoms due to impaired function of Spleen controlling Blood. Deficient Spleen Qi cannot hold Blood in the vessels and bleeding appears from various sources, such as under the skin, in the stools or urine and from the uterus.
Aetiology:
a) Poor diet - too much raw and/or damp-forming food, and irregular eating habits.
b) Mental strain and over-thinking.
c) Damp environment.
d) Chronic disease.
Treatment Principle: Tonify Spleen Qi.
Examples of Points:
St 36, Sp 3, Sp 6, Sp 2, Ren 12, BI 20, BI 21, B| 49, Sp 10, BI 17, Sp 1, Sp 4.
Needle technique:
Tonification.
Other applicable techniques: Moxa.
Mixed (Xu and shi) Conditions:
Spleen Qi Deficiency with Dampness signs and symptoms
T: & P
Aetiology:
Treatment:
Key symptoms:
Tiredness, loose stools, undigested food in the stools, poor or abnormal appetite, abdominal distension after eating, heavy limbs.
Accompanying symptoms:
Lassitude, desire to lie down, pale complexion, weakness of limbs, inappropriate sympathy, over-thinking and worry, nausea, stuffy chest and epigastrium, muzzy head.
Pulse: Weak-Floating or Deficient and Slippery, especially right, middle position.
Tongue body: Pale or Normal and Swollen, especially on the sides.
Pathology: Digestive symptoms are due to breakdown of Spleen’s transformation and transportation (T & T) function. The Spleen failing to transport Food Qi (Gu Qi) to the 4 limbs causes them to be weak. The Spleen also transports Food Qi throughout the body. Tiredness, lassitude and desire to lie down therefore result when Spleen Qi is weak. Dampness arises from lack of T & T of Body Fluids and may block the descending of Stomach Qi causing nausea, or reach the head via the Stomach channel causing a muzzy head.
Aetiology:
a) Poor diet - too much raw and/or damp-forming food, and irregular eating habits.
b)Mental strain and over-thinking.
c) Damp environment.
d) Chronic disease.
Treatment Principles: Tonify Spleen Qi. Resolve Dampness.
Examples of Points:
Needle technique:
(a) Ren 12, St 36, Sp 3, Sp 6, Sp 2, BI 20, BI 21, BI 49.
(b) Sp 9, Ren 9, St 28, BI 22.
(a) Tonification.
(b) Even or Reduction.
Other applicable techniques: Moxa.
Spleen Qi Xu with dampness
Cold- Damp invading Spleen
Damp- heat invading Spleen
