Stomach channel Flashcards
What is the Yin/Yang pairing of the stomach?
o Stomach and the spleen are paired together, earth element
What are the functions of the stomach?
o Functions of stomach: rotting and ripening, transporting food essences, descends qi and digested food, ensures smooth flow of qi in middle burner, origin of fluids, supports the spleen with post-natal qi and blood production
What are the symptoms of a stomach organ pattern?
o Stomach organ patterns manifest with symptoms in the epigastrium, channel problems manifest along the course of the channel and can relate to the eyes, cheeks, sinus, mouth, neck, breast, feet and legs.
o Many full stomach pathologies = bleeding gums, toothache, sinusitis, mania and depression. Excess phlegm/damp and heat.
What are the signs and symptoms of Stomach qi deficiency?
Uncomfortable feeling in epigastrium No appetite (stomach) No Taste (stomach) Loose stools Weak limbs Tired in the morning
What is the tongue and pulse in stomach qi deficiency?
T: Pale (suggest deficiency) with an unrooted coating (suggests the stomach as the stomach is the cause of tongue coating)
P: Weak in stomach position
What is the treatment principle of stomach qi deficiency?
TP: tonify stomach qi
What are the signs and symptoms of stomach deficient and cold?
Uncomfortable or dull pain in epigastrium that is better after eating or with pressure (common with deficiency)
Like warm foods and drinks
Cold limbs (yang and blood not pushing out to the extremities)
Tiredness
What is the tongue and pulse of stomach deficient and cold?
T: Pale and wet
P: Deep, weak and slow in stomach position (deep and weak because it was deficient and slow because it is cold)
What is the treatment principle of stomach deficient with cold?
TP: warm and tonify stomach
What are the signs and symptoms of stomach Yin deficiency?
Slight burning pain in epigastrium Slight hunger with no desire to eat Dry mouth Thirst with desire for small sips Dry stools Slight fullness after eating
What is the tongue and pulse of stomach Yin deficiency?
T: No coat in centre (red body if deficient heat is present)
P: Floating empty thin rapid
What is the treatment principle of stomach Yin deficiency?
TP Tonify stomach yin
What are the signs and symptoms of stomach and spleen qi deficiency?
Uncomfortable feeling in epigastrium No taste No appetite Loose stools Fatigue Abdominal distention
What is the tongue and pulse of stomach and spleen qi deficiency?
T: Pale (Scalloped, unrooted coat).
P: Weak in Spleen and stomach position
What is the treatment principle of stomach and spleen qi deficiency?
TP: Tonify spleen and stomach qi
What are the signs and symptoms of stomach and spleen yin deficiency?
Uncomfortable feeling in epigastrium Poor appetite Slight nausea Fatigue Dry mouth Thirst with desire for small sips Dry stools Dry lips
What is the tongue and pulse of stomach and spleen yin deficiency?
T: No coat
P: Floating empty thin and rapid particularly Spleen and stomach position
What are the signs and symptoms of stomach and spleen yin deficiency?
TP: tonify spleen and stomach yin.
What are the signs and symptoms of stomach qi stagnation?
Qi is not moving in the direction that it should.
Epigastric pain & distention Belching Nausea Hiccups Possible vomiting in severe cases Irritability
What is the tongue and pulse of stomach qi stagnation?
T: Purple hue to the centre. If long-term redness will be apparent in the middle and sides.
P: Wiry stomach position.
What is the treatment principle of stomach qi stagnation?
TP: Move stomach qi, eliminate stagnation, restore descending of qi.
What are the signs and symptoms of stomach heat (& phlegm heat)?
Burning epigastric pain Intense thirst for cold liquids Mental restlessness Dry mouth Dry stools Excessive hunger Bad Breath Sour regurgitation Mouth ulcers Possible vomiting soon after eating. Phlegm heat – chest oppression, coughing phlegm, mania.
What is the tongue and pulse of stomach heat (& phlegm heat)?
T: Red in centre with a dry yellow coat.
P: Rapid and overflowing or slippery. Rapid and overflowing.
What is the treatment principle of stomach heat (& phlegm heat)?
TP: Clear stomach heat, or resolve phlegm heat, descend stomach qi.
What are the signs and symptoms of damp heat in stomach?
Fullness and pain in epigastrium Feeling of heaviness Blocked nose, thick nasal discharge, sinus pain. Thirst without desire to drink. Sticky taste. Feeling of heat. Nausea. Dull yellow complexion.
What is the tongue and pulse of damp heat in stomach?
T: Red with sticky yellow coating.
P: slippery rapid.
What is the treatment principle of damp heat in stomach?
TP: resolve damp, clear heat, descend stomach qi.
What are the signs and symptoms of cold invading stomach?
Sudden and severe pain in epigastrium
Feeling cold, cold limbs.
Desires warm drinks.
Vomiting of clear fluids (may alleviate pain)
What is the tongue and pulse of cold invading stomach?
T: Thick white coat.
P: Deep tight and slow.
What is the treatment principle of cold invading stomach?
TP: expel cold, warm stomach, descend stomach qi.
What are the signs and symptoms of Stomach Qi rebelling upwards?
Qi is flowing in the wrong direction.
Nausea
Belching
Vomiting
Hiccups
Difficulty swallowing
These symptoms are often present in many stomach patterns as they reflect the failure of stomach qi to descend
What is the tongue and pulse of Stomach Qi rebelling upwards?
T: No change (Due to qi rebelling and acute situation)
P: tight or Wiry in stomach position suggesting stagnation or accumulation.
What is the treatment principle of Stomach Qi rebelling upwards?
TP: Descend stomach qi
What are the signs and symptoms of retention of food in the stomach?
Fullness, pain and distention of the epigastrium that is relieved by vomiting Nausea Vomiting or burping of sour fluids Bad breath Belching Poor appetite Loose stools or constipation Insomnia
Food is stuck in the stomach, staying there for too long rather than moving down into the digestive tract.
What is the tongue and pulse of retention of food in the stomach?
T: Thick coat
P: Full and slippery
What is the treatment principle of retention of food in the stomach?
TP: Resolve retention of food, descend stomach qi
What are the signs and symptoms of stasis of blood in the stomach?
Severe stabbing epigastric pain Nausea Vomiting of food looking like coffee grounds Vomiting blood Dislike of pressure
What is the tongue and pulse of stasis of blood in the stomach?
T: Purple
P: Wiry or choppy
What is the treatment principle of stasis of blood in the stomach?
TP: Resolve blood stasis in the stomach, descend stomach qi.
What are the signs and symptoms of liver qi invading the stomach?
Epigastric and hypochondrial distention and pain Hiccups belching or nausea Sour regurgitation Sighing Irritability
What is the tongue and pulse of iver qi invading the stomach?
T: Red on sides, pointy or slightly purple
P: Wiry on left and weak or wiry on right.
What is the treatment principle of iver qi invading the stomach?
TP: Subdue liver qi, strengthen and harmonise stomach and descend stomach qi
What is the main function of the stomach?
Rottening and ripening food. Therefore all stomach patterns involve digestive symptoms.
How is the state of Stomach-Qi observed in the tongue and pulse?
On the tongue, stomach-qi manifests with a coating with roo: a rootless coating is the beginning Stomach-Qi deficiency and a total lack of coating is deficiency of Stomach-Yin.
A pulse with stomach-qi is gentle and relatively soft. A pulse that lacks this quality is said not to have stomach-qi.
How is a coating without root formed?
A coating without root is formed when the stomach is weak and ceases to send its dirty dampness up to the tongue. No new coating is formed therefor the old coating loses root.
What is another sign of stomach deficiency in relation to the tongue?
A stomach crack. A stomach crack is wide and is mostly in the central section of the tongue.
What is the main cause of disease for the stomach?
Diet is the main cause. It could be the nature of the food eaten, the regularity of eating times and the conditions of eating.
What are the key symptoms of stomach-qi deficiency?
Tiredness in the morning, uncomfortable feeling in the epigastrium, empty pulse on the stomach position.
What are the key symptoms of stomach deficient and cold?
Discomfort in the epigastrium which is better after eating, tiredness and cold limbs.
What are the key symptoms of stomach yin deficiency?
Dull epigastric pain, dry mouth, tongue without coating or with rootless coating in the centre.
What are the key symptoms of Stomach-qi stagnation?
Epigastric distension, belching and irritability are enough to diagnose stomach-qi stagnation.
What are the key symptoms of Stomach-Heat?
Burning sensation in epigastrium, thirst with desire to drink cold liquids, thick yellow coating. Red tongue.
What are the key symptoms of Cold invading the Stomach?
Sudden pain in epigastrium, vomiting, feeling cold, Deep-Tight pulse.
What are the key symptoms of stomach-qi rebelling upwards?
Nausea and belching.
What are the key symptoms of Damp-Heat in the stomach?
Epigastric fullness, a feeling of heaviness, nausea, sticky yellow coating.
What symptoms reflect dampness in Damp-heat in the stomach?
Dull-yellow complexion and slippery pulse.
What are the key symptoms of retention of food in the stomach?
Epigastric fullness, sour regurgitation, thick tongue coating.
What are the key symptoms of stasis of blood in the stomach?
Stabbing pain in epigastrium, vomiting of dark blood.
What does blood stasis normally arise from?
Qi stagnation, cold and heat.
What are the key symptoms of Stomach and Spleen-qi deficiency?
Poor appetite, epigastric discomfort and tiredness.
What are the key symptoms of Stomach and Spleen-Yin deficiency?
Dry mouth, dry lips, epigastric discomfort and tiredness.
What are the symptoms of the main stomach channel?
Pain in the eyes, epistaxis, swelling of the neck, facial paralysis, cold legs and feet, pain along the course of the channel.
