| The Nei Jing which can be said to be the "Source" of | | | | cause of many autoimmune disorders. Such patients |
| all ancient theories of Chinese Medicine and which is | | | | may also have difficulty making decisions and be |
| also widely accepted as the earliest text devoted to | | | | prone to obsessive behaviours |
| medicine says: "In children blame the spleen, in adults | | | | Kidneys - The emotion of the kidney is fear and it |
| blame the liver, in the aged blame the kidneys". What | | | | houses the Zhi which is the will, hence lack of |
| this means is that in children the most common cause | | | | willpower and inordinate fear are typical when the |
| of illness is a weak spleen which in effect means | | | | kidney is weak. Fright or excessive fear may also |
| weak digestive abilities, in adults the main cause of | | | | induce kidney weakness which may then manifest as |
| illness is related to the liver, of which the most common | | | | bedwetting, incontinence and impotence. |
| TCM pathology is Liver Qi stagnation. In the aged the | | | | Lungs - The lungs are weakened by grief and |
| kidneys are to blame because it is the kidneys that | | | | sadness. Since the lungs are intimately involved in the |
| hold the essence of life which have by now been | | | | production of qi in the body this often leads to deficient |
| largely consumed just as a candle consumes itself by | | | | qi manifesting as chronic fatigue, shortness of breath |
| giving off light. It is the statement with regard to adults | | | | and asthma. |
| that I will elaborate further on. | | | | Heart - The heart is damaged by excessive joy, which |
| The liver in TCM is said to control the flow of qi in the | | | | we say slows the qi down or causes it to become |
| body, it also opens into the eyes, stores blood (which it | | | | "slack", this can be fatal if the individual already has a |
| releases to other areas of the body when required), | | | | heart condition. |
| controls the contraction and relaxation of muscles, | | | | Sometimes patients come in for a particular |
| controls the emotions of anger, irritability and frustration | | | | mental-emotional or prediagnosed psychiatric condition. |
| and also influences strategy and decision making. We | | | | TCM is well suited to treating such disorders because |
| say that the liver houses the Hun, the ethereal soul | | | | of the novel approach and tools at the practitioners |
| which leaves the body when a person passes away | | | | disposal, here follows the common patterns that are |
| and also allows for the focus of the individual on long | | | | behind many of these disorders and some tips on their |
| term goals and objectives. The reason that the Nei | | | | treatment: |
| Jing says blame the liver in adults is because adults | | | | Obsessive-compulsive disorders/tendencies - This |
| are by definition those who have now come to live | | | | condition is most often related to a weakness of the |
| with "delayed gratification" as opposed to a child who | | | | spleen with resultant accumulation of dampness. |
| seeks "instant gratification". This social constraint of not | | | | Acupuncture points include ST40, SP3. Herbal formulae |
| being able to do what we want to when we want to | | | | include Modified Si Jun Zi Tang. |
| do it is in effect an inhibition of the qi mechanism, which | | | | Withdrawal - Often due to either kidney yang vacuity |
| in turn causes the qi to stagnate. This qi stagnation, | | | | in which case the problem is not enough willpower to |
| since it being a function of the liver to maintain free | | | | engage the outside world or cold-phlegm obstructing |
| flow of qi, first affects the liver manifesting as anger, | | | | the portals of the heart which almost always presents |
| frustration and irritability on a mental emotional level and | | | | with a tongue with a thick white coating that covers |
| because of the interrelationships of the liver with other | | | | the majority of the tongue surface. Points: Kidney |
| organs can manifest as stomach cramps, nausea and | | | | vacuity - UB23, K7; Phlegm - ST40, Yintang. Herbal |
| vomiting, and in fact a myriad of other symptoms | | | | formulae: Kidney vacuity - Fu Gui Ba Wei Wan; |
| depending on which organ or system is attacked by | | | | Phlegm - Ban Xia Bai Zhu Tian Ma Wan |
| the build up of qi in the liver. | | | | Mania - Can be due to liver-fire or phlegm-fire |
| The classic feature that presents when any of the | | | | obstructing the heart. Points: Liver-fire - Liv 2; Phlegm - |
| above symptoms are due to Liver qi stagnation is that | | | | ST40, Liv 2. Herbal formulae: Liver fire - Long Dan Xie |
| the symptoms are worse for stress, it is therefore | | | | Gan Wan; Phlegm - Wen Dan Tang |
| useful to ask: "Is it worse for stress?" or if you feel | | | | Anxiety - Usually either blood or yin vacuity. |
| you will be leading the patient ask what the symptoms | | | | Paranoia - More often blood stasis but can be blood |
| are worse and better for. | | | | vacuity as well |
| Acupuncture points that are useful for liver qi | | | | Seasonal Affective Disorder - Almost always Kidney |
| stagnation include Liver 3, Liver 13, LI4, Ren12, UB 18. | | | | yang vacuity |
| Herbal formulae that are useful include Xao Yao San, | | | | It must be stressed in conclusion that although |
| Chai Hu Shu Gan San and even Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang | | | | Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine can |
| when accompanied by Spleen qi vacuity. | | | | effectively treat many mental-emotional disorders, the |
| The liver is the organ/system most often implicated in | | | | practitioner cannot assume the role of the |
| mental-emotional disorders though the other organs | | | | psychotherapist or psychologist. It is essential that if the |
| systems also have similar relationships as follows: | | | | underlying pattern has an issue that needs addressing |
| Spleen/Stomach - Excessive worry and thinking can | | | | by a qualified counselor or therapist, as in the case of |
| damage the spleen/stomach causing such symptoms | | | | trauma, that the TCM practitioner work together with |
| as loose stools, metrorhaggia, profuse bleeding, poor | | | | such a professional in managing the illness together. |
| appetite and in long standing cases are often the | | | | |