Disease Patterns

The same symptom, like fatigue, can have multiple root causes. Chinese medicine uses various diagnostic methods to get a collection of symptoms that fit a pattern of imbalance. Knowing the underlying pattern (s) guides us to the root cause. When we treat the root, we not only heal the symptom, we balance the whole body to prevent further symptoms.

This is where Chinese medicine sets itself apart: customized diagnosis using disease patterns.

Is it Excess or Deficiency….or Both?

This is the first question to ask. If your symptoms point to a deficient pattern, you know you need to tonify (strengthen) your body. You need rest, nourishing foods, etc. If your symptoms show an excess pattern, you know you need to clear (detoxify) your body. You need to eat bitter or pungent food, take detoxifying herbs, etc. If you have both deficiency and excess symptoms, you need to harmonize. This can mean gently detoxifying then tonifying, for example.

Deficiency

  • weakness
  • pallor
  • cold
  • passive
  • soft voice
  • white or clear discharge
  • no smell
  • fatigue
  • low self-esteem

Excess

  • jerky movements
  • redness
  • hot
  • aggressive
  • loud voice
  • yellow or green discharge
  • strong or foul smell
  • agitation
  • narcissism

Patterns of Deficiency

All the vital essences of the body are interdependent. Clinically, we often see Qi deficiency progressing to Yang deficiency; Blood deficiency progressing to Yin deficiency; all culminating in Jing deficiency.

Qi Deficiency

Qi, often described as electromagnetic energy or life force energy, drives movement and catalyzes chemical processes in the body. Qi transforms our food and air into usable energy, transports fluids, astringes fluids, holds organs in their proper place, warms the body, and protects against external assault. Qi produces Blood. Qi s carried in the Blood.

Signs of Strong Qi: strong immune system, good digestion, stamina, good muscle tone, good skin elasticity, mental alertness, inner confidence.

Signs of Qi Deficiency: chronic colds,weak digestion, loose stools, bloating, fatigue, poor muscle tone, sagging skin, organ prolapse, foggy head, poor self-esteem.

Yang Deficiency

Yang is the original fire stored in the kidneys and the foundation for Qi in the body. Yang deficiency is a more severe form of Qi deficiency with the addition cold symptoms. Yang deficiency often involves hormone disruption, presenting as progesterone, DHEA, or testosterone deficiency.

Signs of Strong Yang: willpower, stamina and strength, strong joints, healthy sexual responsiveness.

Signs of Yang Deficiency: lack of drive, exhaustion, water retention, urinary incontinence, early morning diarrhea, undigested food in the stools, feeling chilled, cold/weakness/pain in the knees and low back, cold in the lower abdomen, infertility, low sex drive, weak orgasms.

Blood Deficiency

Blood carries and distributes nutrients throughout the body, lubricates our joints and tissues, gives life to our hair, nails, and skin, and houses our Shen (spirit). Strong Blood is dependent on Qi and Jing.

Signs of Strong Blood: lustrous hair, sense of peace and groundedness, glowing skin and eyes, sound sleep, normal menstrual flow, good energy, good memory.

Signs of Blood Deficiency: limp, dry, or thinning hair, anxiety, dry skin, pallor, eye strain, insomnia, scanty menstrual bleeding, fatigue, poor memory.

Yin Deficiency

Yin is the foundational water stored in kidneys and the source of all fluids in the body. Yin deficiency is a more severe form of Blood deficiency with the addition of heat symptoms. Yin deficiency often involves hormone disruption, presenting as estrogen deficiency.

Signs of Strong Yin: inner peace, compassion, strong memory, plump skin, sound sleep, ample vaginal fluids and cervical mucous, and healthy sex drive.

Signs of Yin Deficiency: hysteria, mania, irritability, dryness, dizziness, ringing in the ears, poor memory, night sweats, hot flashes, insomnia, infertility, excessive sex drive.

Jing Deficiency

Jing is the essence; the energy source for the physical body driving development and all physiological functions. Jing encompasses our genetics, hormone production, bone marrow, brain and more. We are given a certain amount of Jing in the womb, and when it is spent it means the end of life.

Signs of Strong Jing: strong teeth and bones, sharp mind, strong immunity, lustrous hair, tight skin, plump skin, looking young for your age.

Signs of Jing Deficiency: loose teeth, bone loss, dementia, low immunity, hair loss, lack of skin elasticity, thinning skin, and premature aging.

Zhang Jiebin (1563-1640)

“The body is prone to deficiency rather than excess. It is necessary to warm and tonify kidney yin and kidney yang from time to time, and to use cold-cool and potent drugs with caution. Therefore the kidney, which is the root of all the organs, can be consolidated.”

Pattens of Excess

Excess patterns require specific detoxification methods.

Qi Stagnation

Qi can become stagnant as a result of emotional stress, lack of exercise, and poor diet. Because Qi flow is vital to health, stagnant Qi causes and compounds many diseases.

Symptoms: excessive sighing, irritability, moodiness,  depression, muscle tension, irregular periods, irregular bowl movements, IBD.

Blood Stagnation

Blood stagnation can result from stagnant Qi flow, Dampness, or Cold invasion.  Physical and emotional trauma can also stagnate Blood.

Symptoms: fixed pain, purple skin lesions, varicose and spider veins, stubborn insomnia, stubborn depression.

Dampness

Dampness is sticky, heavy, turbid, and congesting and difficult to resolve.

Symptoms: lethargy, foggy head, runny nose, chest congestion, nodules, skin lesions with pus, cellulite, vaginal discharge, mucous in the stools, water retention, and mental disorders.

Walking around in wet clothes or hair, or long term exposure to a damp environment can cause Dampness to invade from the outside. Excessive cold, raw, sweet, or processed food can also introduce Dampness.

Dampness can be generated internally from weak Qi and Yang.

Wind

Wind creates sudden changes, rapid onset, rapid progression in disease symptoms, and is often a carrier for other pathogens.

Symptoms: common cold, flu, sinusitis, fever, cough, mobile itchy rash, mobile pain, dizziness, stroke, or tremors.

Wind can invade from the environment, bringing in Cold, Heat, and/or Dampness, in the form of pathogenic invasion and many skin conditions.

Wind can also be generated internally by extreme Heat or weak Blood or Yin.

Cold

Cold injures Qi and Yang, coagulates blood flow, and contracts muscles and tendons.

Symptoms: headache, muscle and joint pain and stiffness, pallor, feeling cold, craving warm drinks and food, and loose stools.

Cold can invade from the environment, typically in the form of Wind Cold, from exposure to cold weather or air conditioning.

Cold can also originate internally from weak Qi and Yang.

Dryness

Dryness injures the body’s fluids and delicate lung system.

Symptoms: dry skin, dry cough, bloody mucous discharge, dry mouth, chapped lips, constipation, and lack of vaginal lubrication.

Dryness can invade from the environment attacking the skin and respiratory system.

Dryness can be generated internally from excessive Heat or lack of Blood and Yin.

Heat

Heat creates swelling, burning, pain, and redness. It tends to move upwards, consumes Qi, dries fluids, and causes bleeding.

Symptoms: acne or red skin lesions, mania, rage, red eyes, headache, bad breath, strong body odor, fever, sweating, feeling hot, craving cold drinks, constipation, and swollen painful joints.

Heat can invade externally from exposure to environmental toxins or infectious diseases like small pox.

Internally, Heat can be generated from longstanding or acute stagnation of Qi, Blood, or body fluids.

Summerheat

Summer Heat is an invasion of Heat and Dampness during hot, damp weather, typically in the end of summer between the summer solstice and autumn equinox.

Symptoms: dizziness, lethargy, nausea, lack of appetite, fever, redness, craving colds drinks, loose stools, and sweating.

Damp Heat

Damp Heat is a combination of Heat and Dampness causing chronic, complex symptoms and is “like separating glue” to resolve.

Symptoms: oily skin and hair, oozing skin conditions, bitter taste in the mouth, irritability, strong body odor, thirst with no desire to drink, yellow sweat, yellow vaginal discharge, bloating, nausea, gallstone attack, sticky stools, night sweats, low grade fever, and difficult urination.

Damp Heat can be caused from hot and damp weather, but is often the progression of longstanding Dampness or Heat. It injures Qi and Yin and causes Toxic Heat.