Heart Meridian Disharmonies - TCM Theory

Submitted by yyh_staff on Tue, 06/27/2006 - 6:02pm

Below you will find the TCM Disharmonies related to the Heart Meridian. Each pattern contains a brief description of associated signs and symptoms, tongue and pulse diagnosis, and a list of acupuncture points that may be used to treat the disharmony.

Excess Patterns

  • HT Fire - excess pattern:
  • General Signs & Symptoms:
    Palpitations, thirst, tongue/mouth ulcers, restlessness, red complexion, bitter taste in the mouth (esp. if after a poor night of sleep, if during day may be more LV), other heat signs
  • Tongue:
    Red w/yellow coat, red points on tip
  • Pulse:
    Full, rapid, overflowing (esp. in HT position)
  • General Treatment Points:
  • Maciocia Treatment Points w/Valaskatagis commentary, modfications and additions
  • HT 9 - dispersing HT excesses
  • HT 8 - cool the HT
  • HT 7 - more for HT Blood & Yin Deficiency but has a positive effect on nearly all heart disharmonies
  • CV 15 - calm the spirit
  • SP 6 - protect the Yin (could leave out)
  • KD 6 - protect the Yin (could leave out)
  • PC 8 - cool heat in the heart
  • PC 7 - cool heat
  • If LV Fire Blazing - LV 2
  • If LV Yang Risigin - GV 20

  • Phlegm Fire - excess pattern:
  • General Signs & Symptoms:
    More serious than HT Fire, mental confusion, lack of mental clarity, palpitations, restlessness, incoherent speech, rash behavior, tendency towards hitting a/or scolding people, uncontrollable laughter a/or crying, manic depression, asphasia (in extreme cases)
  • Tongue:
    Red w/yellow greasy coat, possibly red points on tip a/or a deep midline crack running to the tip
  • Pulse:
    Full, slippery
  • General Treatment Points:
  • Maciocia Treatment Points w/Valaskatagis commentary, modifications and additions
  • PC 5 - empirical point for phlegm misting the HT
  • HT 9 - dispersing HT excesses
  • HT 8 - cool the HT
  • HT 7 - more for HT Blood & Yin Deficiency but has a positive effect on nearly all heart disharmonies
  • PC 7 - empty fire or heat in the HT, alternating laughing/crying
  • CV 15 - calm the spirit
  • UB 15 - HT Shu
  • CV 12 - ST Mu, resolve phelgm
  • ST 40 - resolve phlegm
  • GV 20 a/or Yintang - clear the mind

  • Phlegm Misting the Mind (Heart) - excess pattern:
  • General Signs & Symptoms:
    Phlegm signs w/o heat, mental confusion, unconsciousness, rattling sound in the throat, asphasia, vomiting
  • Tongue:
    Thick greasy coat
  • Pulse:
    Slippery
  • General Treatment Points:
  • Maciocia Treatment Points w/Valaskatagis commentary, modifications and additions
  • HT 9 - jing well, restore consciousness
  • PC 5 - empirical point for phlegm misting the HT
  • UB 15 - HT Shu
  • ST 40 - resolve phlegm
  • CV 12 - ST Mu, resolve phlegm
  • UB 20 - SP Shu, useful in more chronic patterns to tonify SP and resolve dampness
  • GV 26 - clear the mind a/or restore consciousness
  • GV 20 - assist GV 26 to clear and move the mind

  • HT Blood Stagnation - excess pattern:
  • General Signs & Symptoms:
    Angina, chest oppression, HT Pain which may radiate down to the left arm or to shoulder (emotionally a/or physiologically related), palpitations, cyanosis of the lips (in more severe cases)
  • Tongue:
    Purplish
  • Pulse:
    Knotted
  • General Treatment Points:
  • Maciocia Treatment Points w/Valaskatagis commentary, modifications and additions
  • PC 6 - open and relax the chest, calm spirit
  • PC 4 - xicleft, move stagnant Blood in the chest
  • HT 7 - benefit HT, calm the spirit
  • CV 17 - PC Mu, hui meeting of Qi, move stagnant Qi in the chest
  • UB 14 - PC Shu
  • UB 17 - hui meeting of the Blood
  • SP 10 - move Blood
  • Could use SP 4 w/PC 6 (above) to influence Blood via the Chong Mai

Deficiency Patterns

  • HT Blood Deficiency:
  • General Signs & Symptoms:
    Palpitations, dizziness, insomnia, dream disturbed sleep, anxiety, easily startled, poor memory, poor concentration, dull pale complexion, lips are likely to be pale
  • Tongue:
    Pale, possibly thin and maybe dry
  • Pulse:
    Thin or choppy (many times felt in the HT position)
  • General Treatment Points:
  • Maciocia Treatment Points w/Valaskatagis commentary, modifications and additions
  • HT 7 - calm the spirit
  • PC 6 - calm the spirit
  • CV 14 - HT Mu, effect HT Blood
  • CV 15 - calm the spirit
  • CV 4 - tonify Blood, grounding point
  • UB 17 - hui meeting of the Blood
  • UB 20 - SP Shu
  • Could add UB 15 - HT Shu, tonify HT Blood
  • Could add SP 6 - tonify SP, nourish Blood

  • HT Qi Deficiency:
  • General Signs & Symptoms:
    Palpitations on exertion, spontaneous sweating, fatigue
  • Tongue:
    Pale, possibly a midline crack down to the tip
  • Pulse:
    Empty
  • General Treatment Points:
  • Maciocia Treatment Points w/Valaskatagis commentary, modifications and additions
  • HT 5 - luo point, tonify HT Qi
  • PC 6 - w/HT 5 can tonify HT Qi, useful for regulating the Qi of the HT
  • UB 15 - HT Shu
  • CV 17 - PC Mu, tonify upper warmer (can use moxa)
  • CV 6 - tonify Qi

  • HT Yin Deficiency:
  • General Signs & Symptoms:
    Similar to Blood Deficiency but with more anxiety and restlessness, palpitations, insomnia, dream disturbed sleep, easily startled, poor memory, fidgeting, mallor flush, night sweats, heat in the 5 palms, dry mouth
  • Tongue:
    Red or peeled w/no coat
  • Pulse:
    Floating, empty or Thin, fast
  • General Treatment Points:
    • Maciocia Treatment Points w/Valaskatagis commentary, modifications and additions
    • HT 7 - tonify HT Yin
    • PC 6 - calm the spirit
    • CV 14 - HT Mu
    • CV 15 - calm the spirit
    • CV 4 - tonify Yin
    • SP 6 - tonify Yin
    • HT 6 - empirical point for night sweats
    • KD 6 - tonify Yin
    • KD 7 - tonify KD
    • Yintang - calm the spirit, aid insomnia and dizziness
    • GV 20 - clear the mind, aid memory and concentration

  • HT Yang Deficiency & Yang Collapse:
  • General Signs & Symptoms:
    Similar symptoms to HT Qi Deficiency (palpitations on exertion, fatique, spontenous sweating) but with cold limbs, feeling of cold, bright pale face
  • HT Yang Collapse: more serious, patient needs to go to the hospital, severe palpitations, weak and shallow breathing, cyanosis of the lips
  • Tongue:
    Pale, wet & swollen - (HT Yang Collapse - Pale or Purple)
  • Pulse:
    Deep, weak, possibly knotted - (HT Yang Collapse - Hidden, minute or very knotted)
  • General Treatment Points:
  • Maciocia Treatment Points w/Valaskatagis commentary, modifications and additions
  • HT Yang Deficiency (same as HT Qi Deficiency above with the addition of GV 14 w/moxa to tonify HT Yang
  • HT 5 - luo point, tonify HT Qi
  • PC 6 - w/HT 5 can tonify HT Qi, useful for regulating the Qi of the HT
  • UB 15 - HT Shu
  • CV 17 - PC Mu, tonify upper warmer (can use moxa)
  • CV 6 - tonify Qi
  • HT Yang Collapse (use lots of moxa to restore yang)
  • CV 4 - tonify Qi
  • CV 6 - tonify Qi
  • CV 8 - tonify Qi
  • GV 4 - tonify Yang
  • UB 23 - KD Shu, tonify KD Yang
  • ST 36 - tonify Qi
  • PC 6 - tonify Qi in the upper warmer
  • UB 15 - HT Shu
  • GV 14 - tonify yang of the body

Sources and More Information

The information on our site is drawn from our own lecture notes and clinical experience.

For a complete list of valuable resources, see our (TCM) Chinese Acupuncture Resources section. The most recommended texts are below: