TCM Diagnostic Patterns - Qi Deficiency, Blood Stagnation...

Submitted by yyh_staff on Tue, 2006-06-27 16:11.

Traditional Chinese Medicine utilizies a different language, so to speak, to describe imbalances in the body and mind. What a western medical doctor may diagnose as insomnia, for example, a TCM practitioner might diagnose as Yin Deficiency. Most diagnoses in Chinese medicine are more relational than particular in that they account for the entire set of signs and symptoms a person is experiencing not just the main complaint. For example, if two people are experiencing insomnia they both have the same western diagnosis, however one may have Yin deficiency with some Yang excess and the other person may have all Yin deficiency signs. TCM would apply a treatment protocol for each individual that would account for their set of symptoms but would also treat their insomnia. In other words, in TCM there is not a set treatment for insomnia but a range of diagnoses which contain insomnia as a major indicator.

Below you will find some of the most basic TCM patterns with their related signs and symptoms, tongue and pulse indications, meridian relationships and contributing factors.

Deficiency Patterns:
Qi Deficiency
Yang Deficiency
Yin Deficiency
Blood Deficiency
Excess Patterns:
Cold - Excess Yin
Heat - Excess Yang
Mixed Patterns:
Qi Stagnation
Blood Stagnation
Dampness
Sinking Qi
Perversion of Qi
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General TCM Patterns

Deficiency Patterns

	Qi Deficiency
Symptoms	fatigue, loose stools, poor appetite, dizziness, pale face, weak voice/reluctance to speak, sweating with little/no exertion
Tongue	pale
Pulse	empty
Meridians	Spleen, Kidney, Lung, & Heart
Points	ST 36, SP 6, KD 3, LU 9
Factors	poor diet, over work, psychological stress, old age

	Yang Deficiency
Symptoms	chills, cold limbs, inability to get warm, loose tools, profuse clear urine, spontaneous sweating, lassitude
Tongue	pale w/white coat
Pulse	slow, deep, weak
Meridians	Spleen, Kidney, & Heart
Points	ST 36, SP 3, KD 3, CV 4, CV 6, GV 4, UB 32
Factors	poor diet, over work, psychological stress, old age

	Yin Deficiency
Symptoms	heat in the hands, feet a/or chest, malor flush, night sweats, anxiety, hot flashes
Tongue	red w/little or no coat
Pulse	thin, rapid
Meridians	Stomach, Kidney, Liver, Heart, & Lung
Points	SP 6, KD 6, CV 4, PC 7
Factors	psychological stress, over thinking, alcohol, spicy foods

	Blood Deficiency
Symptoms	dizziness, palpitations, insomnia, dry skin a/or hair, poor memory, paleness, fatigue, scanty periods
Tongue	pale, thin, dry
Pulse	thin, choppy
Meridians	Spleen, Liver, & Heart
Points	ST 36, SP 6, LV 3, UB 11, UB 17
Factors	excessive menstruation, blood loss due to internal medical issues, spleen deficiency, emotional strain

Excess Patterns

	Cold (Excess Yin)
Symptoms	chills w/no sweating, lack of thirst, clear urine, aversion to cold, loose stools, fatigue
Tongue	pale w/white coat
Pulse	slow, deep, tight
Meridians	Stomach, & Large Intestine
Points	ST 36, GV 4, CV 4, CV 6
Factors	arises when cold enters the body and consumes the yang, can arise from internal or external factors

	Heat (Excess Yang)
Symptoms	agitation, anger, insomnia w/nightmares, fever, red face/head, constipation, desire for cold drinks
Tongue	red, dry, w/yellow coat
Pulse	rapid, full
Meridians	Liver, & Stomach
Points	LV 3, ST 41, SP 10, KD 6
Factors	excessive diet w/fried foods a/or alcohol, psychological stress

Mixed Patterns

	Qi Stagnation
Symptoms	distention, pains that move around, depression, irritability
Tongue	purple
Pulse	wiry
Meridians	Liver
Points	LI 4, LV 3, ST 36, GB 20
Factors	physical trauma, poor diet, depression, opportunistic infections

	Blood Stagnation
Symptoms	pain that is fixed, stabbing a/or severe, dark complexion, fixed masses, bleeding w/clots, purple lips/nails
Tongue	purple
Pulse	wiry, choppy
Meridians	Liver, Stomach, Large Intestine, & Heart
Points	ST 36, SP 6, SP 10, UB 40, UB 17
Factors	physical trauma, longer term qi and blood deficiencies, or excesses of hot or cold

	Dampness
Symptoms	heaviness of the head/body, dizziness, poor appetite, stuffy chest, excessive mucus, poor health
Tongue	sticky coating
Pulse	slippery, slow
Meridians	Spleen, Stomach, & Lung
Points	ST 36, ST 40, SP 6, SP 9, ST 8
Factors	poor diet particularly with cold/raw foods, over work, damp living/working conditions

	Sinking Qi
Symptoms	sensations of bearing down, any prolapses, fatigue
Tongue	pale
Pulse	empty
Meridians	Stomach, Urinary Bladder, & Governing Vessel
Points	GV 20, CV 6, ST 21 (Stomach prolapse), GV 1 (Anal prolapse)
Factors	longer term qi deficiency

	Qi Perversion
Symptoms	belching, cough/asthma, diziness/headache, vertigo (depends on primary meridian)
Tongue	pale w/white coat
Pulse	wiry, choppy
Meridians	Spleen, Stomach, Lung, & Liver
Points	LU 7, LV 3, ST 36, GB 20
Factors	can be caused by excess, deficiencies, a/or dampness