Syndrome Differentiation of The Zang-Fu Organs - 1
Syndrome Differentiation of The Zang-Fu Organs - 1
Syndrome Differentiation of The Zang-Fu Organs - 1
Med)
• Heart qi
• Heart yin
• Heart yang
• The heart houses the mind.
• Lung qi deficiency
• This syndrome manifests as dysfunctions of the lung in dominating qi and wei-defense.
• Signs and symptoms
• These include weak coughing and tachypnoea, expectoration of thin, clear phlegm,
shallow breathing, reluctance to talk, a low voice, general fatigue, a pale white
complexion, spontaneous sweating, wind intolerance and susceptibility to common colds.
The symptoms worsen upon physical exertion.
• The tongue is pale with a white coating. The pulse is weak.
• Key points
• Coughing and tachypnoea with thin, clear phlegm, susceptibility to common colds,
spontaneous sweating and qi-deficiency symptoms.
• Lung yin deficiency
• This syndrome manifests as dysfunction of lung qi in dispersing and descending due to
lung yin deficiency.
• Signs and symptoms
• These include unproductive cough or coughing with scanty, sticky phlegm or blood-
stained phlegm, a dry mouth and throat, a hoarse voice, weight loss, feverish sensations
in the palms, soles and chest, tidal fever, night sweats and flushed cheeks.
• The tongue has a red scanty coating. The pulse is thready and rapid.
• Key points
• Unproductive cough or coughing with scanty, sticky phlegm and yin-deficiency symptoms.
• Wind-cold attacking the lung
• This syndrome manifests as wind cold affecting the wei-defense.
• Signs and symptoms
• These include coughing with thin, white phlegm, tachypnoea, chills, fever, nasal
obstruction, clear nasal discharge, headache, body ache and absence of sweating.
• The tongue coating is thin and white. The pulse is superficial and tense.
• Key points
• Coughing with thin, clear phlegm and symptom of exterior wind-cold syndrome.
• Wind-heat attacking the lung
• This syndrome manifests as wind heat affecting the dispersing of lung qi.
• Signs and symptoms
• These include coughing with thick, yellow phlegm, tachypnoea, fever, mild aversion to
wind cold, nasal obstruction, turbid nasal discharge, a dry mouth with mild thirst and sore
and swollen throat.
• The tongue has a red tip with a thin, yellow coating. The pulse is superficial and rapid.
• Key points
• Coughing with thick, yellow phlegm and symptoms of wind-heat exterior syndrome.
• Dryness attacking the lung
• This syndrome manifests as dryness affecting the functions of the lung in clearing and
moistening.
• Signs and symptoms
• These include unproductive coughs or difficult expectoration of scanty, sticky phlegm and
dry lips, tongue, nose, throat and skin.
• Fever, chills and scanty or absence of sweating may also be present.
• The tongue coating is dry and thin. The pulse is superficial and rapid or superficial and
tense.
• Key points
• Unproductive coughs, scanty, sticky phlegm, dry lips, tongue, nose, throat and skin as
well as exterior syndrome symptoms.
• Exuberance of lung heat
• This syndrome manifests as heat affecting the dispersing and descending of lung qi.
• Signs and symptoms
• These include coughing, tachypnoea, hot breath, chest pain, red, sore and swollen throat,
fever, thirst, constipation and scanty, dark yellow urine.
• The tongue is red with a yellow coating. The pulse is rapid.
• Key points
• Acute coughing, tachypnoea and symptoms of interior excess syndrome.
• Phlegm heat accumulating in the lung
• This syndrome manifests as phlegm heat affecting the dispersing and descending of lung
qi.
• Signs and symptoms
• These include coughing with thick, yellow, profuse phlegm, tachypnoea, rapid breathing,
coughing with foul-smelling pus and blood in the phlegm, phlegm sounds in the throat,
chest tightness and pain, red, sore and swollen throat, a high-grade fever, thirst, scanty,
dark yellow urine and constipation.
• The tongue is red with a yellow, greasy coating. The pulse is slippery and rapid.
• Key points
• Coughing with thick, yellow phlegm, tachypnoea, rapid breathing, foul-smelling pus and
blood in the phlegm, phlegm sounds in the throat and symptoms of interior excess heat.
• Cold phlegm affecting the lung
• This syndrome manifests as cold phlegm obstructing the dispersing and descending of
lung qi.
• Signs and symptoms
• These include coughing, tachypnoea, and wheezing sounds in the throat, sticky, profuse
or thin, clear phlegm, chest tightness, cold intolerance and cold limbs.
• The tongue is pale with a white, greasy or white, slippery coating.
• The pulse is soft, delayed or slippery.
• Key points
• tachypnoea, coughing with white phlegm, wheezing sounds in the throat and symptoms of
internal cold phlegm.
• Phlegm dampness affecting the lung
• This syndrome manifests as phlegm dampness affecting the dispersing and descending
of lung qi.
• Signs and symptoms
• These include coughing with white, sticky, profuse phlegm and chest tightness. In severe
cases, tachypnoea and phlegm sounds may be present.
• The tongue is pale with a white, greasy coating. The pulse is slippery.
• Key points
• Cough and a white, sticky, profuse phlegm.
Large intestine
• Location: the large intestine is located in the abdomen,
connected to the small intestine at the top and the anus at
the bottom.
• Meridian: connects with the lung
• Spleen qi deficiency
• This syndrome manifests as weakness of spleen qi in transportation and transformation.
• Signs and symptoms
• These include reduced food intake, a poor appetite, abdominal distension (especially after
eating food), loose stools (or dry stools followed by loose stools), lassitude, shallow
breathing, reluctance to talk, a sallow complexion and weight loss or oedema.
• The tongue is pale with a white coating. The pulse is delayed and weak.
• Key points
• Reduced food intake, abdominal distension, loose stools and qi deficiency symptoms.
• Spleen yang deficiency
• This syndrome manifests as internal deficiency cold due to spleen yang deficiency.
• Signs and symptoms
• These include a poor appetite, abdominal distension and pain with preference for warmth
and pressure, loose stools, cold intolerance and cold limbs.
• Some patients may present with general oedema, heaviness of the body, dysuria or thin,
clear, profuse leucorrhoea.
• The tongue is pale, swollen and tender. The pulse is deep, slow and weak.
• Key points
• A poor appetite, abdominal distension/pain, loose stools and yang-deficiency symptoms.
• Spleen qi sinking
• This syndrome manifests as spleen qi failing to ascend.
• Signs and symptoms
• These include down-bearing sensation of the abdomen, especially after eating food,
lassitude, low voice with a reluctance to talk, fatigue, dizziness, blurred vision, a sallow
complexion, weight loss, reduced food intake and loose stools.
• Alternatively, frequent urges to have bowel movements, down-bearing sensation of the
anus, chronic diarrhoea or dysentery, rectal prolapse, uterine prolapse and turbid rice-
water urine may be present.
• The tongue is pale with a white coating. The pulse is delayed and weak.
• Key points
• Down-bearing sensation of the abdomen, prolapsed internal organs and symptoms of
spleen qi deficiency.
• Spleen failing to constrain blood within the vessels
• This syndrome manifests as bleeding due to spleen qi deficiency.
• Signs and symptoms
• These include bloody stools, bloody urine, mucocutaneous haemorrhage, gum bleeding,
nosebleeds, heavy menstruation and uterine bleeding.
• Other associated symptoms include reduced food intake, loose stools, general fatigue,
shallow breathing, reluctance to talk and a sallow complexion.
• The tongue is pale with a white coating. The pulse is thready.
• Key points
• Various chronic bleeding conditions and symptoms of spleen qi deficiency.
• Cold dampness affecting the spleen
• This syndrome manifests as cold dampness affecting the function of the spleen and stomach
in transportation and transformation.
• Signs and symptoms
• These include gastric or abdominal discomfort, stuffiness, distension and pain, reduced food
intake, a poor appetite, loose stools with a sensation of incomplete bowel evacuation, nausea,
vomiting, tastelessness with no thirst, heaviness of the head and body and a dark, sallow
complexion.
• Profuse leucorrhoea, oedema of the limbs and scanty urine may also be present.
• The tongue is pale white with a white, greasy coating. The pulse is soft and moderate.
• Key points
• Gastric or abdominal discomfort, stuffiness, distension and pain, loose stools with a sensation
of incomplete bowel evacuation, nausea, vomiting and symptoms of cold-dampness.
• Damp-heat accumulating in the spleen
• This syndrome, also known as damp-heat in the spleen and stomach, manifests as damp-
heat affecting the function of the spleen and stomach in transportation and transformation.
• Signs and symptoms
• These include gastric and abdominal discomfort, stuffiness, distension and pain, reduced
food intake, a poor appetite, nausea, vomiting, loose stools with a sensation of incomplete
bowel evacuation, heaviness of the limbs, dark yellow urine and persistent fever that
cannot be resolved after sweating.
• The tongue is red with a yellow, greasy coating. The pulse is slippery and rapid or soft
and rapid.
• Key points
• Gastric and abdominal discomfort, stuffiness, distension and pain, nausea/vomiting, loose
stools with a sensation of incomplete bowel evacuation and damp-heat symptoms.
Stomach
• Functions of stomach
• Receiving and decomposing food and water
• Dominates descending
• Stomach qi deficiency
• This syndrome manifests as stomach qi weakness and failure of stomach qi to descend.
• Signs and symptoms
• These include gastric discomfort and distension or a dull stomachache that alleviates with
pressure, a poor appetite, belching, a sallow complexion, lassitude, shortness of breath
and a reluctance to talk.
• The tongue is pale with a white coating. The pulse is weak.
• Key points
• Gastric discomfort, distension or pain, reduced food intake, belching and qi deficiency
symptoms.
• Stomach yang deficiency
• This syndrome manifests as stomach yang failing to warm and nourish the stomach.
• Signs and symptoms
• These include lingering stomachache with a cold sensation, preference for warmth and
pressure, reduced food intake, gastric discomfort, vomiting of watery fluid, cold
intolerance, cold limbs and lassitude.
• The tongue is pale, swollen and tender with a white, moist coating.
• The pulse is deep, slow and weak.
• Key points
• Stomachache with a cold sensation, vomiting of watery fluid and deficiency-cold
symptoms.
• Stomach yin deficiency
• This syndrome manifests as stomach yin failing to nourish and moisten the stomach.
• Signs and symptoms
• These include a dull stomachache, hunger with no desire to eat, a dry mouth and throat,
dry stools and scanty urine.
• Alternatively, gastric discomfort, retching and hiccups may be present.
• The tongue is red with scanty coating. The pulse is thready and rapid.
• Key points
• Dull stomachache, hunger but no desire to eat, gastric discomfort, retching, hiccups and
yin-deficiency symptoms.
• Food retention in the stomach
• This syndrome manifests as food retention affecting the function of the stomach in
receiving and decomposing food.
• Signs and symptoms
• These include gastric distension, stuffiness and pain, no appetite, belching and acid
reflux, vomiting of rotten food (the distension and pain are relieve after vomiting). Foul-
smelling flatulence and foul-smelling stools may be present.
• The tongue coating is thick and greasy. The pulse is slippery.
• Key points
• A history of improper diet, gastric distension, stuffiness and pain, belching and acid reflux.
• Exuberance of stomach fire
• This syndrome, also known as stomach heat or stomach fire, manifests as dysfunction of
the stomach in receiving and decomposing food due to internal exuberance of stomach
fire.
• Signs and symptoms
• These include stomachache with a burning sensation, gastric upset, acid reflux, thirst with
desire for cold water, scanty, dark yellow urine and constipation.
• Alternatively, hunger returning rapidly after eating, a foul breath, swelling and pain of the
gum, gum bleeding and haematemesis may also be present.
• The tongue is red with a yellow coating. The pulse is slippery and rapid.
• Key points
• Stomachache with a burning sensation, gastric upset, acid reflux, hunger returning rapidly
after eating, a foul breath, swelling and pain of the gum and heat symptoms.
• Cold retention in the stomach
• This syndrome, also known as stomach cold, manifests as cold attacking and remaining
in the stomach.
• Signs and symptoms
• These include sudden, severe stomachache with a cold sensation, the pain worsens with
cold and alleviates with warmth, absence of thirst, vomiting of watery fluid, cold
intolerance and cold limbs.
• The tongue coating is white and moist. The pulse is wiry or wiry and tense.
• Key points
• Stomachache with a cold sensation and symptoms of excess cold.
Dr Zijing Hu (M.B. M.Med)
Lecturer: Department of Complementary Medicine
(Acupuncture)
Room 7106d John Orr Building DFC
Faculty of Health Sciences
University of Johannesburg
Tel: 011 559 6999
E-mail: [email protected]
Dr Zijing Hu (M.B. M.Med)
• Regulating qi movement
• Regulating smooth flow of blood and water metabolism
• Promoting digestive functions of the spleen and stomach
• Regulation of emotions
• Promoting the reproduction in humans
• The liver stores the blood
• Storing Liver qi
• Regulating the volume of blood
• Nourishing the liver and eyes
• The source of menstruation
• Prevents bleeding
Liver and its relationship with emotions, body fluids, body constituents
and orifices
• Functions of gallbladder
• Storing and excreting the bile
• Dominating decision - making and
regulating emotions
Syndrome differentiation of the gallbladder
• Damp-heat in the liver and gallbladder
• This syndrome manifests as damp-heat disturbing gallbladder qi
• Signs and symptoms
• These include distending pain in the rib area, (bright) yellow eyes and yellowish
pigmentation of the skin, a bitter taste, a poor appetite, aversion to greasy food, nausea,
vomiting, abdominal fullness and distension, irregular bowel movements and scanty,
yellow urine.
• Some patients may present with itching, eczema or excessive sweating in the genital
area, swelling and pain of the external genitalia, thick, yellow and smelly leucorrhoea, and
fever or alternating fever and chills.
• The tongue is red with a yellow, greasy coating. The pulse is wiry, slippery and rapid.
• Key points
• Distending pain in the rib area, yellow eyes, yellowish pigmentation of the skin and damp-
heat symptoms.
• Gallbladder qi stagnation coupled with phlegm
• This syndrome manifests as phlegm-heat or phlegm-turbidity disturbing gallbladder qi.
• Signs and symptoms
• These include timidity, fearfulness, nervousness or easily startled, palpitations, insomnia,
restlessness, distension and tightness in the chest and rib area, dizziness, blurred vision,
a bitter taste, nausea and vomiting.
• The tongue is red with a white, greasy or yellow, greasy coating. The pulse is wiry,
slippery and rapid.
• Key points
• Timidity, fearfulness, nervousness or easily startled, insomnia, a bitter taste and phlegm-
heat symptoms.
Dr Zijing Hu (M.B. M.Med)
Lecturer: Department of Complementary Medicine
(Acupuncture)
Room 7106d John Orr Building DFC
Faculty of Health Sciences
University of Johannesburg
Tel: 011 559 6999
E-mail: [email protected]
Dr Zijing Hu (M.B. M.Med)
• Key points
• This include soreness and cold pain in the waist and knees, loss of interest in sex,
frequent urination at night, chronic diarrhoea, oedema and yang-deficiency symptoms.
• Kidney yin deficiency
• This syndrome manifests as internal deficient heat due to kidney yin deficiency.
• Signs and symptoms
• These include soreness and weakness in the waist and knees, dizziness, tinnitus, dream-
disturbed sleep, persistent erection of the penis, nocturnal emissions, premature
ejaculation, scanty menstruation, amenorrhoea or uterine bleeding, weight loss, flushed
cheeks, a dry throat, feverish sensations in the palms, soles and chest, tidal fever, night
sweats, dark yellow urine and dry stools.
• The tongue is red with a scanty coating. The pulse is thready and rapid.
• Key points
• Soreness and weakness in the waist and knees, dizziness, tinnitus, nocturnal emissions,
irregular menstruation and yin-deficiency symptoms.
• Kidney essence deficiency
• This syndrome manifests as hypofunctions in growth, development and reproduction due
to kidney essence deficiency.
• Signs and symptoms
• These include delayed growth and development, a short stature, delayed fontanel
closure, skeletal muscle flaccidity and motor retardation in children.
• In adults, premature aging, soreness and weakness in the waist and knees, flaccidity of
the feet, tinnitus, deafness, loose teeth, hair loss, poor memory, absent-mindedness and a
dull expression.
• Patients may also have sterility and infertility. The tongue is pale and the pulse is weak.
• Key points
• Delayed growth and development, reduced reproductive function, premature aging and
essence-deficiency symptoms.
• Kidney qi insecurity
• This syndrome manifests as kidney qi failing to store and hold the essence.
• Signs and symptoms
• These include soreness and weakness in the waist and knees, spermatorrhoea,
premature ejaculation, dribbling menstruation, thin, clear, profuse leucorrhoea, possible
miscarriage, clear, profuse urine, frequent urination at night, dribbling urination, enuresis,
urinary incontinence, tinnitus, deafness and mental fatigue.
• The tongue is pale with a white coating. The pulse is thready and weak.
• Key points
• Soreness and weakness in the waist and knees, frequent spermatorrhoea, dribbling
menstruation, miscarriage and symptom of kidney-qi deficiency.
• Kidney failing to receive qi
• This syndrome manifests as qi failing to return to its origin due to kidney qi failure.
• Signs and symptoms
• These include chronic coughing, tachypnoea, more exhalation than inhalation and
shortness of breath that worsens upon physical exertion, soreness and weakness in the
waist and knees, a soft voice, spontaneous sweating and mental fatigue.
• In severe cases, patients may experience urinary incontinence when coughing.
• The tongue is pale with a white coating. The pulse is weak.
• In some patients, gasping, cold sweats, cold limbs, a bluish face and a big, superficial and
rootless or superficial, rapid and rootless pulse may be present.
• In some patients, shortness of breath, flushed cheeks, restlessness, a dry mouth and
throat, a red tongue with scanty coating and a thready, rapid pulse may be present.
• Key points
• Chronic coughing, tachypnoea, more exhalation than inhalation and shortness of breath
that aggravates upon physical exertion and symptoms of qi deficiency of the lung and
kidney.
Urinary bladder
• Key points
• These include distending pain in the rib area, depression, abdominal distension and loose
stools.
• Yin deficiency of the liver and kidney
• This syndrome manifests as internal deficient heat due to yin fluid deficiency of the liver
and kidney.
• Signs and symptoms
• These include soreness and weakness in the waist and knees, dull pain in the rib area,
dizziness, blurred vision, tinnitus, poor memory, insomnia, dream-disturbed sleep, a dry
mouth and throat, feverish sensations in the palms, soles and chest, nocturnal emissions
and scanty menstruation.
• The tongue is red with a scanty coating.
• The pulse is thready and rapid.
• Key points
• Soreness and weakness in the waist and knees, pain in the rib area, dizziness, tinnitus
and deficiency-heat symptoms.
• Yang deficiency of the spleen and kidney
• This syndrome manifests as yang of the spleen and kidney failing to warm the body and
transform qi.
• Signs and symptoms
• These include cold pain in the waist, knees and lower abdomen, persistent diarrhoea or
dysentery, diarrhoea before dawn with clear stools containing undigested food, general
oedema, dysuria, cold intolerance, cold limbs and a pale complexion with facial oedema.
• The tongue is pale and enlarged with a white, slippery coating.
• The pulse is deep, slow and weak.
• Key points
• Cold pain in the waist and lower abdomen, persistent diarrhoea or dysentery, oedema and
deficiency-cold symptoms.
Dr Zijing Hu (M.B. M.Med)
Lecturer: Department of Complementary Medicine
(Acupuncture)
Room 7106d John Orr Building DFC
Faculty of Health Sciences
University of Johannesburg
Tel: 011 559 6999
E-mail: [email protected]