Dual vacuity of qì and blood

A disease pattern chiefly characterized by pale-white or withered-yellow complexion, heart palpitation, shortness of breath, lack of strength, and dizziness.

Description: Pale-white or withered-yellow facial complexion; scantness of breath or shortness of breath; laziness to speak; lassitude of spirit and lack of strength; dizzy head and vision; heart palpitation; insomnia; pale lips and nails; in some cases, spontaneous sweating; in some cases, susceptibility to fright; in some cases, numbness (or even wilting) of the limbs or dry skin. The tongue is pale and tender-soft. The pulse is fine and weak.

Biomedical correspondence: Often corresponds to anemia.

Pathogenesis: There are three ways in which dual vacuity of qì and blood arises.

• enduring illness damaging both qì and blood;
• blood vacuity affecting the production and movement of qì;
• qì vacuity affecting the production of blood.

Analysis of signs

• Qì vacuity: Lassitude of spirit and lack of strength, scantness of qì and laziness to speak, and spontaneous sweating.
• Blood vacuity: Heart palpitation, insomnia, and pale lips and nails.
• Qì and blood vacuity: Heart palpitation, dizzy head and vision, a pale-white or withered-yellow complexion, and a pale tender-soft tongue.
• Tongue: Pale and tender-soft.
• Pulse: Weak and fine.

Treatment

Medicinal therapy: Supplement both qì and the blood using formulas such as Eight-Gem Decoction (八珍汤 bā zhēn tāng) and Chinese Angelica Blood-Supplementing Decoction (当归补血汤 dāng guī bǔ xuè tāng). In the latter formula, astragalus (Astragali Radix, 黄芪 huáng qí) should exceed the Chinese angelica (Angelicae Sinensis Radix, 当归 dāng guī) in quantity to place emphasis on supplementing qì. For qì failing to contain the blood, heavy doses of qì-boosting medicinals such as codonopsis (Codonopsis Radix, 党参 dǎng shēn), astragalus (Astragali Radix, 黄芪 huáng qí), and licorice (Glycyrrhizae Radix, 甘草 gān cǎo) are combined with small amounts of blood-supplementing medicinals such as Chinese angelica (Angelicae Sinensis Radix, 当归 dāng guī), cooked rehmannia (Rehmanniae Radix Praeparata, 熟地黄 shú dì huáng), and ass hide glue (Asini Corii Colla, 阿胶 ē jiāo) in variations of Spleen-Returning Decoction (归脾汤 guī pí tāng) or Center-Supplementing Qì-Boosting Decoction (补中益气汤 bǔ zhōng yì qì tāng).

Acumoxatherapy: Dual vacuity of qì and blood is treated by combining points that supplement both qì and blood, points that supplement qì, and points that supplement the blood. Base treatment mainly on CV, SP, LU, LR, and back transport points. To supplement both qì and blood, select ST-36 (Leg Three Lǐ, 足三里 zú sān lǐ), BL-20 (Spleen Transport, 脾俞 pí shù), and BL-21 (Stomach Transport, 胃俞 wèi shù); needle with supplementation and add moxa.

To supplement qì: CV-6 (Sea of Qì, 气海 qì hǎi), BL-13 (Lung Transport, 肺俞 fèi shù), BL-43 (Gāo-Huāng Transport, 膏肓俞 gāo huāng shù), LU-9 (Great Abyss, 太渊 tài yuān), CV-4 (Pass Head, 关元 guān yuán), and CV-12 (Center Stomach Duct, 中脘 zhōng wǎn); needle with supplementation and add moxa.

To supplement the blood: LR-3 (Supreme Surge, 太冲 tài chōng), SP-6 (Three Yīn Intersection, 三阴交 sān yīn jiāo), BL-17 (Diaphragm Transport, 膈俞 gé shù), and LR-13 (Camphorwood Gate, 章门 zhāng mén). .

For qì failing to contain the blood, use SP-1 (Hidden White, 隐白 yǐn bái), ST-36 (Leg Three Lǐ, 足三里 zú sān lǐ), CV-4 (Pass Head, 关元 guān yuán), CV-6 (Sea of Qì, 气海 qì hǎi), GV-14 (Great Hammer, 大椎 dà zhuī), and GV-20 (Hundred Convergences, 百会 bǎi huì); needle with supplementation and use large amounts of moxa.