Emaciation

Also shedding of the flesh and loss of bulk. Marked thinning of the body, usually accompanied by other signs of disease. Emaciation appears in a variety of illnesses that present as vacuity or repletion patterns (emaciation is not only a vacuity sign).

Patterns

Spleen-stomach qì vacuity (脾胃气虚 pí wèi qì xū): Emaciation due to spleen-stomach qì vacuity is accompanied by poor appetite, distension after eating, sloppy stool, fatigue and lack of strength, scantness of breath and laziness to speak, withered-yellow facial complexion, pale tongue with white fur, and a weak vacuous pulse.

Medicinal therapy: Fortify the spleen and boost qì. Use Four Gentlemen Decoction (四君子汤 sì jūn zǐ tāng) with added medicinals.

Qì-blood vacuity (气血虚 qì xuè xū): Emaciation is accompanied by a withered-yellow lusterless complexion, scantness of breath and laziness to speak, dizziness, heart palpitation, insomnia, pale tongue with thin fur, and a weak fine pulse.

Medicinal therapy: Boost qì and nourish the blood. Use Eight-Gem Decoction (八珍汤 bā zhēn tāng).

Insufficiency of lung yīn (肺阴不足 fèi yīn bù zú): Emaciation due to insufficiency of lung yīn is accompanied by cough with scant phlegm that may be flecked with blood (in some cases there may be expectoration of pure blood), dry mouth and throat, tidal heat and night sweating, postmeridian reddening of the cheeks, vexing heat in the five hearts, red tongue with little liquid, and a fine rapid pulse.

Medicinal therapy: Insufficiency of lung yīn is treated by nourishing yīn and clearing the lung with Lily Bulb Metal-Securing Decoction (百合固金汤 bǎi hé gù jīn tāng).

Intense stomach heat (胃热炽盛 wèi rè chì shèng): Emaciation due to intense stomach heat is associated with thirst with desire for fluids, increased eating and rapid hungering, heart vexation, bad breath, short voidings of reddish urine, dry bound stool, dry yellow tongue fur, and a forceful rapid stringlike pulse.

Medicinal therapy: Clear the stomach and drain fire. Use Jade Lady Brew (玉女煎 yù nǚ jiān).

Exuberant liver fire (肝火亢盛 gān huǒ kàng shèng): Emaciation due to exuberant liver fire is accompanied by vexation and agitation, agitation, and irascibility, dizzy head and vision, scorching pain in the rib-side, bitter taste in the mouth, red eyes, short voidings of reddish urine, dry bound stool, red tongue with yellow fur, and a stringlike rapid pulse.

Medicinal therapy: Clear the liver and drain fire. Use Gentian Liver-Draining Decoction (龙胆泻肝汤 lóng dǎn xiè gān tāng) and variations.

Worm accumulation (虫积 chóng jī): Emaciation due to worm accumulation is associated with withered-yellow facial complexion, clamoring stomach, intermittent umbilical pain, poor appetite, predilection for strange foods, sloppy stool, pale tongue with white fur, and a forceless weak pulse.

Medicinal therapy: Quiet and expel worms. Use Worm-Transforming Pill (化虫丸 huà chóng wán).