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Liver-spleen disharmony

肝脾不和 〔肝脾不和〕gān pí bù hé

Also:

NB: liver qì invading the spleen and liver depression and spleen vacuity are slightly different in their manifestations and treatment.

A disease pattern chiefly characterized by distension, fullness, and scurrying pain in the chest and rib-side; frequent sighing; torpid intake; abdominal distension; sloppy stool, arising as a result of liver qì moving cross counterflow to affect the spleen.

Description: Distension and fullness and scurrying pain in the chest and rib-side; sighing; affect-mind depression; in some cases, impatience, agitation, and irascibility; torpid intake; abdominal distension; rumbling intestines; passing of flatus; sloppy stool; ungratifying defecation; in some cases, diarrhea heralded by abdominal pain relieved by defecation; stool that is sometimes bound and sometimes sloppy; white tongue fur; a pulse that is stringlike, possibly moderate.

Diseases: Diarrhea; rib-side pain; drum distension; abdominal pain; menstrual irregularities; vaginal discharge.

Pathogenesis: Depressed liver qì complicating impaired splenic movement and transformation.

The relationship between the liver and spleen primarily concerns the mutual influence between the liver’s free coursing and the spleen’s movement and transformation. If the liver’s free coursing action is impaired, it not only fails to support the spleen’s upbearing action but hampers it. This is often referred to as wood failing to course earth (木不疏土 mù bù shū tǔ) and liver qì running cross-counterflow to invade the spleen. The spleen is particularly susceptible to this when its qì is insufficient and spleen movement and transformation are impaired (hence the alternate name liver depression and spleen vacuity).

Analysis of signs

Treatment

Medicinal therapy: Harmonize the spleen and stomach using Free Wanderer Powder (逍遥散 xiāo yáo sǎn) or Pain and Diarrhea Formula (痛泻要方 tòng xiè yào fāng).

Acumoxatherapy: LR‑3 (tài chōng), LR‑2 (xíng jiān), BL‑18 (gān shù), GB‑34 (yáng líng quán), ST‑36 (zú sān lǐ), BL‑20 (pí shù), SP‑9 (yīn líng quán), and SP‑3 (tài bái).

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