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Liver-spleen disharmony
肝脾不和 〔肝脾不和〕gān pí bù hé
Also:
- Liver-spleen disharmony (肝脾不调) gān pí bù tiáo)
- Liver qì invading the spleen (肝气犯脾 gān qì fàn pí)
- Liver depression invading the spleen (肝郁犯脾 gān yù fàn pí)
- Liver depression and spleen vacuity (肝郁脾虚 gān yù pí xū), used when spleen vacuity is a major factor, as is often the case.
NB:
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
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
(木不疏土 mù bù shū tǔ) and
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
).
- Anger and frustration depressing liver qì, which moves cross-counterflow to invade the spleen. This is called
(depressed wood restraining the spleen restraining
here means overwhelming). - Excessive thought and preoccupation or taxation fatigue damaging the spleen, impairing its movement and transformation function. The resultant congestion creates a situation of
earth rebelling against wood .
Analysis of signs
- Liver qì depression: Distending pain in the chest and rib-side; oppression in the chest; frequent sighing; and emotional depression or impatience, agitation, and irascibility.
- Impairment of splenic movement and transformation: Torpid intake, abdominal distension, sloppy stool, ungratifying defecation, rumbling intestines, passing of flatus, and diarrhea heralded by abdominal pain that is relieved by defecation.
- Tongue fur: White.
- Pulse: Stringlike, possibly moderate.
Treatment
Medicinal therapy: Harmonize the spleen and stomach using Free Wanderer Powder (
Acumoxatherapy: