Qì desertion

A disease pattern chiefly characterized by weak faint breathing; incessant sweating; clouded spirit.

Description: Qì desertion is an extreme form of qì vacuity marked by weak faint irregular breathing; incessant sweating; gaping mouth and closed eyes; complete paralysis; clouded spirit; urinary and fecal incontinence; somber-white complexion; blue-green or purple lips; a pale tongue with moist white fur; a faint pulse. It is called qì desertion because it is understood as true qì discharging from the body.

Pathogenesis: Extremely depleted original suddenly is discharging from the body. It results from:

• critical worsening of qì vacuity or insecurity of qì;
• great sweating, great vomiting, great diarrhea, or great loss of blood;
• chronic hunger or overexertion;
• sudden contraction of severe evils.

Analysis of signs: Vacuity desertion varies depending on which viscus is affected.

• Heart qì desertion: Vacuity desertion of heart qì manifests in clouded spirit, a white complexion, and a faint fine pulse on the verge of expiration.
• Lung qì desertion: Vacuity desertion of lung qì is marked by raised-shoulder breathing or faint, weak, irregular breathing.
• Spleen qì desertion: Vacuity desertion of spleen qì is characterized by shedding of flesh and loss of bulk (severe, rapidly developing emaciation), incessant diarrhea, generalized paralysis; gaping mouth, closed eyes, and limp hands.
• Liver qì desertion: Vacuity desertion of liver qì (qì desertion affecting the liver) is marked by clouded vision and convulsions.
• Kidney qì desertion: Vacuity desertion of kidney qì is marked by seminal efflux and breathing difficulty.
• Tongue: Pale.
• Pulse: Faint, fine, on the verge of expiration.

Comparison: Yáng collapse, also called fulminant desertion of yáng qì (阳气暴脱 yáng qì bào tuō), is similarly critical, but differs by the presence of cold signs, such as cold pearly sweating and counterflow cold of the limbs. This is discussed in eight-principle pattern identification.

Treatment

Medicinal therapy: Boost qì and stem desertion using Ginseng and Aconite Decoction (参附汤 shēn fù tāng) or Pure Ginseng Decoction (独参汤 dú shēn tāng).

Acumoxatherapy: Supplement GV‑20 (bǎi huì), GV‑26 (shuǐ gōu), ST‑36 (zú sān lǐ), CV‑8 (shén què), CV‑4 (guān yuán), SP‑6 (sān yīn jiāo), and GV‑4 (mìng mén).