Six extremes

From Essential Prescriptions of the Golden Cabinet (金匮要略 jīn guì yào lüè, zàng fǔ jīng luò xī hòu bìng mài). Six extreme forms of vacuity detriment affecting the blood, sinews, flesh, qì, bone, and essence. Each is identifiable by signs:

Patterns

• extreme of the blood (血极 xuè jí) by hair loss and forgetfulness;
• extreme of the sinew (筋急 jīn jí) by hypertonicity;
• extreme of the flesh (肉极 ròu jí) by wasting of the flesh and withered-yellow facial complexion;
• extreme of qì (气极 qì jí) by shortness of breath and rapid panting;
• extreme of the bone (骨极 gǔ jí) by loose teeth and wilting legs;
• extreme of essence (精极 jīng jí) by dark vision and tinnitus.