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Spleen-kidney yáng vacuity
脾肾阳虚 〔脾腎陽虛〕pí shèn yáng xū
A disease pattern chiefly characterized by cold pain in the lumbus and abdomen; clear-grain diarrhea; fifth-watch diarrhea; puffy swelling; vacuity cold signs.
Description: Fear of cold and cold limbs; cold aching lumbus and knees; cold pain in the lower abdomen; enduring diarrhea; fifth-watch diarrhea; grain failing to transform; clear cold stool; puffy swelling of the whole body; inhibited urination; bright-white facial complexion; pale enlarged tongue; glossy white tongue fur; a pulse that is sunken, slow and forceless.
Diseases: Vacuity taxation; diarrhea; dysentery; water swelling; drum distension; wilting patterns; bloody stool.
Pathogenesis: Insufficiency of yáng qì affecting the spleen and kidney.
The spleen is the root of later heaven (acquired constitution), whereas the kidney is the root of earlier heaven (congenital constitution). The functions of the spleen and kidney are closely interrelated. On the one hand, the spleen’s ability to move and transform the essence of grain and water depends on the warming action of kidney yáng. On the other hand, the spleen and kidney are both involved in water metabolism.
- Enduring disease damaging both spleen yáng and kidney yáng simultaneously.
- Spleen disease affecting the kidney: Enduring diarrhea or dysentery causing damage to the yáng qì of the spleen, which in turn damages kidney yáng.
- Kidney disease affecting the spleen: Kidney yáng vacuity water flooding and affecting the yáng qì of the spleen.
| Comparison Between Heart-Kidney Yáng Vacuity and Spleen-Kidney Yáng Vacuity | ||
|---|---|---|
| Heart-Kidney Yīn Vacuity | Spleen-Kidney Yáng Vacuity | |
| Common Signs | Signs of yáng vacuity and water-damp: Fear of cold and cold limbs, pale enlarged tongue, glossy white tongue fur. Kidney yáng vacuity signs: Limp aching lumbus and knees, inhibited urination, water swelling. | |
| Differences | Heart palpitation or fearful throbbing, oppression in the chest, panting, and green-blue or purple facial complexion. | Enduring diarrhea or dysentery, grain failing to transform. |
Analysis of signs
- Spleen deprived of kidney yáng’s warmth: Enduring diarrhea; grain failing to transform or clear-grain diarrhea; fifth-watch diarrhea.
- Water-damp collecting internally and spilling out into the flesh: Inhibited urination with puffy swelling of the face and limbs, abdominal distension, and in severe cases
water drum
(ascites). - Spleen and kidney yáng vacuity: Fear of cold; physical cold and cold limbs; bright-white facial complexion; listlessness of essence-spirit; and cold pain in the lumbus and knees.
- Tongue: Pale and enlarged with a white glossy tongue fur.
- Pulse: Sunken, slow, forceless, or weak.
Comparison: See table.
Treatment
Medicinal therapy: Warm and supplement the spleen and kidney. Use
Acumoxatherapy: Base treatment mainly on back transport points, CV, SP, ST, and KI. Select
Point selection according to signs: For cold pain in the lumbus and knees, add