Supplementing yīn

Also boosting yīn; fostering yīn; nourishing yīn; enriching yīn. A method of treatment that addresses yīn vacuity (vacuity heat), characterized by slight heat effusion (low fever), heat in the hearts of the palms and soles (vexing heat in the five hearts), postmeridian heat effusion, dry mouth and throat, night sweating, emaciation, short voidings of yellow urine, red tongue with little or no fur, and a forceless fine rapid pulse.

Medicinal therapy: Agents commonly used to treat lung or stomach yīn vacuity include glehnia (Glehniae Radix, 北沙参 běi shā shēn), ophiopogon (Ophiopogonis Radix, 麦门冬 mài mén dōng), dendrobium (Dendrobii Herba, 石斛 shí hú), and Solomon’s seal (Polygonati Odorati Rhizoma, 玉竹 yù zhú).

The following medicinals clear heat as well as supplement yīn, and treat yīn vacuity in the recovery stage of externally contracted febrile disease: dried/fresh rehmannia (Rehmanniae Radix, 生地黄 shēng dì huáng), dendrobium (Dendrobii Herba, 石斛 shí hú), and scrophularia (Scrophulariae Radix, 玄参 xuán shēn).

Some medicinals have a stronger enriching effectand are generally used to treat liver-kidney yīn vacuity: dried/fresh rehmannia (Rehmanniae Radix, 生地黄 shēng dì huáng), ass hide glue (Asini Corii Colla, 阿胶 ē jiāo), asparagus (Asparagi Radix, 天门冬 tiān mén dōng), tortoise shell (Testudinis Carapax et Plastrum, 龟版 guī bǎn), and turtle shell (Trionycis Carapax, 鳖甲 biē jiǎ).

Some medicinals used to treat liver-kidney yīn vacuity have a lesser enriching effect, but have the advantage of supplementing without being glutinous: ligustrum (Ligustri Lucidi Fructus, 女贞子 nǚ zhēn zǐ), eclipta (Ecliptae Herba, 墨旱莲 mò hàn lián), and mulberry (Mori Fructus, 桑椹 sāng shèn).

Agents used to nourish heart, lung, and kidney yīn include ophiopogon (Ophiopogonis Radix, 麦门冬 mài mén dōng), lily bulb (Lilii Bulbus, 百合 bǎi hé), scrophularia (Scrophulariae Radix, 玄参 xuán shēn), and arborvitae seed (Platycladi Semen, 柏子仁 bǎi zǐ rén).

Representative formulas include: Anemarrhena, Phellodendron, and Rehmannia Pill (知柏地黄丸 zhī bǎi dì huáng wán) and Major Yīn Supplementation Pill (大补阴丸 dà bǔ yīn wán), which treats yīn vacuity with effulgent fire; Humor-Increasing Decoction (增液汤 zēng yè tāng), which is mostly used in febrile diseases where heat evil is still present and yīn humor is already showing signs of vacuity; and Stomach-Nourishing Decoction (养胃汤 yǎng wèi tāng), which engenders liquid and nourishes the stomach and is mostly used in the treatment of stomach yīn vacuity after illness.

Acumoxatherapy: Point selection varies according to pattern:

• For lung yīn vacuity, base treatment mainly on LU and KI. Select BL-13 (Lung Transport, 肺俞 fèi shù), BL-43 (Gāo-Huāng Transport, 膏肓俞 gāo huāng shù), LU-5 (Cubit Marsh, 尺泽 chǐ zé), and KI-6 (Shining Sea, 照海 zhào hǎi); needle with supplementation.
• For stomach yīn vacuity, base treatment mainly on ST, SP, and KI. Select BL-21 (Stomach Transport, 胃俞 wèi shù), KI-6 (Shining Sea, 照海 zhào hǎi), ST-36 (Leg Three Lǐ, 足三里 zú sān lǐ), and SP-6 (Three Yīn Intersection, 三阴交 sān yīn jiāo); needle with supplementation.
• For liver-kidney yīn vacuity, base treatment mainly on KI and LR. Select BL-23 (Kidney Transport, 肾俞 shèn shù), BL-18 (Liver Transport, 肝俞 gān shù), KI-3 (Great Ravine, 太溪 tài xī), LR-3 (Supreme Surge, 太冲 tài chōng), BL-52 (Will Chamber, 志室 zhì shì), KI-6 (Shining Sea, 照海 zhào hǎi), and SP-6 (Three Yīn Intersection, 三阴交 sān yīn jiāo); needle with supplementation and add moxa.
• For heart yīn vacuity, base treatment mainly on back transport points, HT, PC, and CV. Select BL-15 (Heart Transport, 心俞 xīn shù), BL-20 (Spleen Transport, 脾俞 pí shù), BL-17 (Diaphragm Transport, 膈俞 gé shù), PC-6 (Inner Pass, 内关 nèi guān), HT-7 (Spirit Gate, 神门 shén mén), SP-6 (Three Yīn Intersection, 三阴交 sān yīn jiāo), KI-3 (Great Ravine, 太溪 tài xī), and KI-6 (Shining Sea, 照海 zhào hǎi); needle with supplementation.

Point selection according to signs:

• For vacuity heat, add KI-2 (Blazing Valley, 然谷 rán gǔ), KI-1 (Gushing Spring, 湧泉 yǒng quán), and HT-8 (Lesser Mansion, 少府 shào fǔ).
• For night sweating, add HT-6 (Yīn Cleft, 阴郄 yīn xī), LI-4 (Union Valley, 合谷 hé gǔ), and SI-3 (Back Ravine, 后溪 hòu xī).
• For insomnia or vexation, add HT-7 (Spirit Gate, 神门 shén mén), HT-5 (Connecting Lǐ, 通里 tōng lǐ), and HT-8 (Lesser Mansion, 少府 shào fǔ).

Compare consolidating yīn; strengthening yīn. See supplementation.