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Chest pain
胸痛 〔胸痛〕xiōng tòng
Also pain in the chest. From heart pain
was often used to denote pain in the pit of the stomach. As a result, the terms chest pain,
heart pain,
and stomach duct pain
have been confused. Chest pain proper (not including stomach duct pain) is attributed to heart qì vacuity, congealing cold with stagnant qì, heart blood stasis obstruction, dual vacuity of qì and yīn, phlegm turbidity obstruction, or pulmonary welling-abscess. For scorching pain in the chest and rib-side, see liver fire invading the lung.
Biomedical correspondence: pneumonia; pleurisy; intercostal neuralgia; coronary heart disease.
Patterns
Heart qì vacuity (心气虚 xīn qì xū): Chest pain due to heart qì vacuity is an intermittent dull pain of varying severity, with oppression in the chest, heart palpitation, shortness of breath, spontaneous sweating, and fatigue, all exacerbated following physical exertion, as well as bright-white facial complexion, pale tongue, and a pulse that is fine or forceless, vacuous, and large.
Medicinal therapy: Supplement heart qì. Use variations of
Acumoxatherapy: Base treatment mainly on CV and PC. Main points:
Congealing cold with stagnant qì (寒凝气滞 hán níng qì zhì): congealing cold with stagnant qì is due to heart yáng vacuity. It is therefore similar to heart qì vacuity, but is marked by pronounced cold signs. It causes chest pain of varying severity, with distension and oppression. In severe cases, the pain stretches into the back, left shoulder, and arm. Other signs include somber-white complexion, spontaneous sweating, fear of cold, cold limbs (or reverse flow), a moist pale tongue that may be enlarged and have dental impressions, and a deep slow or bound intermittent pulse.
Medicinal therapy: Warm and free heart yáng. Use
Acumoxatherapy: To the main points given above, add
Heart blood stasis obstruction (心血瘀阻 xīn xuè yū zǔ): Heart blood stasis obstruction is a pattern of right vacuity and evil repletion, developing as a result of heart qì or heart yáng vacuity. It causes acute, usually stabbing chest pain of fixed location. In severe cases, it comes in sudden attacks, like the cutting of a knife, accompanied by a cold sweat, heart palpitation or fearful throbbing, and fear. After attacks, the patient is fatigued and listless. The tongue is green-blue or purple, dark and dull, sometimes with stasis macules. The pulse is sunken and fine, or rough, or bound and intermittent.
Medicinal therapy: Quicken the blood and transform stasis. Use
Acumoxatherapy: To the main points given above, add
Dual vacuity of qì and yīn (气阴两虚 qì yīn liǎng xū): Chest pain from dual vacuity of qì and yīn is a continuous pain of varying severity associated with palpation, profuse dreaming and insomnia, spontaneous sweating, shortness of breath, and panting that are markedly exacerbated by physical exertion. There is a subjective feeling of heat effusion, a dry red tongue with scant fur and little liquid, yellow or reddish urine, and a forceless fine or rapid or bound or intermittent pulse.
Medicinal therapy: Boost qì and nourish yīn. Use
Acumoxatherapy: To the main points given above, add
Phlegm turbidity obstruction (痰浊阻遏 tán zhuó zǔ è): Chest pain due to phlegm turbidity obstruction is associated with cough and copious phlegm (clear thin phlegm-drool or thick and sticky), and shortness of breath or panting. In severe cases, the pain stretches through to the back and prevents the patient from lying flat. The tongue fur is white and moist or glossy, and the pulse is slippery.
Medicinal therapy: Transform phlegm and free yáng. Use
Acumoxatherapy: To the main points given above, add
Pulmonary welling-abscess (肺痈 fèi yōng): The main characteristics are a dull pain and coughing up of yellow phlegm that may contain pus and blood and that is fishy smelling. There is a dry mouth and thirst with no desire to drink. There may also be vexation and fullness, sweating, and sudden bouts of aversion to cold with heat effusion. The tongue is red and the pulse is slippery or slippery and rapid.
Medicinal therapy: Clear heat and push out pus. Use