Cold stagnating in the liver vessel

Also cold congealing in the liver vessel (寒凝肝脉 hán níng gān mài).

A disease pattern chiefly characterized by cold pain in the lesser abdomen, anterior yīn (genitals), and vertex; repletion cold signs.

Description: Cold pain in the lesser abdomen; sagging, distension, and pain in the genitals, in some cases, with painful retraction of the scrotum; physical cold and cold limbs exacerbated by exposure to cold and relieved by warmth; in some cases, cold vertex headache; somber-white facial complexion; a pale tongue with a white glossy fur; and a pulse that is sunken and stringlike or slow.

Pathogenesis: Externally contracted cold evil entering the liver channel to cause stagnation. Pre-existing yáng vacuity may be a factor, but the pattern is essentially one of repletion.

Analysis of signs

• Liver channel signs: Cold pain on the pathway of the liver channel, usually in the lower abdomen and genitals, and in some cases the vertex. The pain is exacerbated by cold and relieved by warmth.
• General repletion cold signs: Physical cold and cold limbs.
• Tongue: Pale tongue with glossy fur.
• Pulse: Sunken and tight or stringlike and tight.

Treatment

Medicinal therapy: Warm the liver and disperse cold. Use Liver-Warming Brew (暖肝煎 nuǎn gān jiān).

Acumoxatherapy: Base treatment mainly on CV and LR. Select CV-4 (Pass Head, 关元 guān yuán), CV-6 (Sea of Qì, 气海 qì hǎi), SP-6 (Three Yīn Intersection, 三阴交 sān yīn jiāo), and LR-1 (Large Pile, 大敦 dà dūn); needle with drainage; moxa can also be used, in large amounts if cold signs are pronounced. For physical cold and cold limbs, add ST-36 (Leg Three Lǐ, 足三里 zú sān lǐ) and CV-8 (Spirit Gate Tower, 神阙 shén què)^mx.

Compare liver cold. See also mounting.