Summary of TCM Courses
01
All Courses by Ni Haixia
02
Complete Guide to TCM Treatments for Common Diseases
03
Focused Study on TCM Topics
04
Online Reading of TCM Learning Books
1. What is Yang?
The Neijing states: “Yang receives qi from heaven to warm the skin and the flesh in between.” Gu Songyuan says: “All warmth in the body is Yang qi.” Zhang Cugong says: “The concept of returning Yang refers to restoring body temperature.” Based on the above, Yang refers to body temperature. However, Elder Li believes that Yang refers to the overall heat of the body, not just the temperature measured by a thermometer.
2. What is Yang Deficiency?
Elder Li believes that Yang deficiency means insufficient heat in the body.
3. Causes of Yang Deficiency
(1) Insufficient constitution.
(2) Excessive consumption of cold foods (the main cause of Spleen and Stomach Yang deficiency).
(3) Excessive sweating (the main cause of Wei Yang deficiency).
(4) Improper use of cold medicines.
(5) Excessive sexual activity (the main cause of Kidney Yang deficiency).
(6) Yin deficiency: Yin and Yang are interdependent; prolonged Yin deficiency will inevitably lead to Yang deficiency.
(7) Qi deficiency (Yang deficiency must be supplemented with Qi).
(8) Cold climate: wearing thin clothing (e.g., freezing to death indicates the death of Yang).
4. Types of Yang Deficiency
(1) Kidney Yang deficiency.
(2) Spleen Yang deficiency.
(3) Heart Yang deficiency.
(4) Lung Yang deficiency.
(5) Stomach Yang deficiency.
(6) Wei Yang deficiency.
(7) Liver Yang deficiency.
(8) Exterior Yang deficiency.
(9) Interior Yang deficiency.
(10) True Yang deficiency collapse.
(11) Excess Yin obstructing Yang (internally and externally).
(12) Bladder Yang deficiency.
(13) Yang collapse.
This article is from “Li Hanqing, One of the Hundred Renowned TCM Doctors”
5. Symptoms of Yang Deficiency
(1) General symptoms of Yang deficiency
Head: ① Headache (such as Yang deficiency headache), the top of the head feels icy. ② Red complexion (such as in Yang syndrome).
Sideburns: Sweating from the temples to the crown.
Face: Pale blue complexion, face white as if scraped, red face (like painted red), feeling heat in the face.
Eyes: Protruding eyes, dark eyes, fatigue in vision, eyes lacking luster, light in the eyes.
Ears: Tinnitus followed by deafness.
Nose: Nosebleeds.
Mouth: No thirst, foaming at the mouth, nausea and vomiting, although thirsty, unwilling to drink, excessive clear phlegm, vomiting blood, vomiting.
Tongue: Swollen tongue, tongue coating must be slippery.
Teeth: Loose teeth.
Throat: Swollen and painful throat.
Neck: Neck feels icy, thick neck.
Chest and sides: Stabbing pain in the chest and sides, fullness.
Abdomen: Abdominal pain, bloating, pain around the navel, lower abdominal pain like an egg moving up and down, hernia pain, intestinal colic, intestinal paralysis, abdominal pain with rumbling, abdominal muscle spasms.
Back: Coldness in the back.
Waist: Soreness and discomfort in the lower back.
Genitals: Coldness in the genital area, slippery white discharge, impotence, nocturnal emissions, cold uterus, scrotal edema.
Urination and defecation: Clear urine, urinary incontinence, long clear urine, urinary retention (bladder paralysis), loose stools, constipation, alternating diarrhea and constipation.
Limbs: Cold hands and feet, foot edema, soreness and discomfort in the waist and knees.
Whole body: Cold body, fear of cold, cyanosis all over, spontaneous sweating, excessive sweating, easy to catch colds, excessive cold, pockmarks sinking.
Mental state: Silence, lack of spirit, fatigue, and timidity.
Sensations: Excessive cold, feeling heat in the face.
Sleep: Curling up, irritable and sleepless during the day, calm at night.
Likes and dislikes: Likes heat, fears coolness, dislikes cold foods, prefers warm clothing, enjoys sunlight, likes hot food.
Pulse: Deep, thin, slow pulse, weak, floating, large without root, deep and thin on the right wrist.
Breathing: Wheezing, cold breath, cough.
Skin: Muscles feel like millet, edema, body heat, feeling cold between muscles and bones when pressed.
Muscles: Flesh (eye rim).
Tendons and bones: Tendons feel tight.
Blood: Coughing blood, nosebleeds must have black spots.
Intestines and stomach: Slightly cold food leads to diarrhea.
Diet: Reduced appetite, no thirst, or thirsty but unwilling to drink, although craving cold foods, but not eating (some may eat, but the tongue must not be dry).
Clothing: Even in hot months, do not part with warm clothing (some may wear cotton clothing).
Sexual activity: Reduced libido, groaning after sexual activity.
Note: The above symptoms indicate Yang deficiency (Yang deficiency leads to cold), and there may also be Yang deficiency fire not returning to the source, true cold and false heat, internal cold and external heat, leading to symptoms like vomiting, nosebleeds, and red face, so one cannot solely rely on one point to determine Yang deficiency; the main symptoms must be considered (Yang deficiency symptoms must also consider whether there is a false heat appearance).
(2) Main symptoms of Yang deficiency
Insufficient body temperature, fear of cold (including fear of wind and cold foods), cold hands and feet, clear urination, loose stools, moist tongue, deep, slow, thin, weak pulse, impotence, premature ejaculation, soreness and weakness in the waist and knees.
1. Headache: Often occurs in the morning, accompanied by other Yang deficiency symptoms, the head prefers to be wrapped in warm objects, and pain occurs when exposed to cold.
2. Light in the eyes: A sign of true Yang exposure. Whether awake or asleep, one sees light in the eyes.
3. Tinnitus followed by deafness: Kidney deficiency cannot store, Yin qi fills the Yang orifices, the pulse must be weak, suitable for Gui Fu Di Huang Wan with magnetite, Acorus calamus, and Cistanche.
4. Nausea and vomiting: Due to Kidney Yang deficiency, Yin fire surging upwards, suitable for Zheng Yuan Dan.
5. Foaming at the mouth: If it is Yin deficiency, the mouth must be thirsty.
6. Loose teeth: This is due to Kidney Yang deficiency, with deficiency fire rising (if taking cold medicine, it will worsen).
7. Diarrhea: Often occurs at dawn, or clear stools, or loose stools like duck droppings.
8. Constipation: There may be cold accumulation. There may be Kidney Yang deficiency with intestinal blockage.
9. Cold hands and feet: Sometimes cold, sometimes warm is not Yang deficiency; it must be carefully distinguished.
10. Cough: Yang deficiency cough is very rare. (Any chronic cold cough is Yang deficiency.)
11. Wheezing: Yang deficiency wheezing is rare. Yang deficiency wheezing often indicates a critical condition because it is a main symptom of true Yang collapse.
12. Alternating diarrhea and constipation: This is part of the three consumptions.
6. Diagnosis
1. It is essential to understand the main symptoms and general symptoms of Yang deficiency.
2. Yang deficiency must be compared and measured against Yin deficiency symptoms.
3. Yang deficiency must be compared and measured against Qi deficiency symptoms. In many cases, Yang deficiency and Qi deficiency are related, but they are actually different, so they must be distinguished.
7. Mechanism
Yang deficiency leads to Qi deficiency, Yang deficiency leads to blood deficiency, which cannot transform essence into Qi and blood. (The relationship between Yang and Qi, Qi belongs to Yang, and excess Qi transforms into fire.)
Yang deficiency leads to Yin deficiency: Yang generates Yin.
Yang deficiency leads to external cold: such as often fearing cold, easily catching cold pathogens (insufficient resistance).
Yang deficiency leads to turbid Yin rising: turbid Yin spreads, making it easy to develop cough and phlegm obstruction in the chest.
Yang deficiency with water rising leads to phlegm: Kidney Yang deficiency easily forms phlegm and fluid.
Yang deficiency prefers Yang assistance: such as light in the morning and heavy in the evening.
Yang deficiency leads to Yin escaping: resulting in significant vomiting and nosebleeds.
Yang deficiency leads to the inability of Yuan Qi to self-regulate: Yang collapse often leads to wheezing.
Spleen Yang deficiency leads to dampness not transforming.
8. Various Symptoms of Yang Deficiency
(1) Exterior Yang deficiency (Wei Yang deficiency): Main symptoms: spontaneous sweating and fear of cold (spontaneous sweating indicates Yang deficiency, feeling cold after sweating). Commonly used formulas: Huang Qi Liu Yi San or Yu Ping Feng San with Fu Zi (Qi deficiency add Ren Shen), Shao Yao Gan Cao Fu Zi Tang (after sweating, both Yin and Yang are deficient).
(2) Heart Yang deficiency: Deficiency of fire in the Heart Meridian. Causes: Water and fluids overcoming fire, excessive sweating, Liver not generating Wood, and the child cannot nourish the mother. Main symptoms: Feeling cold in the heart, palpitations, six pulses weak, after sweating, hands feel cold, palpitations wanting to be pressed. Commonly used formulas: Zhen Wu Tang, Ling Gui Zhu Gan Tang, Gui Zhi Gan Cao Tang.
(3) Kidney Yang deficiency: Deficiency of fire in the Mingmen. Causes: Congenital insufficiency, excessive sexual desire, excessive sweating, prolonged illness. The first two are the main causes. Main symptoms: Soreness and weakness in the waist and knees, cold in the genital area, slippery discharge, no children, urinary incontinence, edema, no tongue coating, pulse slow or floating large without root. Commonly used formulas: Gui Fu Shen Qi Wan, Er Jia Long Gu Tang.
(4) Lung Yang deficiency: Causes: External wind-cold not recovering for a long time, insufficient constitution, excessive cold food. Main symptoms: Cough, shortness of breath, expectorating clear phlegm, worsens slightly in cold weather or with cold food, but must be long-term (light in spring and summer, heavy in autumn and winter), or has main symptoms of Yang deficiency (cannot be confused with cough due to cold). Commonly used formulas: Bao Yuan Tang, Liu Jun Zi Tang with Gan Jiang and Wu Wei, for those with Kidney Yang deficiency, Zhen Wu, Shen Qi, etc.
(5) Liver Yang deficiency: Insufficient Liver fire. Caused by insufficient Mingmen fire and insufficient Heart fire. Main symptoms: Cold hernia, internal cold, mental exhaustion, nocturnal emissions. Commonly used formulas: Gui Gan Long Mu Tang, Dang Gui Si Ni Jia Wu Yu Sheng Jiang Tang.
(6) Spleen Yang deficiency: Excessive consumption of cold foods, excessive use of cold medicines for heat diseases. Main symptoms: Food and fluids not transforming, loose stools, phlegm and fluids stagnating, vomiting and coldness. Commonly used formulas: Liu Jun Zi Tang with Xiang Sha, Xiao Jian Zhong Tang, Li Zhong Tang, Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang.
9. Main Formulas and Usage for Yang Deficiency
1. Shen Fu Tang: Ren Shen one liang, Pao Fu Zi five qian, Sheng Jiang, Da Zao. Treats Kidney Yang deficiency with spontaneous sweating, wheezing, and cold limbs. (From Annotated Women’s Good Recipes)
2. Si Ni Jia Ren Shen Tang: Zhi Gan Cao two liang, Gan Jiang two and a half, Fu Zi one piece, Ren Shen one liang. Treats Kidney Yang deficiency with spontaneous sweating, wheezing, and cold limbs, with clear stools, pulse weak and about to collapse.
3. Si Ni Tang: Zhi Gan Cao two liang, Gan Jiang two and a half, Fu Zi one piece. Treats clear stools, cold limbs, and weak pulse.
4. Zhen Wu Tang: Ren Shen, Gan Jiang, Zhi Gan Cao each three liang, Bai Zhu one liang, Fu Zi one piece. Must also have difficulty urinating or see edema, palpitations, dizziness, cough, etc.
5. Li Zhong Tang: Ren Shen, Yu Jiang, Zhi Gan Cao, Bai Zhu each three liang. Treats Spleen and Stomach Yang deficiency, clear stools, abdominal fullness, no tenderness.
6. Wu Zhu Yu Tang: Wu Zhu Yu one sheng, Ren Shen three liang, Sheng Jiang six liang, Da Zao twelve pieces. Treats stomach cold, reduced appetite, nausea, or stomach and abdominal pain, sour regurgitation.
7. Liu Wei Hui Yang Yin: Ren Shen three qian to two liang, Pao Fu Zi, Pao Jiang each two to three qian, Zhi Gan Cao one qian, Shu Di five qian to one liang, Dang Gui three qian. Decoction for oral administration. Treats impending Yang collapse. (From Jing Yue Quan Shu: New Formulas of Eight Arrays)
8. Qi Fu Tang: Zhi Huang Qi four qian, Pao Fu Zi four qian, Sheng Jiang ten slices. Decoction for oral administration. Treats Wei Yang deficiency with spontaneous sweating. (From Chi Shui Xuan Zhu)
9. Ji Ji Tang: Shu Di, Shan Yu each one liang, Sheng Shan Yao, Sheng Long Gu, Niu Mu Li each six qian, Fu Ling, Bai Shao each three qian, Fu Zi one qian. Treats both Yin and Yang deficiency, wheezing, spontaneous sweating, eyes looking upwards, heart palpitations like a hanging flag, or nocturnal emissions, urinary incontinence, diarrhea, etc. (From Medical Records of Chinese and Western Medicine)
10. Li Yin Tang: Bai Zhu four qian, Gan Jiang five qian, Gui Zhi, Zhi Gan Cao, Fu Ling, Bai Shao each three qian, Fu Zi one qian. Treats heart and kidney Yang deficiency, Spleen dampness not rising, stomach depression not descending, fluid pathogens flooding, etc.
11. Hei Xi Dan: Treats Yang deficiency rising, wheezing, impending collapse, lower source cold, etc.
12. Fu Zi Tang: Fu Zi two pieces, Fu Ling three liang, Ren Shen two liang, Bai Zhu four liang, Shao Yao three liang. Treats Yang deficiency with internal cold and excessive dampness, limb and joint pain, etc.
13. Dun Fu Tang: Dang Shen, Shan Yu, Bu Guo Zhi (crushed in fire) each four qian, Wu Fu Zi, He Tao Ren each three qian, Sheng Shan Yao five qian, Fu Ling, Sheng Ji Nei Jin each one and a half qian. Treats Spleen and Kidney Yang deficiency, soreness and pain in the waist and knees, and early morning diarrhea, etc. (From Medical Records of Chinese and Western Medicine)
14. Zheng Yuan Dan: Treats decline of Mingmen fire, inability to generate earth, vomiting, coldness, chest fullness, red hot face, dizziness, and other symptoms of Yin fire surging upwards.
15. Xiao Jian Zhong Tang: Gui Zhi three qian, Zhi Gan Cao two qian, Da Zao two pieces, Bai Shao six qian, Sheng Jiang three qian, Yi Tang one liang. Treats deficiency labor with urgent symptoms, or deficiency labor with Yang deficiency fever symptoms.
Source: Yiping Pavilion
For neck, shoulder, waist, and leg pain, apply Hei Bai Tong.