The human body is a unity of Yin and Yang; only with a balance of Yin and Yang can the body be healthy; otherwise, the body will become ill.This article summarizes the conditions of Yin-Yang imbalance in the human body, understanding which may be beneficial for learning and understanding Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).First: Diagram of normal Yin-Yang balance in the human body.
Explanation: In a normal person, the Yin and Yang energies on the left and right are equal, and they mutually restrain each other; the energies above and below are also comparable and can mutually restrain each other.Second: Diagram of pure Kidney Yang deficiency energy
Pulse: Six pulses are normal, but the right side is deep, thin, and weak.Pathogenesis: Kidney Yang deficiency.Clinical manifestations: Mental fatigue, fear of cold, cold limbs, soreness in the lower back and knees, coolness of the penis and testicles, or spontaneous sweating, decreased libido, impotence, premature ejaculation, and clear, prolonged urination.Treatment: Warm and tonify Kidney Yang.Third: Diagram of pure Kidney Yin deficiency energy
Pulse: Six pulses are normal, but the left side is deep, thin, and weak.Pathogenesis: Kidney Yin deficiency.Clinical manifestations: Soreness and pain in the lower back and knees, dizziness, tinnitus, insomnia with vivid dreams; men may experience easy erection and nocturnal emissions, while women may have scanty menstruation or continuous bleeding; emaciation, tidal fever, night sweats, five hearts heat, dry throat, flushed cheeks, yellow urine, and dry stools, with a red tongue and little coating.Treatment: Nourish Kidney Yin.Fourth: Both Kidney Yin and Yang deficiency
Pulse: Both left and right wrist pulses are deep, thin, and weak.Pathogenesis: Both Kidney Yin and Yang deficiency.Clinical manifestations: Five hearts heat, night sweats or spontaneous sweating, cold limbs, nocturnal emissions, insomnia, and vivid dreams.Treatment: Tonify both Yin and Yang.Fifth: Qi deficiency
Pulse: Right cun pulse is thin and weak.Pathogenesis: Lung Qi deficiency.Clinical manifestations: The main symptoms include cough, fatigue, fear of wind, and spontaneous sweating. Commonly seen in cough, asthma, spontaneous sweating, as well as chronic bronchitis, bronchiectasis, emphysema, and cor pulmonale in Western medicine.Treatment: Tonify Lung Qi.Sixth: Blood deficiency
Pulse: Left cun pulse is thin and weak.Pathogenesis: Heart Blood deficiency.Clinical manifestations: Palpitations, irritability, easy fright, insomnia, forgetfulness, dizziness, pale complexion, pale lips and tongue, and thin, weak pulse.Treatment: Nourish Heart Blood.Seventh: Both Qi and Blood deficiency
Pulse: Both left and right cun pulses are thin and weak.Pathogenesis: Both Qi and Blood deficiency.Clinical manifestations: Dull complexion, dizziness, palpitations, shortness of breath, and feeling cold.Treatment: Tonify Qi and nourish Blood.Eighth: Heart and Kidney Yang deficiency
Pulse: Left cun pulse is deep and thin, right chi pulse is deep and weak or slippery.Pathogenesis: Heart and Kidney Yang deficiency (insufficient warming and movement, leading to blood stasis and internal retention of water and dampness).Clinical manifestations: Cold limbs, palpitations, difficulty urinating, limb edema, or cyanosis of lips and nails, pale or dark tongue, white slippery coating; commonly seen in Western medicine as fatigue syndrome.Treatment: Warm the meridians, promote circulation, warm Yang, and promote urination.Ninth: Heart and Spleen deficiency
Pulse: Left cun pulse is thin and weak, right guan pulse is thin and weak.Pathogenesis: Heart and Spleen deficiency.Clinical manifestations: Palpitations, difficulty sleeping with vivid dreams, forgetfulness, reduced appetite, loose stools, fatigue, or symptoms of uterine bleeding, blood in stools, and subcutaneous bleeding.Treatment: Tonify Qi, strengthen the Spleen, nourish Blood, and calm the spirit.Tenth: Liver Qi stagnation and Spleen deficiency
Pulse: Left guan pulse is blocked, right guan pulse is thin and weak.Pathogenesis: Liver Qi stagnation and Spleen deficiency.Clinical manifestations: Chest and flank fullness and pain, sighing, emotional depression, irritability, reduced appetite, abdominal distension, borborygmi, loose stools, or abdominal pain with relief after defecation, or irregular stools. Commonly seen in Western medicine as hepatitis B, superficial gastritis, and menopausal syndrome.Treatment: Soothe the Liver and strengthen the Spleen.Eleventh: Liver Qi stagnation and Spleen obstruction (Middle Jiao obstruction type)
Pulse: Both left and right pulses are blocked.Pathogenesis: Liver Qi stagnation and Spleen obstruction.Clinical manifestations: Emotional depression, anxiety, insomnia, alternating chills and fever, dry mouth and bitter taste, visual and auditory disturbances, reduced appetite, fatigue, flank pain, abdominal distension, breast swelling, menstrual irregularities, dysmenorrhea, and accumulation of masses, as well as stubborn constipation.Treatment: Soothe the Liver and promote Spleen function.Twelfth: Qi and Blood counterflow
Pulse: Both left and right pulses show an upward trend, with slippery or stringy pulses.Pathogenesis: Qi and Blood both ascend.Clinical manifestations: Heaviness in the head and lightness in the feet, throbbing pain on both sides of the head, weakness in the lower limbs, insomnia, irritability, bitter taste in the mouth, and elevated blood pressure.Treatment: Drain upward and tonify downward; nourish Yin and subdue Yang.Thirteenth: Great Qi descent
Pulse: Both left and right pulses show a downward trend, deep, slow, and weak, especially at the guan position.Pathogenesis: Great Qi descent.Clinical manifestations: Great Qi descent in the chest, shortness of breath, and difficulty breathing. May also present with effortful breathing, resembling asthma, or near cessation of breath, indicating imminent danger. Accompanying symptoms may include alternating chills and fever, dry throat, thirst, fullness and heaviness, confusion, and forgetfulness; the pulse is deep, slow, and weak, especially at the guan position.Treatment: Raise Yang and lift the descent.Fourteenth: Left conquering right type (Fire conquering Metal)
Pulse: Left cun pulse is floating and solid, right cun pulse is thin and soft.Pathogenesis: Excessive Heart Fire, insufficient Lung Qi.Clinical manifestations: Insomnia with vivid dreams, irritability, yellowish urine, shortness of breath, migraine, cough, and asthma… This pulse pattern can also be seen in Western medicine as cardiac asthma.Treatment: Clear Heart Fire, drain heat, strengthen the Spleen, and benefit the Lung.Fifteenth: Right conquering left type (Metal conquering Wood type)
Pulse: Right cun pulse is floating and solid, left guan pulse is blocked (caused by Metal conquering Wood); left cun pulse is thin and soft (Wood does not generate Fire).Pathogenesis: Lung and Stomach Qi stagnation, Metal restraining Wood; Liver Wood does not generate Heart Fire.Clinical manifestations: Chronic pharyngitis, gastroesophageal reflux disease, and cor pulmonale.Treatment: Drain Lung Qi, descend Stomach Qi, soothe Liver Qi, and tonify Heart Qi.
