Basics of Pattern Differentiation

🧭Eight Principles (八綱)

Cold (寒) - Chills, slowness (→Qi Stagnation, Blood Stasis), slow pulse, clear fluids (runny nose, urine, phlegm), diarrhea, relieved by warmth.
Heat (熱) - Fever, vexation, rapid pulse, yellow fluids, constipation, relieved by cold.
Exterior (表) - Mainly acute diseases, skin (* Later on, only acute diseases are called exterior syndromes).
Interior (裏) - Mainly chronic diseases, internal organs.
Deficiency (虛) - Lack of good things (Zheng Qi, Blood, Essence).
Excess (實) - Excess of bad things (Cold, Damp, Qi Stagnation, Blood Stasis, Phlegm, etc).
* Does Liver Qi become a disease because it's too excess? - No, Liver excess patterns are Liver Qi Stagnation, Liver Blood Stasis, etc. (Five Element Acupuncture is separate).
Yin Deficiency (陰虛) - Blood def.+heat. Tidal fever, heat in the five centers, worse at night (all Yin deficiencies), night sweats, thready pulse.
Yang Deficiency (陽虛)(Qi Deficiency) - Qi def.+ coldness, dampness. Chills, edema, worse during the day, spontaneous sweating, deficient pulse.

* Yin-related issues are worse at night/afternoon; Yang-related are worse in the morning/day (sweat, fever, pain).

* Yang Qi Deficiency → Yin Excess (Cold, Damp) - Chills, edema / Yin Deficiency → Yang Excess (Dryness, Heat) - Dryness, heat symptoms.

* Yang Excess (High fever) → Yin Deficiency (Dryness) / Yin Excess (Cold, Damp) → Yang Qi Deficiency.

Blood Stasis (血瘀) - Stabbing pain, has substance, fixed, worse at night,anything purple, choppy pulse.
Blood Deficiency (血虛) - Pale (sallow) complexion, cold limbs, thready pulse.

Essence Deficiency (精虛) - Developmental delay, sexual dysfunction, premature aging.

* Shen is not very often referred to in pattern identification. Fluid deficiency generally corresponds to Yin deficiency.

Wind (風) - Fast (acute diseases are usually Wind, common cold), tremors, muscle cramps, convulsions (paralysis).
Dampness (濕) - Heaviness, related to Yang deficiency.

* Cold/Heat are in the Eight Principles, Dryness corresponds to Yin deficiency, Summer-Heat is not often dealt with in clinic.

Liver (肝) - Stores Blood, Spread Qi, emotions, muscles (movement, tendons), side of body, nails, eyes.
Heart (心) - Governs blood circulation, commands all mental activities, related to the tongue.
Spleen (脾) - Governs digestive functions, controls muscles (flesh, muscles), supplies post-heaven energy.
Lung (肺) - Governs respiratory functions, immune functions.
Kidney (腎) - Governs urinary/reproductive systems, the Gate of Vitality (Ming Men), stores Essence, related to the ears.

Liver Qi Stagnation - Emotional issues, flank pain, menstrual problems, wiry pulse + Qi Stagnation.
* Qi Stagnation (pain, distention) + Liver (menstruation, muscles, flanks) = Flank pain, menstrual pain, muscle pain.
Liver Fire Blazing Upwards - Anger, red eyes, temporal headache + Heat symptoms.
Liver Wind - Muscle spasms, hemiplegia, stroke.
Liver Blood Deficiency - Dizziness (tinnitus), blurry vision, weak nails, muscle weakness and spasms + Blood Deficiency.

Heart Fire Blazing - Palpitations, anxiety, tongue ulcers, dark urine, insomnia (agitation) + Heat symptoms.
Heart Blood Deficiency - Palpitations, anxiety + Blood Deficiency (pale complexion, cold limbs).
Heart Blood Stasis - Palpitations, anxiety, constricting pain in the heart area + Blood Stasis (stabbing pain, has substance, fixed, worse at night).

Spleen Qi Deficiency - Sallow complexion, poor appetite + Qi Deficiency.
Spleen Yang Deficiency - Spleen Qi Deficiency + chills, diarrhea, heaviness, edema.
Spleen Qi Sinking - Spleen Qi Deficiency + organ prolapse.
Spleen Not Containing Blood - Spleen Qi Deficiency + bleeding.
Stomach Yin Deficiency - Epigastric pain on an empty stomach, heartburn, dry mouth, stomatitis, thirst + Yin Deficiency (afternoon fever).
Food Stagnation in Stomach - Vomiting, bad breath, belching, epigastric pain.

* It's easier to think of the Stomach as part of the Spleen; other Fu organs are not as important.

Lung Qi Deficiency - Shortness of breath, cough, daytime sweating, weak immunity + Qi Deficiency.
Lung Yin Deficiency - Dry cough (no phlegm), dry throat + Yin Deficiency.
Lung Excess Patterns - Wind-Cold invading the Lung, Wind-Heat invading the Lung - Common cold (Wind, Heat, Cold).

Kidney Yang Deficiency - Lower back pain, knee pain, tinnitus, sexual dysfunction + Yang Deficiency (edema, chills), clear urine.
Kidney Yin Deficiency - Lower back pain, knee pain, tinnitus, sexual dysfunction + Yin Deficiency.
Kidney Essence Deficiency - Lower back pain, knee pain, tinnitus, sexual dysfunction + Children: developmental delay, Adults: aging.