The Art and Practice of Diagnosis in Chinese Medicine by Ching Nigel; Halpin Jeremy;

Author:Ching, Nigel; Halpin, Jeremy;
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780857012678
Publisher: Jessica Kingsley Publishers
Published: 2017-04-28T16:00:00+00:00

Phlegm can be caused by the following patterns of imbalance

•Spleen qi xu

•Lung qi xu

•Dampness

•Yang xu

•Yin xu

•Heat

•Cold

•Qi stagnation

•Xue stagnation

•Food stagnation

Phlegm can result in the following patterns of imbalance

•Heat

•Qi stagnation

•Xue stagnation

•Spleen qi xu

•Lung qi xu

Xue stagnation

Xue should flow freely and unhindered throughout the body. Xue can stagnate for a variety of reasons. Xue and qi have an extremely close relationship, with xue being dependent on qi for its movement. This means that qi stagnation can result directly in xue stagnation. Qi xu can also be a cause of xue stagnation when qi lacks the strength to circulate and spread xue. In this way, xue xu can also be the cause of xue stagnation. The movement of xue can also be blocked by Phlegm and by physical traumas, including surgery, because when there is physical trauma or surgery xue will leave the vessels, will no longer be circulated by qi and will therefore stagnate. Heat can ‘condense’ xue so that it becomes sticky and clots. Cold can freeze and congeal xue.

Just as Phlegm and Dampness have none of the moistening or lubricating qualities that jinye has, xue stagnation has none of the moistening and nourishing qualities that physiological xue has. In fact, stagnant xue blocks the passage of qi and xue in the cou li (the microscopic spaces in the tissue) and thereby prevents fresh, nutritious xue from circulating to or through an area. This means that some of the symptoms and signs of xue stagnation and xue xu can be very similar. There is, though, a significant difference between them, which is that the signs of xue xu will be limited to a very localised area and will not be systemic, as is the case when there is xue stagnation.

In China, many doctors focus on treating xue stagnation in elderly patients. This is because xue stagnation is part of the ageing process and xue stagnation is often a consequence of most chronic imbalances. The consequences of xue stagnation can often be observed in elderly patients. Their movements can be stiff and painful, and they often have visible signs of xue stagnation in the form of spider naevi and visible purple capillaries in the skin.

Like Phlegm, xue stagnation is something that is very common, but many people overlook it when they diagnose. This is because, like Phlegm, the symptoms and signs that are described in Chinese textbooks are slightly over-simplified and gross. In reality, a diagnosis of xue stagnation will be based on many small signs and symptoms that are less tangible and thus more difficult to spot unless you consciously search for them

One of the main symptoms that Chinese textbooks define as being characteristic of xue stagnation is pain that is stabbing, sharp or piercing in character. The pain will be fixed, localised to a specific place and will not move about. The pain has this character because xue stagnation creates a physical blockage that prevents the movement of qi, xue and jinye. This results in qi accumulating in a small and limited area where it cannot circulate.

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