Theory Time

I think it's prudent to discuss the topics with which I am not as familiar with or don't use in daily clinic that are probably going to be tested.  Theories like 5 element theory are best memorized with a chart which I can't reproduce here in the blog, but I've got a good one that I put together for an acupressure course I wrote.  

What I really need to get into are the theories of point selection with regards to the TCM syndromes, but they will have to wait for a while yet.

The Great Law of Zang-Fu.

Each of the organs has it's main responsibilities in the body, or an Official Function.  In TCM, they actually came up with political figures to go with each organ!  So the next time you vote, keep some of these in mind:

Heart:  Supreme Controller or Emperor, concerned with circulation of blood and mental activity

Small Intestine:  The separator of the pure and impure (sounds like a judge to me), concerned with separation of the essence from food and transport of waste to the large intestine

Pericardium:  The protector of the Emperor, concerned with circulation of blood and mental activity

SanJiao:  The controller of temperature (and internal environment), maintains homeostasis of the body

Liver:  The official for judgement and planning:  concerned with bile secretion and transport, regulation, storage and transport of blood.

Gall Bladder:  The official for decision making, storage of bile, mental activity

Lung:  Receiver of Qi from the heavens, respiration

Large Intestine: The official for draining the dregs, excretion of wastes

Stomach:  The official for rotting and ripening (can I have that job?), ingestion, digestion and transport of food and water

Spleen:  The official for transport and distribution, digestion, water metabolism, circulation of blood, immunity

Kidney:  The controller of the storage of vital energy, regulation of blood pressure, growth of bone, cartilage, teeth, nails, head hair.  Also the promotion of new life as an extension of the genital functions.

Urinary Bladder:  The controller of water, water balance and genital functions

Each of the paired organs is responsible for a set of tissues and sense organs:

Lu/Li, skin, body hair, nose, check skin for whiteness and disorder

H/P/Si/Sj, brain, blood vessels, displays on the tongue, mouth red is imbalance color

Sp/St, soft tissues, four limbs, mouth, check lips for yellow or brown

Liv/Gb, muscles/tendons, eyes, nails show condition, look for green/blue colors for imbalance K/Ub, bone, cartilage, nails, teeth, head hair, opens to ears, inside of forearm for black!

For each organ, there is also a major emotion attached, a sound of the voice and a fluid

Lu/Li, Sadness, sobbing, mucus

H/P/Si/Sj, Joy, laughing, sweat

Sp/St, Anxiety, singing, lymph

Liv/Gb, Anger, shouting, tears

K/Ub, fear, groaning, saliva


So if someone comes into the clinic with a really loud voice, I know that their liver is out of balance.