Liver-Yang deficiency

A secondary syndrome might be a coexisting syndrome that is less important at the time of treatment. For example, in an acute condition of Liver-Yang ascending and generating Liver-wind, the patient may also have a syndrome of Spleen-Qi deficiency but this is less important for treatment in this acute condition. 

When patients suffer from chronic liver or kidney disease, the selection of the herbs and their dosages should be determined carefully to avoid placing an unnecessary workload on these weakened organs. At the same time, herbs that protect these organs and promote their function should also be included. For instance, acute or chronic liver diseases are mainly differentiated into a syndrome consisting of Spleen-Qi deficiency, damp-heat and heat-toxin accumulation, and herbs that treat this syndrome can be used. Chronic kidney diseases are mainly differentiated as Kidney-Yang and Spleen-Yang deficiency, dampness accumulation and heat-toxin in the blood. Herbs that treat this syndrome should be used in appropriate doses to help restore kidney function. 

Before receiving drug treatment, patients with hypertension often have a syndrome of Liver-Yang ascending with Kidney-Yin and Liver-Yin deficiency. 

The drugs for treating hypertension can quickly descend the Qi and Yang of Liver, but they may suppress the Liver-Qi. They may also slow down water metabolism and blood circulation. Therefore the syndrome can change into one of Liver-Qi stagnation with Kidney-Yin and Liver-Yin deficiency, or Liver-Qi stagnation with dampness accumulation in the Middle-Jiao. 

In this section, the strategies of composing the formulas that tonify the Heart-blood and Liver-blood are discussed because they are common syndromes. The related Spleen disorder is discussed in Section 1, Syndrome of Spleen-Qi deficiency, the related Lung disorders are discussed in Section 2, Syndrome of Lung-Qi deficiency and Section 6, Syndrome of Lung-Yin deficiency, and the related Kidney disorder is introduced in Sections 10 and 11, Syndrome of Kidney-Yin deficiency and Syndrome of Kidney-Yang deficiency, respectively. 

Dang Gui and Bai Shao Yao are very often used together as a pair of herbs in the formula, as Dang Gui concerns the functional aspect of blood and Bai Shao Yao concerns the substantial aspect of blood. The former is called a Yang herb and the latter a Yin herb in this situation. They can effectively treat Liver-blood deficiency. 

This is a formula devised for treating Liver-Yin deficiency with empty-heat and stagnation of the Liver-Qi. The symptoms are dizziness, tinnitus, hot flushes, irritability, palpitations and irregular menstruation. The tongue is red without coating and the pulse is thready, wiry and rapid. These symptoms indicate that the Yin of the Liver is seriously consumed, and is no longer able to hold the Yang. Moreover, the Kidney-Yin is also injured at the time of Liver-Yin deficiency. 

The syndrome of Liver-Yang ascending is caused mainly by Liver-Yin deficiency. It often exists in people who are over 50 years old when the Yin of the Liver becomes weak with age people who are under persistent stress where the restrained heat in the Liver may easily injure the Yin people who suffer from chronic diseases, use certain medicines or have a dietary habit that leads to injury of the Liver-Yin. 

This formula is able to pacify the Liver-wind, clear heat and invigorate blood. It is used for treating the common syndrome or chronic condition of Liver-wind disturbance in a condition of Liver-Yin deficiency with Liver-Yang ascending. The main symptoms are headache, dizziness, irritability and... 

Indications Liver/kidney yin deficiency, liver yang ascendancy, qi and blood counterflow and chaos. Wind stroke, convulsions, epilepsy, cerebrovascular accident, aphasia, apraxia, renal hypertension, essential hypertension, hypertensive encephalopathy, cerebral arteriosclerosis, arteriosclerotic heart disease, hyperthyroidism, premenstrual tension, postpartum fever with spasms and convulsions, and glaucoma... 

Third, Yin deficiency may trigger a tendency of Yang ascending that causes severe headache, a red face, dizziness, vertigo and tingling of the limbs. If the condition is not treated in time, it may develop into Liver-wind syndrome. 

Bie Jia is salty and cold, and enters the Liver meridians. It is able to nourish the Yin and reduce empty-heat, and is particularly selected in the formula to treat severe warm palms and soles, bone steaming and night sweats due to severe Yin deficiency with ascending of the Yang and heat of the Liver. As use of this substance is now forbidden, a substitute is recommended. 

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