Spleen-Qi deficiency

This book mainly considers individual syndromes, such as the syndrome of Spleen-Qi deficiency, and it discusses the composition of individualized formulas, such as a formula to tonify the Spleen-Qi. In practice, a syndrome can be much more complicated. The sections on Common accompanying symptoms and treatment offer more possibilities for herb selection in complicated situations. To treat a syndrome with different kinds of secondary syndromes, such as Spleen-Qi deficiency with dampness accumulation or food accumulation, a practitioner should consult different chapters to compose an effective formula. 

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. 

In TCM, hypothyroidism is considered a syndrome of Spleen-Qi deficiency and accumulation of dampness or damp-phlegm in the body. Although western drugs may help to keep thyroid hormone levels normal, symptoms such as tiredness, coldness, weight gain and constipation may still exist. In the differentiation of the syndrome, many patients still show signs of Spleen-Qi deficiency and accumulation of dampness in the body, therefore treatment should be given to tonify the Spleen-Qi, activate Qi movement and leach out dampness. 

Bai Bian Dou not only has a very gentle function of tonifying the Spleen-Qi but is also able to transform dampness. Because it is an astringent herb it can stabilize the fluid in the intestines. This herb is particularly useful for treating chronic diarrhea due to Spleen-Qi deficiency and dampness accumulation in the Middle-Jiao. 

The main substances of the body are the Qi and essence that further generate blood, body fluids, Yin and Yang. In pathological conditions, the deficiency often shows four aspects, namely deficiency of the Qi, deficiency of the blood, deficiency of the Yin and deficiency of the Yang. The deficiency can be found in specific organs, such as Kidney-Yin deficiency, Spleen-Qi deficiency or Heart-blood deficiency. A deficiency syndrome also exists in patients with a weak constitution or those in the recovery period of disease, in elderly people or in children. In those situations, it is difficult to determine which organ is weak and which part should be tonified, as the general condition of the patient is weak. 

Spleen-Qi deficiency may weaken the strength of the muscles and cause tiredness, heaviness of the limbs and prolapse of the internal organs. 

As Fu Ling can also tonify the Heart-Qi, it is used for calming the mind. It is particularly useful for children with mild Heart-Qi and Spleen-Qi deficiency as it does not have a strong taste. 

Bai Bian Dao is sweet and slightly warm. It has a gentle function of tonifying the Spleen-Qi, and is neither dry nor moist. It is particularly suitable for use in formulas to treat chronic mild deficiency of the Spleen-Qi or for use in the recovery period after chronic diseases when the condition of the patient is too weak to accept strong tonification. As Bai Bian Dou has a gentle astringent property, it is often used for diarrhea or soft stools caused by Spleen-Qi deficiency. 

These two herbs are often used as assistants in formulas to regulate the Qi in the upper abdomen and reduce fullness and distending sensations that are caused by Spleen-Qi deficiency or by the heavy and cloying nature of tonifying herbs. They can therefore accelerate food and water transportation and transformation in the Middle-Jiao. 

Si Jun Zi Tang is a principal formula to tonify the Spleen-Qi and treat the syndrome of Spleen-Qi deficiency. Although there are only four herbs in this... 

This formula tonifies the Spleen-Qi and transforms dampness from the Middle-Jiao. It treats the syndrome of Spleen-Qi deficiency with obvious accumulation of dampness in the Middle-Jiao, and at the same time treats deficiency of Lung-Qi due to Spleen-Qi deficiency. The symptoms are chronic diarrhea, weakness of limbs, weight loss, a low and soft voice and shortness of breath. A pale tongue with a moist white coating and a soft and slow pulse indicate the presence of dampness with Qi deficiency. 

This formula demonstrates the treatment of a complicated case resulting from Spleen-Qi deficiency. 

This is a well-organized formula. It is an integration of tonifying Qi and blood, regulating Qi and raising Qi therefore it can treat a complicated condition due to Spleen-Qi deficiency. 

Heart-Qi deficiency is often seen in conditions of Spleen-Qi deficiency and acute or chronic blood deficiency. 

This is a formula to treat chronic Spleen-Qi deficiency, which is unable to generate the Qi and blood to support the Heart. The main manifestations are palpitations, anxiety, forgetfulness, insomnia, feverishness and night sweats, prolonged menstruation with pale blood, poor appetite, tiredness, a pale complexion, a pale tongue with a thin white coating and a weak pulse. 

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. 

These herbs can be used in the formula to treat diarrhea and prolapse of internal organs due to Spleen-Qi deficiency. 

Bai Zhu and Fu Ling are able to tonify the Spleen-Qi and dry dampness. They are particularly selected in the formula when dampness accumulates in the Middle-Jiao caused by Spleen-Qi deficiency. 

Bai Bian Dou is bland and neutral. It can gently tonify the Spleen-Qi and is used in mild and chronic conditions of Spleen-Qi deficiency. It is also an astringent herb, and can stabilize the Qi and Yin in the Middle-Jiao. It is often selected to treat chronic diarrhea when the Qi and Yin are both weakened in the Middle-Jiao. 

This is a formula that treats both the cause and the manifestations of bleeding syndrome due to Spleen-Qi deficiency. 

Bai Zhu is bitter and warm, and enters the Spleen meridian. As it not only tonifies the Spleen-Qi, but also dries dampness, it is a perfect herb for a syndrome of dampness accumulation due to Spleen-Qi deficiency. 

Bai Zhu is sweet and warm, and can tonify the Spleen-Qi. However, as it is also bitter and warm, it can dry dampness. It is used to treat chronic food accumulation caused by Spleen-Qi deficiency where poor appetite, diarrhea and distension of the stomach and abdomen may exist. 

Fu Ling is neutral and bland. It can gently tonify the Spleen-Qi and eliminate dampness in the Middle-Jiao. Its function is gentle and it can be used for a long period of time. It is suitable for use in chronic food accumulation and mild Spleen-Qi deficiency. 

Dang Shen is sweet and neutral, and enters the Spleen and Lung meridians. It is an effective and gentle herb for treating Spleen-Qi deficiency in chronic conditions. 

Dang Shen and Bai Zhu are able to tonify the Qi and strengthen the function of the Spleen. They are often used as assistants in a formula that treats Liver-Qi stagnation with Spleen-Qi deficiency. Another reason to use herbs which tonify the Spleen is that, as in a chronic condition of Liver-Qi stagnation, the Liver is almost always overacting on the Spleen. It is wise therefore to tonify the Spleen before it is badly weakened. 

Bleeding occurs when the blood vessels are injured. No matter which region is involved, the reasons are mainly pathogenic heat, cold, Spleen-Qi deficiency or obstruction of Qi and blood in the related regions. Heavy bleeding with a red color indicates the presence of heat. 

In the case of Spleen-Qi deficiency, the Qi is unable to ascend properly to the head, and patients often have chronic headaches, vertigo, fatigue and poor appetite. 

When blood is deficient, the tongue is pale or a delicate pink color. If there is Spleen-Qi deficiency, the tongue is pale with teeth marks. 

Herbs that strengthen the Spleen are often selected, first to provide a blood supply so as to maintain the proper function of the Liver, second to allow the Spleen to resist attack by the Liver-Qi, and third to treat Spleen-Qi deficiency. 

Since each of the three factors - Liver-Qi stagnation, Uver blood deficiency and Spleen-Qi deficiency - can be a causative factor as well as a consequence of the others, the chief is used to treat the direct cause and the deputies treat the developed conditions and the consequences. Thus, the chief and the deputies can be selected from the following three groups of herbs. 

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