THE SYMPTOMS OF OUR ORGANS ACCORDING TO EASTERN MEDICINE AND THE ONGOING RESEARCH FOR TCM
Healthy Living Blog by Dr. Tetreault DAOM, L,Ac
Traditional Chinese Medicine is unique in that multiple diseases may possibly share one ‘zheng’ pattern and be treated by the same formula as well as one single disease may perhaps reveal several different patterns and yet be treated by a multitude of formulas. These specific principles are supported by evidence that multi-system variances in one pattern can be both regulated or altered by an herbal formula. Modification of basic herbal formulas help ensure an effective treatment in nourishing the body as a whole and not just looking at one disorder or disease. Each organ has symptoms and patterns of disharmony that can further lead to disease states if not treated properly. Many of my patients are familiar with emotions of each organ, such as anger affects liver, grief affects lungs, fear affects kidney, worry affects spleen, and the imbalance of joy affecting heart. But what about the symptoms of each organ revealing disharmony, creating imbalance. Let’s take a look at each organ and how the body as a whole is treated with Eastern Medicine.
Starting with the liver, the flow of overall energy and blood flow is regulated and stored to generate throughout the body as a whole. Symptoms of irregularity can range from mental depression to pain in the hypochondria, vertigo, menses irregularities, headaches, tremors, numbness, and much more including even excess stress. The liver needs to have a smooth flow and when stagnation occurs secondary to stress, trauma, or even surgery, liver blood stagnation then occurs and can result in liver blood stasis and deficiency. So, circulation issues, digestion imbalances, women’s health issues, eye health, and emotional health problems are all tied in to a disruptive liver energy.
The lungs dominate the entire energy of the body. The lung functions are many including regulating water passages by circulating body fluids not to mention the whole respiration process. When the lung energy is affected, symptoms may reveal a less desire to talk, coughing, dryness of mouth or throat, nasal obstruction or discharge, abnormal thirst, shortness of breath, orthopnea, and many others. The lungs, in a nutshell, play a big part in your immune system and even in healthier skin.
The spleen is the actual source of both energy and blood. It is responsible for not only blood production but the processing and distribution of nutrients from food. So, if there is spleen deficiency, there will be an inadequate nourishment for the organs as a whole, not allowing optimal function, which results in the feeling of sluggishness. Other symptoms may include nausea, vomiting, heaviness feeling in the limbs or body, and bloating.
The heart, in Eastern Medicine, is tied in with the mind or shen. Signs with deficiency of heart energy are often found with sleep issues and an imbalance of joy. Symptoms of heart disharmony are often displayed with signs of palpitations, spontaneous sweating, mental cloudiness, intermittent cardiac pain, and/or insomnia to name a few.
Lastly, the kidney energy is often affected by chronic conditions that weaken the body including growing old. Symptoms may include both soreness and weakness in back and knees, poor memory, dribbling of urination or incontinence, impotence, infertility, and many others.
So, noticing the symptoms are important. It is always good to make your physician aware of any new symptom or concern. However, there are many other signs the body displays that you are not aware of. These are seen on both the tongue and the pulse which your practitioner will assess with each visit. The full assessment of each patient starts with the greeting, the shen, the complexion (of dullness versus brightness), and the list goes on. As a trained practitioner, you are looking for the overall deficiency or excess or both to help the body work in full function with optimal precision like a well fined instrument. Holistic health is whole health system which enables health and balance in all aspects of the health spectrum (physical/emotional/mental).
The science of Traditional Chinese Medicine continues to grow. Research is gaining in many countries like Singapore. One of the main formulas I prescribe for optimal immune support for my patients has the same biocomponents which is also showing to have significant aid in the fight against cancer and being used in Singapore to do so. Also, the Eu Yan Sang’s Medical Boards and its Scientific Advisory Board are setting up an integrative meeting to exchange ideas and information between both Traditional Chinese Medicine physicians and Western trained medical specialists.
Yale University’s professor, Yung-Chi Cheng, is using an herbal formula to greatly reduce the side effects of chemotherapy which is gaining much attention. With much excitement in sharing the art of Eastern healing, the U.S government’s National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine has been given a significant budget for research on both the efficacy and safety of Traditional Chinese Medicine. This is wonderful in the fact that the research has already been repeatedly shown in a multitude of other countries but yet has been lacking in our very own back yard, the United States. So, here is to the future of Eastern Medicine’s continued legacy from over twenty five hundred years to now modern times! Call today to start your journey to true health. 772-626-6419
