Zang Fu Patterns: LU/LI Flashcards
What are the two major functions of the Lungs?
- Govern the Qi
i) respiratory Qi
ii) whole body Qi - Regulate water passages
How does the Lung govern respiratory Qi?
Lung Qi
- Taking in of air or Pure qi, descending of this Clear Qi down and in
- Controls the ascending of Turbid qi exhaled up and out
In what ways does the Lung govern whole body qi?
- Helps the Heart to move blood, controls the channels and vessels along with the heart
- Regulates Qi Ji (movement, moving qi)
- Formation of Zong Qi. Zong qi assists with controlling qi and respiration,
What is the relationship between Qi and water? Talk about the Lung’s function of dispersing and descending.
Lung governs Qi and water follows qi.
(Kidney is the root of qi)
Dispersing: Lung Qi dispersing function, water goes up and out
Descending: Lung Qi descending function, water flows down and in, nutrients to nourish organs, turbid water through BL and LI
Lung Associations:
a) Opens into
b) Outer manifestation
c) Colour
d) Liquid is
e) Pulse
f) Season
g) Houses
h) Upper Source of
i) Governs
a) Opens into nose
b) Outer manifestation skin, sweat glands and body hair (the exterior)
c) Colour is white
d) Liquid is snot or mucous, nasal discharge
e) Pulse is superficial
f) Season is Autumn
g) Houses the Po (Corporal Soul)
h) Upper source of water
i) Governs the voice
What Vital Substances relate to the Lung?
Lung Qi
Lung Yin (Body Fluid considered as part of Yin)
Lung governing of Qi and Respiration
The Lungs are also responsible for the actual formation of Qi. Food Qi (Gu Qi) is taken by the Spleen and directed to the Lungs where it combines with inhaled air (with help from Yuan Qi of Kidneys) to form Zong Qi, which is also called Qi of the Chest or Gathering Qi. The Zong Qi regulates involuntary movement of Heart and Lungs in turn is nourished by the Qi of the Heart and Lung. The Lungs then spread this Qi all over the body
Simultaneously formed: “Upright” or “normal” Qi (Zhen Qi) which is divided into Ying and Wei parts.
Lungs open to the Exterior, hence are called the “Tender Organ” because they are vulnerable to attack by exogenous pathogens.
Lungs Regulate Water Passages. Talk about dispersing function and descending functions.
What happens if fluids are not evenly spread?
Lungs receive refined fluids from Spleen, reduce them to fine mist and “spray” them throughout Exterior under the skin (part of dispersing function). Fluids should be evenly spread and pores should be regulated: otherwise, fluids may accumulate: edema.
Lungs are “upper origin of Water”. Direct fluids down to Kidney and Bladder. Kidneys receive fluids and vaporize them, then send back up to Lung.
As part of Governing Qi, Lungs control _____ and _____ ______.
How does this aid the heart? How are the Heart and Lung linked?
What happens with weak lung qi?
channels; blood vessels
Lungs govern Qi, which is essential to Heart to aid in Blood circulation. The Lungs and Heart are very closely linked (via Zong Qi). Lungs control circulation of Qi not only in Blood Vessels but in the channels.
Weak Lung Qi results in Qi being unable to push the Blood to nourish various areas. Hence, e.g. cold limbs, especially cold hands.
As part of Regulating Water Passages, lungs control dispersing and descending functions
Dispersing Function
Lung spreads Wei Qi (defensive Qi) and Body Fluids all over body to area between skin and muscles (The Lungs are related to skin).
This ensures that Wei Qi equally distributed under skin to warm skin and muscles and protect body from exogenous pathogens (Symptoms of a “cold” = impairment of dispersing function: exterior Wind Cold obstructs skin, blocks pores and Qi circulation: Qi cannot be dispersed.
Lung spreads Body Fluids (Jin Ye) to skin in form of “mist” to moisten skin and regulate opening and closing of pores and sweating. In health, normal pore function and normal amount of sweating.
Descending Function
Lungs are uppermost Organ (“Lid of the Yin Organs”). Therefore their Qi descends to communicate with Kidney (which “holds down” the Qi).
Lungs also direct Body Fluids downward to Kidneys/Bladder. Impairment of descending function: Qi accumulates in chest (cough, asthma, stuffy chest, or accumulation of fluids; upper body edema).
How does the lung nourish skin and hair?
Lung nourishes skin and hair by spreading Fluids to skin. Impaired Lung function can result in malnourished body hair and skin. Lungs influence Wei Qi, which circulates in skin.
Lungs Govern Voice
Difference between healthy and weak lung qi?
Strength, tone and clarity of voice depend on Lung Qi (in health: like a bell). Weak Lung Qi = low voice.
Lungs open into nose. Lungs house Corporeal Soul.
Nose is the opening of the Lungs. Lungs govern sense of smell.
Corporeal soul attached to body. Closely linked to breathing. Directly affected by sadness/grief which constrain its movement and affect breathing.
What are the most common Lung symptoms?
Asthma (wheezing, dyspnea, shortness of breath)
Phlegm (expectoration, fullness of chest)
Coughing
Chest pain, hoarse voice, nosebleed
Common Lung Etiologies
Lung patterns can be of either Excess or Deficiency. With Deficient patterns, Lung Qi Deficiency is more common than Lung Yin Deficiency. In Excess patterns, the Lungs are usually invaded by external pathogens, mostly Wind, Cold, and Heat.
Common External Pathogenc Factors and Sx for Lung
Wind can combine with Cold or Heat to form Wind-Cold and Wind-Heat. Exogenous pathogenic factors commonly first attack the Wei Qi (defensive energy) and exterior of the body. This would result in exterior condition, as the Lungs have not yet been affected.
Common symptoms such as fever, chills, aversion to Cold, aching, sneezing, and stuffy nose indicate the struggle between the Body’s Wei Qi and the invading pathogen (such as external Wind Heat). As the condition worsens, the Lungs can easily become involved.
Dryness, both internal and external, can affect the lungs creating symptoms such as dry throat, cough, and dry skin (the Lungs control the skin).
Although uncommon, Dampness can combine with Wind causing an Exterior disorder with facial edema.
Diet as disease factor for Lung
Excessive consumption of Cold and raw (salads, dairy, etc.) foods decreases the Spleen’s ability to transform and transport nutrients. When the Spleen’s ability is impaired, Internal Dampness and eventually Phlegm accumulates in the Body. In Chinese Medicine it is said that while the Spleen is the producer of Phlegm, the Lungs are the container for Phlegm.
Sadness and _____ are the main emotions associated with the Lungs.
What happens with chronic sadness?
What happens with chronic _____?
Chronic sadness disperses Qi and causes Lung Qi Deficiency.
Chronic worry knots or ties up the Qi causing Stagnation of Qi in the chest.
Lifestyle disease factors for Lung
Activities (or non activities) that restrict movement of the chest and breathing such as being hunched over a desk in computer work, reading, or studying can deplete the Lung Qi. Excessive laziness and lounging can also weaken Lung Qi.
Lung Qi Deficiency Etiology
Lifestyle factors:
- Emotions – sadness, grief
- Excessive use of voice
- Hereditary
- Slumped shoulders, Stooping over desk, constraining chest and not breathing deeply
- Prolonged cough and dyspnea —> impairment of lung qi
- Deficiency of SP & ST —> insufficient production of qi and blood
- Failure of dispersing and descending of Lung Qi
- Hypofunction of respiration
- Ineffective protection against EPF’s
- Hypofunction of whole body
2-6 —> Deficiency of Lung Qi —> Insufficient Pectoral Qi —> 3, 4, 5, 6
Chronic Lung problems may be hereditary, especially if a parent had Lung tuberculosis. There may be transverse cracks in Lung area and the Lung’s pulse position may be more medial than normal.
Exterior Wind Cold or Wind Heat may remain in the body and eventually cause Lung Qi Deficiency. There is often a chronic cough following an exterior Wind Cold or Wind Heat invasion. This situation can be worsened when taking antibiotics for cold or flu, as they contain the Cold in the chest and interfere with Lung’s dispersing & descending functions.
Western diseases related to Lung Qi Deficiency
Chronic bronchitis
Pulmonary emphysema
Prolonged TB of lung
Pulmonary heart disease
Lung Qi Deficiency Sn/Sx
Weak breathing, shortness of breath on exertion
The Lungs govern respiration
Weak cough
Lungs are too weak to send Qi downward
Clear, thin, watery sputum
Lung Qi too weak to regulate water passages
Weak voice, lack of desire of speaking
Weak Zong Qi
Spontaneous sweating, easily sweats, daytime sweating
Qi Xu, Lungs circulate Wei Qi which governs the opening and closing of skin pores
Susceptiblity to Cold
Qi Xu, Lungs and Wei Qi warm the skin and muscles
Bright white complexion, fatigue
Qi Deficiency
Weakened Immunity
Weak Lung Qi is also closely tied to weak Wei Qi, which could lead to frequent colds.
Pulse: Weak, Empty pulse
Tongue: Pale or normal tongue body with white coating
Lung Qi Deficiency POT and Herb Px
POT: Reinforce the lung qi
Herb: Jade Windscreen (Astragalus)
Bu Fei Tang
Ginseng
Lung Qi Deficiency Points and Method
LI20 - Opens nasal passages; Expels wind and clears heat
LU1 - Front Mu of Lung; Disseminates and descends Lung qi; Transforms phlegm, clears heat
LU2 - Clear LU heat and descends LU qi
LU9 - Shu Stream/Earth Pt; Yuan Source: Meeting of Vessels; Tonifies LU and transforms phlegm
SI11 - Moves qi; Unbinds chest and lateral costal
ST14 - Descends rebellious qi and unbinds chest
ST15 - Descends rebellious qi and unbinds chest
ST36 - He-Sea/Earth Pt; Command Pt of Abdomen, Heavenly Star, Pt of Sea of Water and Grain; Supports correct qi and fosters original qi; Tonifies qi
T6 Huatuo - Regulate and harmonize 5 Zang and 6 Fu
UB13 - Back Shu of Lung; Tonifies LU Qi and nourishes LU yin
UB42 - Tonifies and nourishes Lung; Soothes dyspnea and alleviates cough
Lung Yin Deficiency Etiology
- Prolonged cough or asthma
- Febrile disease in its later period
- Prolonged Lung Qi Xu
- Stomach Yin Xu (irregular eating habits or diet)
- Kidney Yin Xu (overwork
- Lung Dryness
1-6 —> Impairment of Lung Yin —> Deficient Fire
Lung Yin Deficiency Western Diseases1
Chronic bronchitis
TB
Walking pneumonia
Lung Yin Deficiency Sn/Sx
Dry cough or cough with sticky sputum
Lung Yin not nourishing Lung
Dry mouth and throat, Hoarse voice
Deficient fluids
Blood tinged sputum
Yin Deficient Heat burns the vessels
Lover grade fever or heat sensation in the evening time, malar flush, night sweats, five palm heat
Yin Deficiency producing empty heat
Insomnia
Yin Deficiency and Heat disturb the Shen
Tongue: Red peeled tongue with cracks in the Lung area, in early stage, tongue signs are not as pronounced
Pulse: Thready (empty, floating) and rapid pulse
Lung Yin Deficiency POT and Herb Px
Tonify Lung Yin
Nourish body fluids
Clear empty heat
Herb: Bai He Gu Jin Tang (Lily Bulb Decoction to Preserve the Metal)
Lung Yin Deficiency Points and Methody
LU 9 (Taiyuan - Supreme Abyss) *Meeting Pt of Vessels, Shu Stream/Earth Pt; Yuan Source point*; Tonify Lung Yin
REN-17 (Shanzhong - Chest Centre)
Front Mu of PC; Meeting Pt of Qi; Point of Sea of Qi; Tonifies Qi and Lung Yin
BL 43 (Gaohuangshu - Vital Region Shu) Tonifies Lung Yin, especially good in chronic cases
BL 13 (Feishu - Lung Shu) *Back Shu of Lung;* Tonifies Lung Qi & Yin
Du 12 (Shenzhu - Body Pillar) Clears heat from LU and HT; Tonifies Lung Qi & Yin
REN-4 (Guanyuan - Gate of Origin)
Front Mu of SI; Tonifies Kidney Yin & conducts Empty Heat downwards
KI 6 (Zhaohai - Shining Sea) Tonifies Kidney Yin & benefits throat esp. good where throat is dry. Can combine LU 7 and KI 6 to tonify Lung Qi and Lung Yin, tonify KI Yin & benefit throat, reconnect Lungs & Kidneys
REN-12 (Zhongwan - Middle Cavity)
Front Mu of ST; Meeting Pt of Fu; Tonifies Stomach & nourishes fluids (Stomach is origin of fluids)
LU 10 (Yuji - Fish Border) *Ying Spring/Fire Pt;* Sedate to clear Empty Heat from Lungs
Method: Tonify all Points except LU 10 which is sedated. No moxa.
Invasion of Lung by Dryness Etiology/Pathology
Lung Dryness is characterized by signs of Dryness with deficient fluids, but it is not yet of Yin Deficiency. It could be considered less severe and a precursor to Lung Yin Deficiency. If it is an Invasion it will have exterior syndrome sn/sx such as superficial pulse, fever and chills at same time.
Lung Dryness can be either Exterior or Interior. Exterior Dryness damages Lung fluids, such as in long periods of dry and hot weather. Internal Dryness can occur from Stomach Yin Deficiency (i.e. - from irregular eating times, irregular diet, etc.).
- Invasion by dryness
- Infection by febrile diseases
1-2 —> Consumption of body fluids —> Dryness of Lung
Invasion of Lung by Dryness Sn/Sx
Dry cough, Dry throat, Dry mouth, Dry skin, no sputum or sticky, difficult expectoration, thirst, hoarse voice
Hemoptysis Heat burning blood vessels
Fever and aversion to cold (if Exterior Syndrome)
Tongue: Dry, but not Red; white or yellow coating
Pulse: Empty and rapid, especially in the Lung position
*Lung HATES dryness, Dry damages Lung quickly
Lung Dryness POT and Herb Px
Moisten Lungs
Nourish Body Fluids
Herb: Qing Zao Jiu Fei Tang Eliminate Dryness and Rescue the Lung
