Liver

Question 1

Insomnia characterised by frequent waking during the night

Answer 1

Liver Blood Xu
Liver Blood Deficiency Causing Wind Agitating Within

If Liver Blood is deficient, the Ethereal Soul (Hun) will not be properly anchored at
night leading to insomnia.

Question 2

blurred vision, floaters, diminished night vision

Answer 2

Liver Blood Xu
Liver Blood Deficiency Causing Wind Agitating Within

The Liver opens into the eyes therefore if Liver Blood is deficient the eyes will lack
nourishment causing any of above eye symptoms.

Question 3

muscular weakness, numbness or tingling of limbs, cramps

Answer 3

Liver Blood Xu
Liver Yin Xu (muscular weakness)
Liver Blood Deficiency Causing Wind Agitating Within (muscular weakness,
cramps, numbness of limbs)

The Liver controls the sinews which will not be properly nourished if Liver Blood is weak, leading to numbness, tingling, weakness or cramps.

Question 4

withered and brittle nails

Answer 4

Liver Blood Xu
Liver Blood Deficiency Causing Wind Agitating Within

As the Liver manifests in the nails, when Liver Blood is deficient they will become withered and brittle.

Question 5

scanty periods or amenorrhoea

Answer 5

Liver Blood Xu
Liver Blood Deficiency Causing Wind Agitating Within

The Directing and Penetrating Vessels (Ren Mai and Chong Mai respectively) rely on the Liver to supply
them with Blood. If they are not properly filled because Liver Blood is weak, periods will be scanty or
missed altogether

Question 6

a feeling of aimlessness, feeling low

Answer 6

Liver Blood Xu
Liver Yin Xu
Liver Blood Deficiency Causing Wind Agitating Within

if the Ethereal Soul (Hun) is not properly anchored, the person
may feel aimless and low because its capacity for planning will be diminished.

Question 7

Postural dizziness

Answer 7

Liver Blood Xu

Liver stores Blood, blood nourishes the brain?

Question 8

dull pale complexion, pale lips

Answer 8

Liver Bood Xu
Liver Blood Deficiency Causing Wind Agitating Within

Question 9

dry hair and skin

Answer 9

Liver Blood Xu
Liver Blood Deficiency Causing Wind Agitating Within

The functions of Blood include nourishing and moisturising. If Liver Blood is deficient it will fail to nourish the skin and hair and there will be dryness

Question 10

depression

Answer 10

Liver Yin Xu

Question 11

Insomnia, irritability, restlessness

Answer 11

Liver Yin Xu

Empty Heat agitates the Ethereal Soul (Hun) which is not rooted
because the Yin is deficient, so that it ‘comes and goes’ too much causing anxiety, insomnia, mental
restlessness and irritability.

Question 12

dry eyes

Answer 12

Liver Yin Xu

Dry eyes are due to deficient Liver Yin not nourishing and moistening the eyes.

Question 13

malar flush, feeling of heat in the afternoon and evening, 5-palm
heat, night-sweating, thirst with desire to drink in small sips

Answer 13

Liver Yin Xu

due to Empty Heat arising from Yin deficiency.

Question 14

Very dry hair and skin

Answer 14

Liver Yin Xu

Question 15

Heavy menstrual bleeding

Answer 15

Liver Yin Xu

Bleeding maybe heavy due to empty heat.

Question 16

pale complexion without lustre

Answer 16

Liver Yin Xu

Question 17

Headaches on the temples, eyes or lateral side of head, irritability, dizziness, propensity to outburst of anger.

Tinnitus, deafness, blurred vision, dry mouth and throat, insomnia,
feeling worked up, stiff neck.

Answer 17

Liver Yang Rising

Symptoms are all due to the rising of Liver Yang to the head. This may stem from Yin deficiency of the Liver and/or Kidneys, or Liver Blood deficiency. In practice, the above symptoms
usually occur alongside symptoms of either Yin or Blood deficiency. The headache, which is usually
unilateral, affects the Gall-Bladder channel.

Question 18

Feeling of distension in hypochondrium, chest, epigastrium or abdomen, sighing.

Answer 18

LQS

symptoms are due to Liver Qi Stagnating in different areas of the body.

Liver Qi Invading the Stomach and Spleen causing digestive issues.

Question 19

Nausea, vomiting, epigastric pain, poor appetite, sour regurgitation, belching, feeling of pulsation in epigastrium, churning feeling in stomach, abdominal distension, flatulence, diarrhoea.

Answer 19

LQS

Nausea, vomiting, epigastric pain, no appetite etc. due to Liver Qi Invading the Stomach and Spleen.

Question 20

,, abdominal masses, purple
petechiae, purple nails, dry skin (in severe cases).

Answer 20

Liver Blood Stagnation

All symptoms are due to Stagnation of Liver Blood. As the Liver stores Blood, it is particularly affected by stagnation of Blood.

General stagnation of Blood causes purple
lips and complexion. In severe cases, stagnant Blood obstructs the circulation of fluids and the skin
becomes dry. Purple petechiae are due to bleeding under the skin caused by Blood stagnation in the
Blood Connecting channels.

Question 20

Irregular periods, pre-menstrual breast distension.

Answer 20

LQS

Symptoms connected to menstruation are due to Liver Qi Stagnation impairing the movement of
Blood in the Penetrating (Chong Mai) and Directing (Ren Mai) Vessels and affecting the Uterus.

Question 21

Feeling of lump (‘Plum Stone’) in throat, difficulty swallowing.

Answer 21

LQS

The Liver channel runs
through the throat so if Liver Qi stagnates there may be a feeling of lump in the throat or difficulty
swallowing.

Question 22

Moodiness, pre-menstrual tension, irritability, melancholy, depression, anger without a cause, fluctuation of mental state, feeling ‘wound up’.

Answer 22

LQS

Emotional symptoms are due to the Liver failing to ensure the smooth flow of Qi in relation to the mind, which impedes the “coming and going” of the Ethereal Soul (Hun).

Question 23

Very painful periods, dark and clotted menstrual blood, hypochondrial or abdominal pain, abdominal masses, irregular periods

Answer 23

Liver Blood Stagnation

All symptoms are due to Stagnation of Liver Blood. As the Liver stores Blood, it is particularly affected by stagnation of Blood.

When Liver Blood stagnates, Blood in the Directing (Ren Mai) and Penetrating (Chong Mai) Vessels will also stagnate, causing menstrual symptoms.

Question 24

Haematemesis, epistaxis

Answer 24

Liver Blood Stagnation All symptoms are due to Stagnation of Liver Blood. As the Liver stores Blood, it is particularly affected by stagnation of Blood. Vomiting of blood and epistaxis are caused by stagnation of Blood in the Liver channel.

Question 25

purple nails

Answer 25

Liver Blood Stagnation All symptoms are due to Stagnation of Liver Blood. As the Liver stores Blood, it is particularly affected by stagnation of Blood. As the Liver manifests in the nails, Liver Blood stagnation may cause purple nails.

Question 26

purple lips, purple or dark complexion

Answer 26

Liver Blood Stagnation General stagnation of Blood causes purple lips and complexion

Question 27

dry skin (in severe cases).

Answer 27

Liver Blood Stagnation In severe cases, stagnant Blood obstructs the circulation of fluids and the skin becomes dry

Question 28

purple petechiae

Answer 28

Liver Blood Stagnation Purple petechiae are due to bleeding under the skin caused by Blood stagnation in the Blood Connecting channels.

Question 29

Red face and eyes, Tinnitus, deafness, temporal headache, dizziness, thirst, bitter taste

Answer 29

Liver Fire Blazing Upwards Liver Fire has a natural tendency to flare upwards, and all signs in the head are a reflection of this.

Question 30

Constipation with dry stools, dark yellow urine

Answer 30

Liver Fire Blazing Upwards Liver Fire dries up Body Fluids resulting in constipation with dry stools and dark, concentrated urine.

Question 31

epistaxis, haematemesis, haemoptysis.

Answer 31

Liver Fire Blazing Upwards Liver Fire heats the Blood causing it to leak out of the blood vessels which may lead to nose bleed, vomiting or coughing of blood.

Question 32

Irritability, propensity to outbursts of anger,

Answer 32

Liver Fire Blazing Upwards Liver Fire has a natural tendency to flare upwards. Fire agitates the Mind, causing all the mental-emotional symptoms.

Question 33

dream-disturbed sleep

Answer 33

Liver Fire Blazing Upwards Liver Fire has a natural tendency to flare upwards. Fire agitates the Mind, meaning the etheral soul is not rooted properly causing it to wander at night and causing dream distrubed sleep.

Question 34

Mild tremor of limbs, facial tic, shaking of head.

Answer 34

Liver Blood Deficiency Causing Wind Agitating Within The mild tremor, facial tic (which will be mild) and shaking of head are caused by Internal Wind. This has stemmed from Liver Blood Deficiency, which has created emptiness in the blood vessels which has been ‘filled’ by Internal Wind.

Question 35

High temperature, convulsions, rigidity of the neck, tremor of the limbs, opisthotonos. AccompanYing symptoms: Coma (in severe cases). .

Answer 35

Extreme Heat generating Liver-Wind Seen as a complication in acute febrile diseases e.g. measles, encephalitis and meningitis. Heat reaches the Blood level and injures Yin. Yin deficiency then gives rise to internal Wind which causes all the above symptoms.

Question 36

Headache, hypertension, severe dizziness, tinnitus

Answer 36

Liver Yang Rising Generating Wind Symptoms are due to Internal Wind generated from Liver Yang Rising (which itself may stem from Liver or Kidney Yin Deficiency, or Liver Blood deficiency). Tinnitus, headache, hypertension and dizziness are all due to Liver Yang rising to the head.

Question 37

Dry throat, dry eyes, scanty urination, night-sweating

Answer 37

Liver Yang Rising Generating Wind Symptoms are due to Internal Wind generated from Liver Yang Rising (which itself may stem from Liver or Kidney Yin Deficiency, or Liver Blood deficiency). Dry throat and eyes, scanty urination and nightsweating are all indicative of underlying Yin deficiency,

Question 38

Blurred vision, numbness or tingling of limbs, poor memory, insomnia

Answer 38

Liver Yang Rising Generating Wind Blurred vision, numbness or tingling of limbs and poor memory are a sign of underlying Blood deficiency.

Question 39

deviation of eye and mouth, hemiplegia, aphasia or difficult speech

Answer 39

Liver Yang Rising Generating Wind Symptoms are due to Internal Wind generated from Liver Yang Rising (which itself may stem from Liver or Kidney Yin Deficiency, or Liver Blood deficiency). Deviation of eye and mouth, hemiplegia and aphasia are due to Wind in the channels.

Question 40

Sudden unconsciousness, convulsions, severe tremor, facial tic

Answer 40

Liver Yang Rising Generating Wind Symptoms are due to Internal Wind generated from Liver Yang Rising (which itself may stem from Liver or Kidney Yin Deficiency, or Liver Blood deficiency). Wind is a Yang pathogenic factor which “agitates”, therefore causing involuntary movements such as convulsions, tremors and tics within the body.

Question 41

Jaundice, papular or vesicular skin rashes

Answer 41

Damp-Heat in the Liver and Gall Bladder All symptoms due to Damp-Heat. Dampness is heavy and infuses downwards causing various genital and urinary symptoms.

Question 42

vaginal discharge and itching, pain, redness and swelling of scrotum, difficulty in passing urine, dark urine, pain and burning on urination

Answer 42

All symptoms due to Damp-Heat. Dampness is heavy and infuses downwards causing various genital and urinary symptoms.

Question 43

Nausea, loss of appetite, bitter or sticky taste

Answer 43

All symptoms due to Damp-Heat. Dampness may also obstruct the Middle Burner impairing the descending of Stomach Qi and leading to nausea and poor appetite.

Question 44

a feeling of fullness and heaviness of the chest, abdomen or hypochondrium

Answer 44

Dampness may cause a heavy feeling anywhere in the body.

Question 45

Fullness and distension of the hypogastrium with pain that refers to the scrotum and testes and upwards to the hypochondrium, pain alleviated by warmth. Straining of the testes or contraction of the scrotum, vertex headache, feeling of cold, cold hands and feet, vomiting of clear watery fluid or dry vomiting. In women there may be shrinking of the vagina.

Answer 45

Stagnation of Cold in the Liver Channel The Liver channel flows around the external genitalia. Cold contracts, hence the pain and contraction of the scrotum.