Week 7 - Bi Syndrome and Herb Prep Flashcards
Category: Warm Interior and Expel Cold Herbs
These herbs warm the interior and dispel cold
Nature: Pungent and Warm Channels: Spleen and Kidney
How many kinds of interior cold syndrome and what do they look like?
2 types
- Excess Cold that invades the Middle Jiao, disrupting the function of Spleen and Stomach (transportation and transformation)
- Deficiency Cold caused by Yang Deficiency
What does Excess Cold invading Middle Jiao look like ? Remember middle jiao is the middle / warm burner
Pale Face Nausea and Vomiting Diarrhea Epigastric and Abdominal Pain Abdomen Cold to touch Patient Prefers Heat No Appetite Aching Limbs Pulse Tense/Tight Tongue- White Tongue Coat
What does Deficiency Cold from Yang Deficiency Symptoms look like?
Cold Limbs Edema Fatigue Frequent Urination Incontinence Impotence Infertility
Pulse: Faint and Feeble Tongue: Pale, Swollen, teeth marks
What do interior warming herbs do? What do you need to be weary of?
Interior Warming Herbs warm the Yang by strengthening the Kidney Fire
Caution: These herbs are hot and can injure the Yin and Body Fluids. Use them with caution in patients that have deficiency of Yin, Blood, or Body Fluids
Fù Zǐ (Aconiti Radix Lateralis Preparata) “Zhi Fu Zi”
Property: Acrid/Pungent and Hot (and Toxic) Channels: Spleen, Kidney, Heart Functions: 1. Warm the Spleen and Kidney Yang 2. Warms the Channels and Dispels Cold Boil 30-60 mins before adding in other herbs to decoction Contraindicated in Yin deKiciency and pregnancy
What is BI SYNDROME?
Bi Syndrome is caused by Wind, Cold and Damp that stagnate in the channels and causes arthralgia. Usually one of these 3 pathogens will predominate.
If Wind predominates it is called “Wind Bi”- migratory arthralgia where the pain tends to move around. If Cold predominates it is called “Cold Bi” and the pain is severe and aching.
If Damp predominates it is called “Damp Bi”- heavy Fixed pain and swelling of the joint
“Heat Bi” is caused by Wind, Cold, and Damp that stagnate in the channel and over time turns into heat. Heat Bi is characterized by redness, swelling, and pain.
What herbs help treat pain, numbness, swollen joints, heavy sensation of arms and legs, and difficulty bending and stretching?
Herbs that Dispel Wind-Dampness Anti-rheumatics
Symptoms of wind bi
This can involve any of the large joints- shoulders, elbows, wrists, hips and knees. There may be symptoms such as fever and chills in the early stage. Diaphoretic herbs are often used to treat Wind Bi
Symptoms of cold bi
Severe stabbing fixed pain that is made worse by cold and relieved by heat. The joints are cold to the touch. Treatment involves warming the meridians as well as dispelling wind, cold, and damp.
Symptoms of damp bi
Characterized by numbness and fixed pain in the joints with difficulty stretching. Treatment involves transforming Damp and strengthening the Spleen.
Symtpoms of heat bi
Pain with a burning sensation, redness and swelling of joints, impaired movement, and the pain is relieved by cold. Treatment will clear heat, dispel wind, and resolve Damp.
How do anti-rheumetic herbs work?
- Superficial Muscle layer
- Channel layer
- Tendon and Bone layer Often when a person has Bi Syndrome it can affect more than one of the levels
The nature of Anti-rheumatics is pungent and warm These herbs dispel Wind-Cold-Damp Bi from the channels. They are often taken as tinctures due to the chronic nature of Bi Syndrome. Alcohol can also improve the circulation of Qi and Blood Cautions: Patients with Yin or Blood deKiciency. These herbs are warm and drying in nature and can injure/deplete Yin and Blood
Wēi Líng Xiān (Clematidis Radix)
Property: Acrid/Pungent, Salty, and Warm Channels: Urinary Bladder (although some sources claim this herb goes to all 12 channels) Functions 1. Unblocks the channels, relieves pain, dispels wind-cold-damp 2. Softens and transforms Kish bones: dissolves Kish bones in throat To do this it is cooked with sugar, wine, and vinegar Caution: Very pungent and moving to all 12 channels- excessive use could injure qi. Use caution in those who are elderly, qi/blood deKicient
