Liver Wind agitating Internally due to Liver Yang Rising
The information provided here is not a replacement for a doctor. You shouldn't use it for the purpose of self-diagnosing or self-medicating but rather so you can have a more informed discussion with a professional TCM practitioner.
At a glance
Preliminary reading: What is a pattern? The Liver in Chinese Medicine The concept of Wind The concept of Yang The concept of Yang Excess The concept of Liver Yang Rising
Key attributes
Chinese name: 肝风内动 - 肝阳化风 Pinyin name: Gān Fēng Nei Dòng - Gān Yáng Huà Fēng
Pattern nature: Full/Empty
Causes
Precursor patterns: Blood Deficiency Liver Yin Deficiency Liver Yang Rising and one other possible precursors
Common causes: 1. Diet, 2. Emotional stress
Diagnosis
Common symptoms: Tremor Tinnitus Dry eyes Headaches Back pain and ten other symptoms
Pulse type(s): Rapid (Shu), Empty (Xu), Wiry (Xian), Fine (Xi), Floating (Fu)
Tongue description: Red, pale normal color with no coating
Treatment
Treatment principle: subdue Liver Yang, extinguish Wind, nourish Liver and Kidney Yin, nourish Liver Blood
Common formulas: Liu Wei Di Huang Wan Qi Ju Di Huang Wan E Jiao Ji Zi Huang Tang and two other formulas
Pathology
Liver Yang Rising can create Interior Wind if the condition is left unchecked for a long time. This pattern is normally seen among the elderly.
Liver Yang Rising has different symptoms based on what caused it in the first place. If caused by Liver Yin Deficiency the symptoms includes tremors, facial tics, severe dizziness, tinnitus, and headache. Use formula like Liu Wei Di Huang Wan or Qi Ju Di Huang Wan.
If by Liver and Kidney Yin Deficiency the symptoms will be the same as for Liver Yin Deficiency with the addition of backache, scanty urination and night sweats. Use formula such as Zhen Gan Xi Feng Tang.
Lastly if caused by Liver Blood Deficiency the symptoms will be similar to Liver Yin Deficiency without the facial tics and with the addition of insomnia. Use formulas like E Jiao Ji Zi Huang Tang.
Many factors can result in this pattern, emotional stress and diet are the two most dominant reasons. Other causes include excessive exercises and sexual activities, prolonged physical exertion and chronic menorrhagia.
Causes
Precursor patterns: Liver Wind agitating Internally due to Liver Yang Rising can derive from Blood Deficiency Liver Yin Deficiency Liver Yang Rising Kidney and Liver Yin Deficiency
Diet: If excessive Liver Qi rises, it can cause Liver Yang Rising. If not treated for some year, it agitates internal Liver Wind. Eating in a hurry, eating while working or getting angry at meal time can lead to the pattern.
Emotional stress: Emotional problems, such as anger, frustration and resentment, are the most obvious causes for this pattern, especially if these emotions are suppressed over a very long time. Anger drives Rebellious Liver Qi upwards and cause Liver Yang Rising. If not treated for some year, it agitates internal Liver Wind.
Diagnosing Liver Wind agitating Internally due to Liver Yang Rising
Diagnosing a pattern in Chinese Medicine is no easy feat and should be left to professional practitioners. In particular one has to know how to differentiate between different types of pulses and tongue coatings, shapes and colors as well as learn to read from a long list of seemingly unrelated symptoms.
Pulse type(s): Rapid (Shu), empty (Xu), wiry (Xian), fine (Xi) or floating (Fu)
Tongue description: Red, pale normal color with no coating
Main symptoms: Tremor Tinnitus Dry eyes Headaches Back pain Facial tic Dry throat Poor memory Hypertension Night sweats Blurred vision Severe dizziness Scanty urination Tingling of limbs Numbness in the limbs
Treating Liver Wind agitating Internally due to Liver Yang Rising
Treatment principle
subdue Liver Yang, extinguish Wind, nourish Liver and Kidney Yin, nourish Liver Blood
Herbal formulas used to treat Liver Wind agitating Internally due to Liver Yang Rising
Liu Wei Di Huang Wan
Source date: 1119 AD
Number of ingredients: 6 herbs
Key actions: Enriches the yin and nourishes the Kidneys.
Formula summary
Liu Wei Di Huang Wan is a 6-ingredient Chinese Medicine formula. Invented in 1119 AD, it belongs to the category of formulas that nourish Yin and tonify.
Besides Liver Wind agitating Internally due to Liver Yang Rising, Liu Wei Di Huang Wan is also used to treat Blood Deficiency or Yin Deficiency.
Qi Ju Di Huang Wan
Source date: 1350 AD
Number of ingredients: 8 herbs
Key actions: Nourishes Kidney and Liver Yin. Improves vision.
Formula summary
Qi Ju Di Huang Wan is a 8-ingredient Chinese Medicine formula. Invented in 1350 AD, it belongs to the category of formulas that nourish Yin and tonify.
Besides Liver Wind agitating Internally due to Liver Yang Rising, Qi Ju Di Huang Wan is also used to treat Liver Yang Rising or Interior Wind.
E Jiao Ji Zi Huang Tang
Source date: the Qing dynasty
Number of ingredients: 10 herbs
Key actions: Nourishes Yin. Nourishes Blood. Calms the Liver. Extinguishes Wind.
Formula summary
E Jiao Ji Zi Huang Tang is a 10-ingredient Chinese Medicine formula. Invented in the Qing dynasty, it belongs to the category of formulas that pacify and extinguish Internal Wind.
Besides Liver Wind agitating Internally due to Liver Yang Rising, E Jiao Ji Zi Huang Tang is also used to treat Liver Wind agitating Internally due to Liver Blood Deficiency or Interior Wind.
Diet recommendations
Eat a simple diet of legumes, grains, cooked vegetables and greens. The foods that decongest and help the Liver include vegetables, bitter foods and dark leafy greens, such as kale, collards, dandelion, mustard, beet and mustard greens. Lemons also clear Heat and congestion from the Liver.
Avoid foods which are raw and cold, fried and greasy, hot and spicy and any caffeinated drinks including coffee, black tea, cocoa colas. Also avoid chips of all kinds, turkey and red meats, chocolate, nuts and nut butters, avocados, cheese and dairy, alcohol, drugs and stimulants.
Try other therapies such as meditation or contemplation.
Pay a lot of attention to get good and sufficient rest and sleeping.
Deal with mental stress. Find a solution to express these emotional issues instead of keeping them inside.
As for exercise, gentle stretches are helpful, such as Yoga, Tai Chi and Qi Gong. You should avoid strenuous exercise and exertion.
Related conditions
Please keep in mind that a Western Medicine condition can be caused by several Chinese Medicine patterns of disharmony and vice versa. As such a patient suffering from one of the conditions below will not necessarily be suffering from Liver Wind agitating Internally due to Liver Yang Rising, it is just one pattern that's commonly associated with the condition. Click on a condition to learn what other patterns it's associated with.
Hypertension Epilepsy Cerebrovascular disease Insomnia Neurosis Headache Dizziness Vertigo Tinnitus Transitory ischemic attacks Renal hypertension Hypertensive encephalopathy Aphasia Apraxia