Oedema
Oedema
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Diagnostic Signs
Pale tongue with white sticky coating or white slippery coating
Hidden (Fu), Slowed-down (Huan)
Key Characteristic Symptoms
Diagnostic Considerations
Key characteristic symptoms of this pattern are the swelling under skin, which is often pitting. If you press the swelling part with a finger, it creates a dip which takes a while to recover.
Causes & Pathology
Common Causes
Bacterial or virus can be regarded as a type of external Wind Evil, which can cause allergic type of Oedema.
Prolonged unhealthy diet such as pick eating, overeating or undereating, can hurt Spleen Qi and Yang and result in Oedema.
The Spleen can be invaded directly by external Dampness and result in Oedema. The Dampness here also includes Cold-Damp, Damp-Heat, Damp-Phlegm and etc.
Excessive sexual activity harms the Kidney Yang.
Prolonged lack of sleep consume the Kidney Qi and Yang.
Prolonged mental over-work or emotional stress can cause Liver Qi Stagnation and as a result, harm the Spleen Qi and Yang.
Pathological Mechanism
Oedema (also spelled "Edema") a retention of Body Fluids that results in swellings, depending where the retention occurs: it can be in the limbs, the legs, the face, etc. The swellings are usually so that if one presses on it with a finger, the resulting dip takes a long time to disappear.
Oedema is caused by a Yang Deficiency of either the Spleen, the Lungs or the Kidneys. Those are the three Organs most associated with the production and transportation of Body Fluids. If their function is disturbed due to a Yang Deficiency, the Body Fluids end up overflowing and settling in the space under the skin.
The location of the Oedema depends on the Organ that suffers the Deficiency:
Lungs: top part of the body, such as the face or the hands.
Spleen: middle part of the body, such as the abdomen. Use Fang Yi Huang Qi Tang, Ping Wei San, Wu Pi Ying or Fu Gui Zhu Gan Tang depends on the actual cause of the Spleen Yang Deficiency.
Kidneys: lower part of the body, such as the legs or ankles. Use Zhen Wu Tang or Shen Qi Wang which mostly supply Kidney Qi and Yang.
Treatment Approach
Treatment Principle
Tonify the Yang of Lungs, remove Oedema, Spleen and Kidneys, expel Dampness or any external Pernicious Influences that come along such as Damp-Cold, Damp-Wind, Damp-Heat, Damp-Phlegm and etc,
Recommended Herbal Formulas
Wu Ling San
Promotes urination,, Warms the Yang
Fang Ji Huang Qi Tang
Diuretic, clears Excess fluid and removes edema, Tonifies the Spleen Qi
Ping Wei San
Dries Dampness, Improves the Spleen's transportive function
Wu Pi Yin
Reduces edema, diuretic, Regulates and strengthens Spleen Qi
Ling Gui Zhu Gan Tang
Warms and transforms Phlegm-Fluids, Strengthens the Spleen
Zhen Wu Tang
Warms and tonifies the Yang and Qi of the Spleen and Kidneys, Eliminates Dampness
Jin Gui Shen Qi Wan
Tonifies and warms Kidney Yang
Yu Gong San
Expels water and, Reduces edema
Zhou Che Wan
Promotes Qi movement, Harshly drives out Water and Heat Stagnation
Diet & Lifestyle Recommendations
Keep a balanced diet with right proportion of carbohydrate, proteins and fat.
Avoid excessive sexual activities.
Avoid going to bed late frequently.
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Related Conditions
This pattern can manifest as: