Yang Deficiency or Empty Yang
Yang Deficiency or Empty Yang
Educational content • Consult qualified TCM practitioners for diagnosis and treatment
Diagnostic Signs
Pale, swollen and moist tongue with possible white or wet coating
Deep (Chen), Empty (Xu), Slow (Chi), Weak (Ruo)
Key Characteristic Symptoms
Other Associated Symptoms
Diagnostic Considerations
Key characteristic symptoms of this pattern are the general feeling of cold, desire for warmth, cold limbs and pale urine.
Causes & Pathology
Common Causes
Excessive consumption of cold and raw foods, juices, sweets, alcohol, coffee, iced drinks as well as frozen foods such as ice cream and frozen yogurt.
Over-exercising can hurts Yang.
Overwork can deplete Yang and cause Deficiency.
Over exposure to cold weather (regards less Wind-Cold or Damp-Cold) can cause internal Full Cold. If it is not address for a long time, it can harm Yang Qi and lead to Yang Deficiency.
Congenital defects due to improper care after birth can also cause Yang Deficiency.
Long hour standing can deplete general Yang.
Excessive sexual activities can also cause this pattern, especially if one is exposed to cold immediately after intercourse.
Pathological Mechanism
Yang Deficiency is an Empty-Cold condition characterized by Coldness and Deficiency. If there is inadequate amount of Yang energy to warm the body or internal Organs, a general hypoactivity of the organic processes occurs, hence the patient is tried and not willing to move. Qi and Blood is more likely to stagnate in this case.
Also, Body Fluids can accumulate and congest when Yang is insufficient, resulting in Oedema and puffiness in various parts of the body. This pattern differs from Yin Excess because Yang Deficiency also includes Coldness-related symptoms, such as fear of cold, chilliness, cold limbs and desire warmth.
Since the root of Yin and Yang ‘resides’ in the Kidneys, if they become impaired from excessive standing, sex, activity or overwork, the weakened Kidney Yang has impacts on the rest of body Yang, representatively Spleen or Heart Yang Deficiency. Actually, Yang Deficiency is mostly related to Spleen Yang, Kidney Yang, Heart Yang or Lungs Qi.
For instance. when Spleen Yang is Deficient, it fails to warm the muscles and to properly metabolize food, resulting in undigested foods in the stools and loose stools. It also causes Coldness and Deficient Blood and Grain Qi.
Treatment Approach
Treatment Principle
Warm the Deficient Yang.
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