Nervous exhaustion according to Chinese Medicine
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.
Nervous exhaustion factsheet
Possible causes and remedies:
Symptoms: Fatigue Anxiety Insomnia and six other symptoms
Recommended formula: Gui Pi Tang
Symptoms: Fatigue Dry stools Mouth sores and six other symptoms
Recommended formula: Tian Wang Bu Xin Dan
In Chinese Medicine, nervous exhaustion can be associated with seven so-called "patterns of disharmony". Chinese Medicine sees the body as a system, not a sum of isolated parts. A "pattern" is when the system's harmony is disrupted. It is not equivalent to the Western concept of "disease", as a matter of fact here nervous exhaustion can be caused by seven different patterns.
To understand whether someone's nervous exhaustion might be caused by a given pattern, one needs to look for signs and symptoms associated with the pattern beyond what one might typically experience from nervous exhaustion alone. For instance when nervous exhaustion is caused by the pattern Heart and Spleen Deficiency, patients also experience symptoms such as forgetfulness, palpitations, insomnia and fatigue. Similarly, patients with Heart and Spleen Deficiency typically exhibit fine (Xi) pulses as well as a pale tongue with thin white coating.
We've listed below a description of the seven patterns associated with nervous exhaustion so that you can start to get an understanding of the various possibilities according to Chinese Medicine.
Once identified, patterns are often treated using herbal formulas. Drinking herbal infusions is the most common remedy in Chinese Medicine, together with acupuncture. Here we detail below fifteen formulas that can help treat the various patterns associated with nervous exhaustion, depending on which pattern fits your profile.
The seven "patterns of disharmony" associated with nervous exhaustion
The Spleen is a so-called "Zang" Organ. Learn more about the Spleen in Chinese Medicine
Heart and Spleen Deficiency
Pulse type(s): Fine (Xi)
Tongue coating: Thin white coating
Tongue color: Pale
Recommended herbal formula: Gui Pi Tang
Symptoms: Fatigue Anxiety Insomnia Menorrhagia Palpitations Forgetfulness Poor appetite Pale complexion Abnormal uterine bleeding
Nervous exhaustion might be due to Heart and Spleen Deficiency if the condition is paired with typical pattern symptoms such as forgetfulness, palpitations, insomnia and fatigue. Similarly, patients with Heart and Spleen Deficiency typically exhibit fine (Xi) pulses as well as a pale tongue with thin white coating.
Unprepared Rehmannia (Di Huang) is the key herb for Tian Wang Bu Xin Dan, a formula used for Yin and Blood Deficiency
Yin and Blood Deficiency
Pulse type(s): Fine (Xi), Rapid (Shu)
Tongue coating: Partial absence of coating
Tongue color: Red
Recommended herbal formula: Tian Wang Bu Xin Dan
Symptoms: Fatigue Dry stools Mouth sores Irritability Forgetfulness Palpitations with anxiety Insomnia with very restless sleep Spontaneous and nocturnal emissions Inability to think or concentrate for even short periods of time
Nervous exhaustion might be due to Yin and Blood Deficiency if the condition is paired with typical pattern symptoms such as irritability, palpitations with anxiety, fatigue and insomnia with very restless sleep. Similarly, patients with Yin and Blood Deficiency typically exhibit fine (Xi) or rapid (Shu) pulses as well as a red tongue with partial absence of coating.
The Heart is a so-called "Zang" Organ. Learn more about the Heart in Chinese Medicine
Disharmony between Heart and Kidneys caused by Kidney Yang Deficiency
Pulse type(s): Fine (Xi), Rapid (Shu)
Tongue coating: Partial absence of coating
Tongue color: Red
Recommended herbal formula: Jiao Tai Wan
Symptoms: Anxiety Insomnia Irritability Restlnessness Coolness of the lower limbs Severe and continuous palpitations
Nervous exhaustion might be due to Disharmony between Heart and Kidneys caused by Kidney Yang Deficiency if the condition is paired with typical pattern symptoms such as irritability, restlnessness, severe and continuous palpitations and coolness of the lower limbs. Similarly, patients with Disharmony between Heart and Kidneys caused by Kidney Yang Deficiency typically exhibit fine (Xi) or rapid (Shu) pulses as well as a red tongue with partial absence of coating.
Read more about Disharmony between Heart and Kidneys caused by Kidney Yang Deficiency here
The Spleen is a so-called "Zang" Organ. Learn more about the Spleen in Chinese Medicine
Heart and Spleen Qi and Blood Deficiency
Recommended herbal formula: Ren Shen Yang Rong Tang
Symptoms: Fatigue Coughing Dry skin Dry mouth Dry throat Weight loss Palpitations Feverishness Forgetfulness Poor appetite Shortness of breath Dyspnea on exertion Restlnessness at night
Nervous exhaustion might be due to Heart and Spleen Qi and Blood Deficiency if the condition is paired with typical pattern symptoms such as palpitations, forgetfulness, restlnessness at night and feverishness.
Read more about Heart and Spleen Qi and Blood Deficiency here
The Lungs is a so-called "Zang" Organ. Learn more about the Lungs in Chinese Medicine
Lung Qi Deficiency
Recommended herbal formula: Ba Zhen Tang
Symptoms: Weak voice Aversion to speak Shortness of breath
Nervous exhaustion might be due to Lung Qi Deficiency if the condition is paired with typical pattern symptoms such as shortness of breath, weak voice and aversion to speak.
The Spleen is a so-called "Zang" Organ. Learn more about the Spleen in Chinese Medicine
Spleen Qi Deficiency
Recommended herbal formula: Ba Zhen Tang
Symptoms: Weak Limbs Poor appetite
Nervous exhaustion might be due to Spleen Qi Deficiency if the condition is paired with typical pattern symptoms such as poor appetite and weak limbs.
Ginseng (Ren Shen) is the key herb for Ba Zhen Tang, a formula used for Qi and Blood Deficiency
Qi and Blood Deficiency
Recommended herbal formula: Ba Zhen Tang
Symptoms: Vertigo Pale face Pale lips Pale tongue Palpitations
Nervous exhaustion might be due to Qi and Blood Deficiency if the condition is paired with typical pattern symptoms such as palpitations, vertigo, pale face and pale lips.
The fifteen herbal formulas that might help with nervous exhaustion
Ba Zhen Tang
Source date: 1326 AD
Number of ingredients: 10 herbs
Key actions: Tonifies and augments Qi. Tonifies and augments Blood.
Why might Ba Zhen Tang help with nervous exhaustion?
Because it is a formula often recommended to help with the patterns Lung Qi Deficiency, Spleen Qi Deficiency and Qi and Blood Deficiency which are sometimes associated with nervous exhaustion. If any of these patterns look like something you might suffer from, this formula might help (although please seek confirmation with a professional practitioner beforehand).
Gui Pi Tang
Source date: 1529 AD
Number of ingredients: 12 herbs
Key actions: Tonifies and nourish Qi and Blood. Tonifies Heart and Spleen.
Why might Gui Pi Tang help with nervous exhaustion?
Because it is a formula often recommended to help treat Heart and Spleen Deficiency, a pattern sometimes associated with nervous exhaustion. If it looks like you might suffer from Heart and Spleen Deficiency, this formula might help (although please seek confirmation with a professional practitioner beforehand).
Tian Wang Bu Xin Dan
Source date: 16th century
Number of ingredients: 14 herbs
Key actions: Enriches the Yin. Nourishes the Blood. Clears Heat. Calms the Mind.
Why might Tian Wang Bu Xin Dan help with nervous exhaustion?
Because it is a formula often recommended to help treat Yin and Blood Deficiency, a pattern sometimes associated with nervous exhaustion. If it looks like you might suffer from Yin and Blood Deficiency, this formula might help (although please seek confirmation with a professional practitioner beforehand).
Jiao Tai Wan
Source date: 1522 AD
Number of ingredients: 2 herbs
Key actions: Restores the functional communication between the Heart and the Kidneys.
Why might Jiao Tai Wan help with nervous exhaustion?
Because it is a formula often recommended to help treat Disharmony between Heart and Kidneys caused by Kidney Yang Deficiency, a pattern sometimes associated with nervous exhaustion. If it looks like you might suffer from Disharmony between Heart and Kidneys caused by Kidney Yang Deficiency, this formula might help (although please seek confirmation with a professional practitioner beforehand).
Ren Shen Yang Rong Tang
Source date: 1174 AD
Number of ingredients: 14 herbs
Key actions: Tonifies Qi and Blood. Nourishes the Heart. Calms the spirit.
Why might Ren Shen Yang Rong Tang help with nervous exhaustion?
Because it is a formula often recommended to help treat Heart and Spleen Qi and Blood Deficiency, a pattern sometimes associated with nervous exhaustion. If it looks like you might suffer from Heart and Spleen Qi and Blood Deficiency, this formula might help (although please seek confirmation with a professional practitioner beforehand).
Symptoms related to nervous exhaustion
Forgetfulness Palpitations Fatigue Poor appetite Insomnia Anxiety Irritability Shortness of breath Pale complexion Abnormal uterine bleeding
