Schizophrenia 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.
Schizophrenia factsheet
Possible causes and remedies:
Heat and Blood Stagnation in the Lower Burner
Symptoms: Thirst Amenorrhea Night fever and five other symptoms
Recommended formula: Tao He Cheng Qi Tang
Heat in Yang brightness Organs
Symptoms: Flatulence Focal distention Abdominal fullness and three other symptoms
Recommended formula: Da Cheng Qi Tang
In Chinese Medicine, schizophrenia can be associated with three 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 schizophrenia can be caused by three different patterns.
To understand whether someone's schizophrenia 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 schizophrenia alone. For instance when schizophrenia is caused by the pattern Heat and Blood Stagnation in the Lower Burner, patients also experience symptoms such as lower abdominal pain, night fever, delirious speech and irritability. Similarly, patients with Heat and Blood Stagnation in the Lower Burner typically exhibit choppy (Se) or full (Shi) pulses.
We've listed below a description of the three patterns associated with schizophrenia 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 ten formulas that can help treat the various patterns associated with schizophrenia, depending on which pattern fits your profile.
The three "patterns of disharmony" associated with schizophrenia
The Triple Burner is a so-called "Fu" Organ. Learn more about the Triple Burner in Chinese Medicine
Heat and Blood Stagnation in the Lower Burner
Pulse type(s): Choppy (Se), Full (Shi)
Recommended herbal formula: Tao He Cheng Qi Tang
Symptoms: Thirst Amenorrhea Night fever Irritability Dysmenorrhea Restlnessness Delirious speech Lower abdominal pain
Schizophrenia might be due to Heat and Blood Stagnation in the Lower Burner if the condition is paired with typical pattern symptoms such as lower abdominal pain, night fever, delirious speech and irritability. Similarly, patients with Heat and Blood Stagnation in the Lower Burner typically exhibit choppy (Se) or full (Shi) pulses.
Read more about Heat and Blood Stagnation in the Lower Burner here
Rhubarb (Da Huang) is the key herb for Da Cheng Qi Tang, a formula used for Heat in Yang brightness Organs
Heat in Yang brightness Organs
Pulse type(s): Full (Shi)
Tongue coating: Grey or black coating, Yellow coating
Recommended herbal formula: Da Cheng Qi Tang
Symptoms: Flatulence Focal distention Abdominal fullness Severe constipation Tense and firm abdomen Abdominal pain that increases upon pressure
Schizophrenia might be due to Heat in Yang brightness Organs if the condition is paired with typical pattern symptoms such as severe constipation, flatulence, focal distention and abdominal fullness. Similarly, patients with Heat in Yang brightness Organs typically exhibit full (Shi) pulses as well as a tongue with grey or black coating, yellow coating.
Rhubarb (Da Huang) is the key herb for Da Cheng Qi Tang, a formula used for Yang Excess
Yang Excess
Recommended herbal formula: Da Cheng Qi Tang
Schizophrenia might be due to Yang Excess if the condition is paired with typical pattern symptoms such as .
The ten herbal formulas that might help with schizophrenia
Da Cheng Qi Tang
Source date: 220 AD
Number of ingredients: 4 herbs
Key actions: Purges Heat from the Stomach and Intestines. Relieves constipation.
Why might Da Cheng Qi Tang help with schizophrenia?
Because it is a formula often recommended to help with the patterns Heat in Yang brightness Organs and Yang Excess which are sometimes associated with schizophrenia. 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).
Tao He Cheng Qi Tang
Source date: 220 AD
Number of ingredients: 5 herbs
Key actions: Dispels Heat and. Eliminates Blood Stagnation.
Why might Tao He Cheng Qi Tang help with schizophrenia?
Because it is a formula often recommended to help treat Heat and Blood Stagnation in the Lower Burner, a pattern sometimes associated with schizophrenia. If it looks like you might suffer from Heat and Blood Stagnation in the Lower Burner, this formula might help (although please seek confirmation with a professional practitioner beforehand).
Chai Hu Jia Long Gu Mu Li Tang
Source date: 220 AD
Number of ingredients: 12 herbs
Key actions: Unblocks the three Yang warps. Sedates and calms the Spirit.
Why might Chai Hu Jia Long Gu Mu Li Tang help with schizophrenia?
Because it is a formula often recommended to help treat , a pattern sometimes associated with schizophrenia. If it looks like you might suffer from , this formula might help (although please seek confirmation with a professional practitioner beforehand).
Ci Zhu Wan
Source date: 650 AD
Number of ingredients: 4 herbs
Key actions: Heavily sedates and calms the Mind . Pacifies Rising Yang . Improves the vision and hearing.
Why might Ci Zhu Wan help with schizophrenia?
Because it is a formula often recommended to help treat , a pattern sometimes associated with schizophrenia. If it looks like you might suffer from , this formula might help (although please seek confirmation with a professional practitioner beforehand).
Sheng Tie Luo Yin
Source date: 1732 AD
Number of ingredients: 15 herbs
Key actions: Sedates the Heart . Clears Phlegm. Clears Fire. Calms the Mind.
Why might Sheng Tie Luo Yin help with schizophrenia?
Because it is a formula often recommended to help treat , a pattern sometimes associated with schizophrenia. If it looks like you might suffer from , this formula might help (although please seek confirmation with a professional practitioner beforehand).
Symptoms related to schizophrenia
Lower abdominal pain Night fever Delirious speech Irritability Restlnessness Thirst Amenorrhea Dysmenorrhea Severe constipation Flatulence
