Stomach Deficiency
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?
Diagnosis
Common symptoms: Tiredness Dry mouth Depression Poor appetite Feeling of cold and one other symptoms
Pulse type(s): Weak (Ruo)
Tongue color: Pale
Pathology
Stomach Deficiency is a pattern of disharmony in Chinese Medicine.
Chinese Medicine views the human body as a complex system that tends toward harmony. A pattern of disharmony is a disorder that prevents that harmony from occurring.
Patterns give rise to symptoms that may at first glance seem unrelated from a Western standpoint but that actually make a lot of sense when one understands Chinese Medicine theory. For instance here Stomach Deficiency gives rise to such diverse symptoms as nausea or vomiting, tiredness, feeling of cold and poor appetite (as well as two others).
To diagnose a pattern, analyzing a patient's pulse as well as their tongue is common practice. In the case of Stomach Deficiency patients tend to exhibit weak (Ruo) pulses as well as a pale tongue.
Patterns aren't exactly the Chinese Medicine equivalent to Western diseases, they're rather the underlying causes behind diseases or health conditions. Here Stomach Deficiency is thought to sometimes induce conditions such as morning sickness.
Diagnosing Stomach Deficiency
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): Weak (Ruo)
Tongue color: Pale
Main symptoms: Tiredness Dry mouth Depression Poor appetite Feeling of cold Nausea or vomiting
Treating Stomach Deficiency
Herbal formulas used to treat Stomach Deficiency
Er Chen Tang
Source date: 1148 AD
Number of ingredients: 5 herbs
Key actions: Dries Damp and dispels Phlegm. Regulates Qi and harmonizes the Middle Burner (Stomach and Spleen).
Formula summary
Er Chen Tang is a 5-ingredient Chinese Medicine formula. Invented in 1148 AD, it belongs to the category of formulas that dry Dampness and transform Phlegm.
Besides Stomach Deficiency, Er Chen Tang is also used to treat Damp-Phlegm in the Lungs or Damp-Phlegm.
Xiang Sha Liu Jun Zi Tang
Source date: 1675 AD
Number of ingredients: 9 herbs
Key actions: Tonifies Spleen and Stomach Qi. Removes Dampness. Moves Qi. Alleviates pain.
Formula summary
Xiang Sha Liu Jun Zi Tang is a 9-ingredient Chinese Medicine formula. Invented in 1675 AD, it belongs to the category of formulas that dispel Phlegm.
Besides Stomach Deficiency, Xiang Sha Liu Jun Zi Tang is also used to treat Damp-Phlegm or Damp-Phlegm in the Uterus.
Mai Men Dong Tang
Source date: 220 AD
Number of ingredients: 6 herbs
Key actions: Nourishes the Stomach. Generates Body Fluids. Directs Rebellious Qi downward.
Formula summary
Mai Men Dong Tang is a 6-ingredient Chinese Medicine formula. Invented in 220 AD, it belongs to the category of formulas that enrich Yin and moisten Dryness.
Besides Stomach Deficiency, Mai Men Dong Tang is also used to treat Lung Yin Deficiency or Stomach Yin Deficiency.
Special highlight: the link between morning sickness and Stomach Deficiency
Ginseng (Ren Shen) is the key herb for Xiang Sha Liu Jun Zi Tang, a formula used for morning sickness caused by Stomach Deficiency
Typical symptoms for morning sickness caused by Stomach Deficiency: Tiredness Dry mouth Depression Poor appetite Feeling of cold Nausea or vomiting
Recommended herbal formulas: Xiang Sha Liu Jun Zi Tang, Er Chen Tang, Mai Men Dong Tang
There are two types of Stomach Deficiency that can lead to morning sickness: Stomach Qi Deficiency with Empty Cold and Stomach Yin Deficiency with Empty Heat. The latter one is more common among older women.
Qi is a Yang element (which is naturally Hot), so a Qi Deficiency results in Cold symptoms such as a feeling of cold. In contrast Yin Deficiency normally causes Heat symptoms such as feeling of heat in the evening, malar flush or night sweats.
Despite causing fairly different symptoms, the...Read more about morning sickness