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.
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Jumpiness can be the consequence of several so-called “patterns of disharmony” in Chinese Medicine.
Chinese Medicine sees the body as a system, not a sum of isolated parts. A "pattern" is when the system's harmony is disrupted, leading to symptoms or signs that something is wrong (like jumpiness here). It is similar to the concept of disease in Western Medicine but not quite: a Western disease can often be explained by several Chinese patterns and vice-versa.
A pattern often manifests itself in a combination of symptoms that, at first glance, do not seem necessarily related to each others. For instance here jumpiness is often associated with dizziness, palpitations and insomnia in the pattern “Heart Blood Deficiency”. As you will see below, we have in record five patterns that can cause jumpiness.
Once identified, patterns are treated using medicinal herbs, acupuncture, and other therapies. In the case of jumpiness we’ve identified five herbal formulas that may help treat patterns behind the symptom.
We’ve also selected below the five medicinal herbs that we think are most likely to help treat jumpiness.
The five "patterns of disharmony" that can cause jumpiness
In Chinese Medicine jumpiness is a symptom for 5 patterns that we have on record. Below is a small explanation for each of them with links for more details.
The Heart is a so-called "Zang" Organ. Learn more about the Heart in Chinese Medicine
Heart Blood Deficiency
Pulse type(s): Choppy (Se), Fine (Xi)
Tongue color: Pale
Tongue shape: Thin
Heart Blood Deficiency hurts the Mind (神 Shen) and it causes insomnia, dream-disturbed sleep, anxiety, poor memory, dizziness and tendency to be scared. It can be caused by Deficient Spleen Qi that fails to produce Blood, long-term anxiety and worry, a severe blood loss and excessive workload.
In addition to jumpiness, other symptoms associated with Heart Blood Deficiency include dizziness, palpitations and insomnia.
From a Western Medicine standpoint Heart Blood Deficiency is associated with health issues such as Postpartum Depression.
Heart Blood Deficiency is often treated with Si Wu Tang, a herbal formula made of 4 herbs (including Prepared Rehmannia - Shu Di huang - as a key herb). Si Wu Tang belongs to the category of "formulas that tonify blood", which might be why it is often recommended for this pattern. Its main action as a formula is: "Restores and nourishes Blood".
The Pericardium is a so-called "Zang" Organ. Learn more about the Pericardium in Chinese Medicine
Pericardium Blood Deficiency
Pulse type(s): Choppy (Se), Fine (Xi)
In addition to jumpiness, other symptoms associated with Pericardium Blood Deficiency include dizziness, palpitations and insomnia.
Pericardium Blood Deficiency is often treated with Shen Qi Si Wu Tang, a herbal formula made of 6 herbs (including Prepared Rehmannia - Shu Di huang - as a key herb). Shen Qi Si Wu Tang belongs to the category of "formulas that tonify blood", which might be why it is often recommended for this pattern. Its main action as a formula is: "Restores and nourishes Blood".
The Spleen is a so-called "Zang" Organ. Learn more about the Spleen in Chinese Medicine
Spleen and Heart Blood Deficiency
Pulse type(s): Choppy (Se), Fine (Xi)
In addition to jumpiness, other symptoms associated with Spleen and Heart Blood Deficiency include dizziness, palpitations and insomnia.
Spleen and Heart Blood Deficiency is often treated with Gui Pi Tang, a herbal formula made of 12 herbs (including Ginseng - Ren Shen - as a key herb). Gui Pi Tang belongs to the category of "formulas that tonify qi and blood", which might be why it is often recommended for this pattern. Its main action as a formula is: "Tonifies and nourish Qi and Blood".
The Gallbladder is a so-called "Fu" Organ. Learn more about the Gallbladder in Chinese Medicine
Gallbladder Deficiency
Pulse type(s): Weak (Ruo)
More than a ‘pattern’, this is really the description of a certain character or personality. The key feature of this ‘pattern’ is the character of the person: that is, their lack of courage, timidity and lack of initiative.
In addition to jumpiness, other symptoms associated with Gallbladder Deficiency include dizziness, timidity and lack of courage.
Gallbladder Deficiency is often treated with Wen Dan Tang, a herbal formula made of 8 herbs (including Crow-Dipper Rhizomes - Ban Xia - as a key herb). Wen Dan Tang belongs to the category of "formulas that dry dampness and transform phlegm", which might be why it is often recommended for this pattern. Its main action as a formula is: "Clears Hot-Phlegm".
The Heart is a so-called "Zang" Organ. Learn more about the Heart in Chinese Medicine
Heart Yin Deficiency
Pulse type(s): Rapid (Shu), Empty (Xu), Fine (Xi), Floating (Fu)
Tongue coating: Complete absence of coating
Tongue color: Red
This pattern developed from Heart Blood Deficiency. It shares similar symptoms as the latter one, such as insomnia, dream-disturbed sleep, easily to be scared, poor memory and anxiety, but it also has additional empty Heat symptoms. It can be caused by Kidney Yin Deficiency or other factors such as bad diet, overwork or long term exposure to stress or hot environment.
In addition to jumpiness, other symptoms associated with Heart Yin Deficiency include dizziness, palpitations and insomnia.
From a Western Medicine standpoint Heart Yin Deficiency is associated with health issues such as Absence Of Menstruation or Postpartum Depression.
Heart Yin Deficiency is often treated with Tian Wang Bu Xin Dan, a herbal formula made of 14 herbs (including Unprepared Rehmannia - Di Huang - as a key herb). Tian Wang Bu Xin Dan belongs to the category of "formulas that nourish the heart and calm the mind", which might be why it is often recommended for this pattern. Its main action as a formula is: "Nutritive tonic: Nourishes Yin, Blood and Vital Essence of the Heart and Kidney".
Five herbal formulas that might help with jumpiness
Si Wu Tang
Source date: 846 AD
Number of ingredients: 4 herbs
Key actions: Restores and nourishes Blood. Stimulates Blood circulation.
Why might Si Wu Tang help with jumpiness?
Because it is a formula often recommended to treat the pattern 'Heart Blood Deficiency' of which jumpiness is a symptom.
Other symptoms characteristic of Heart Blood Deficiency include dizziness, palpitations and insomnia.
Shen Qi Si Wu Tang
Source date: 846 AD
Number of ingredients: 6 herbs
Key actions: Restores and nourishes Blood. Stimulates Blood circulation. Tonifies Qi.
Why might Shen Qi Si Wu Tang help with jumpiness?
Because it is a formula often recommended to treat the pattern 'Pericardium Blood Deficiency' of which jumpiness is a symptom.
Other symptoms characteristic of Pericardium Blood Deficiency include dizziness, palpitations and insomnia.
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 jumpiness?
Because it is a formula often recommended to treat the pattern 'Spleen and Heart Blood Deficiency' of which jumpiness is a symptom.
Other symptoms characteristic of Spleen And Heart Blood Deficiency include dizziness, palpitations and insomnia.
Wen Dan Tang
Source date: 1174 AD
Number of ingredients: 8 herbs
Key actions: Clears Hot-Phlegm. Clears Gallbladder heat. Regulates Qi. Harmonizes the Stomach.
Why might Wen Dan Tang help with jumpiness?
Because it is a formula often recommended to treat the pattern 'Gallbladder Deficiency' of which jumpiness is a symptom.
Other symptoms characteristic of Gallbladder Deficiency include dizziness, timidity and lack of courage.
Tian Wang Bu Xin Dan
Source date: 16th century
Number of ingredients: 14 herbs
Key actions: Nutritive tonic: Nourishes Yin, Blood and Vital Essence of the Heart and Kidney. Clears away pathogenic Heat, clears Deficient Heat. Sedative.
Why might Tian Wang Bu Xin Dan help with jumpiness?
Because it is a formula often recommended to treat the pattern 'Heart Yin Deficiency' of which jumpiness is a symptom.
Other symptoms characteristic of Heart Yin Deficiency include dizziness, palpitations and insomnia.
The five Chinese Medicinal herbs most likely to help treat jumpiness
Why might Dong Quai (Dang Gui) help with jumpiness?
Because Dong Quai is an ingredient in several formulas indicated to treat jumpiness as a symptom, like Si Wu Tang or Shen Qi Si Wu Tang for instance.
Dong Quai is a Warm herb that tastes Pungent and Sweet. It targets the Spleen, the Heart and the Liver.
Its main actions are: Tonifies the Blood. Lubricates the Intestines. Relieve constipation. Promotes circulation and dispels Bi Pain. Reduce Dysmenorrhea and help with irregular menstruation.
Why might Ginseng (Ren Shen) help with jumpiness?
Because Ginseng is an ingredient in several formulas indicated to treat jumpiness as a symptom, like Gui Pi Tang or Shen Qi Si Wu Tang for instance.
Ginseng is a Warm herb that tastes Bitter and Sweet. It targets the Spleen, the Heart and the Lung.
Its main actions are: Very strongly tonifies the Qi. Tonifies the Lungs and Spleen. Assists the body in the secretion of Fluids and stops thirst. Strengthens the Heart and calms the Shen (mind/spirit).
Why might Szechuan Lovage Root (Chuan Xiong) help with jumpiness?
Because Szechuan Lovage Root is an ingredient in several formulas indicated to treat jumpiness as a symptom, like Si Wu Tang or Shen Qi Si Wu Tang for instance.
Szechuan Lovage Roots is a Warm herb that tastes Pungent. It targets the Gallbladder, the Liver and the Pericardium.
Its main actions are: Regulates and moves the Blood. Relieves Wind-Cold and pain. Circulates the Qi in the Upper Burner, relieving headaches.
Why might Jujube Seed (Suan Zao Ren) help with jumpiness?
Because Jujube Seed is an ingredient in several formulas indicated to treat jumpiness as a symptom, like Gui Pi Tang or Tian Wang Bu Xin Dan for instance.
Jujube Seeds is a Neutral herb that tastes Sour and Sweet. It targets the Gallbladder, the Heart and the Liver.
Its main actions are: Nourishes the Heart Yin and calms the spirit. Contains Fluid leakage.
Why might Poria-Cocos Mushroom (Fu Ling) help with jumpiness?
Because Poria-Cocos Mushroom is an ingredient in several formulas indicated to treat jumpiness as a symptom, like Wen Dan Tang or Tian Wang Bu Xin Dan for instance.
Poria-Cocos Mushrooms is a Neutral herb that tastes Sweet. It targets the Spleen, the Heart, the Kidney and the Lung.
Its main actions are: Encourages urination and drains Dampness. Tonic to the Spleen/Stomach. Assists the Heart and calms the Spirit.
Other symptoms often associated with jumpiness
Dizziness Palpitations Insomnia Poor memory Dream disturbed sleep Anxiety Pale lips Timidity Lack of courage Indecision