Web That Has No Weaver

Chapter 5 - Origins of Disharmony: Stormy Weather

I. Perception of Chinese Disease

A. Cause and Effect

B. Why is there disharmony?

  1. Environment
  2. Emotional Outlook
  3. Way of Life

C. Diagnosis of Chinese Patient

  1. "Symptoms" Western Thought
  2. Environment
  3. Reharmonizing

II. The Six Pernicious Influences

A. Environmental factors that play a part in disease

  1. Balance of Yin and Yang equals a healthy body
  2. Natural event; only harmful when body has inappropriate relationship
  3. Qi
    a. Protective Qi strong, then the influence is expelled b. Weak Qi or strong influence, then the illness develops
  4. External Pernicious Influences
    a. Invades body from outside
    b. Accompanies sudden acute illnesses
  5. Internal Pernicious Influences
    a. Related to chronic illnesses
    b. Invades slowly

B. Wind

  1. Yang aspect
  2. Associated with Spring
  3. Characteristics
    1. a. "Light and Airy"
    2. b. Rarely appears alone
    3. c. Appears and Disappears rapidly
  4. Portion of Body Affected
    1. a. Shows initially on upper/outer
    2. b. Pain moves from place to place
  5. EPI
    1. a. External Wind
    2. b. Sudden onset, accompanied by fever
  6. IPI
    1. a. Chronic disorder of the liver
    2. b. Dizziness, tinnitus, numbness of limbs, tremors, convulsions, and apoplexy

C. Cold

  1. Yin aspect
  2. Associated with winter
  3. Characteristics
    1. a. Individual feels cold
    2. b. Pale, frigid appearance
    3. c. Can block the circulation of Qi or Blood
  4. Portion of the Body Affected
    1. a. Meridians
    2. b. Limbs
  5. EPI
    1. a. Sudden onset
    2. b. Accompanied by the fear of cold, chills, mild fever, headache, and body aches
  6. IPI
    1. a. Insufficient Yang
    2. b. Body will be cold and slow
    3. c. Often related to the kidneys

D. Heat or Fire

  1. Yang aspect
  2. Associated with summer
  3. Characteristics
    1. a. Body feels or appears hot
    2. b. A high fever, red eyes, dark reddish urine, red face
  4. Portion of the Body
    1. a. Dry tongue
    2. b. Whole body
  5. EPI
    1. a. High fever, headache, delirium, swollen throat, dry mouth, great thirst
    2. b. Desire for cold
  6. IPI
    1. a. Develops from disharmonies of Yin and Yang

E. Dampness

1. Yin aspect

2. Associated with damp weather in any season

3. Characteristics

a. Heavy, turbid, and lingering

b. Tends to move things downward

c. Gives a feeling of heaviness

4. Portion of the Body Affected

a. Lower body is the first area affected

5. EPI

a. Can easily obstruct movement of Qi

b. Can penetrate meridians affecting limbs

c. Affects spleen

d. Acute, easily turned into IPI

6. IPI

a. Makes patient more susceptible to EPI

b. Mucous

F. Dryness and Summer Heat

  1. Yang aspect
  2. Associated with autumn
  3. Characteristics of Dryness
    1. a. Dry nostrils, skin, tongue, and stools
    2. b. Emphasize dehydration, redness and hotness
  4. EPI
    1. a. Interferes with circular and descending function of the lungs
    2. b. Dry cough, asthma
  5. Summer Heat only EPI
    1. a. Exposure to extreme heat
    2. b. High fever, sweating
    3. c. Often occurs together with Dampness

III. Seven Emotions

A. Emotional factors play a part in health and illness

B. When emotion becomes excessive or insufficient creates imbalance or illness

C. Emotions

  1. Joy
  2. Anger
  3. Sadness
  4. Grief
  5. Pensiveness
  6. Fear
  7. Fright

D. Most susceptible organs

  1. Heart
  2. Liver

IV. Way of Life

A. West considers this "lifestyle"

B. Chinese ideal is to live in harmony with the universe

C. Physician might be called in to point inappropriate habits

V. Diet

A. Stomach and Spleen most affected by diet

B. Irregularity disrupts bodily harmony

  1. Quality of food
  2. Quantity of food
  3. Time of meals

VI. Sexual Activity

A. Excessive sexual activity

  1. Injures the Kidney Jing
  2. General reduction of vitality

B. Giving birth too many times weakens the Jing and the Blood

VII. Physical Activity

A. Goal of life activity is to live in harmonious balance

B. Seasons

  1. Yang times - active
    1. a. Morning
    2. b. Spring
    3. c. Youth
  2. Yin times - quiet
    1. a. Evening
    2. b. Winter
    3. c. Old age

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