Spleen Meridian Disharmonies - TCM Theory

TCM Theory

Spleen Meridian Disharmonies - TCM Theory

Below you will find the TCM Disharmonies related to the Spleen Meridian. Each pattern contains a brief description of associated signs and symptoms, tongue and pulse diagnosis, and a list of acupuncture points that may be used to treat the disharmony.

Excess Patterns

Damp-cold - excess pattern
  • General Signs & Symptoms:
    Poor appetite, chest a/or epigastric oppression, sensation of cold in the abdomen which feels better with the application of heat, heavy head a/or body, lack of thirst, loose stools
  • Tongue:
    Thick sticky white coat
  • Pulse:
    Slippery, slow
  • General Treatment Points:
  • Maciocia Treatment Points w/Valaskatagis commentary, modifications and additions
  • SP 9 - resolve damp
  • SP 6 - tonify SP
  • CV 12 - ST Mu, tonify ST/SP
  • SP 3 - tonify SP Qi
  • ST 8 - clear the head

Damp-heat - excess pattern
  • General Signs & Symptoms:
    Epigastric a/or abdominal oppression, lack of appetite, heavy body, thirst with little/no desire to drink, abdominal pain, loose stools with strong odor possibly w/burning anus, nausea, vomiting, fever, headache
  • Tongue:
    Yellow sticky coat
  • Pulse:
    Slippery, rapid
  • General Treatment Points:
  • Maciocia Treatment Points w/Valaskatagis commentary, modifications and additions
  • SP 9 - resolve dampness
  • SP 6 - tonify SP
  • UB 20 - SP Shu
  • LI 11 - clear heat
  • GB 34 - clear damp-heat, nausea a/or vomiting

Deficiency Patterns

SP Qi Deficiency
  • General Signs & Symptoms:
    Poor appetite, distention after eating, weakness of the four limbs, fatigue, loose stools
  • Tongue:
    Pale, swollen w/teethmarks
  • Pulse:
    Empty
  • General Treatment Points:
  • Maciocia Treatment Points w/Valaskatagis commentary, modifications and additions
  • CV 12 - ST Mu, distention after eating
  • ST 36 - tonify ST/SP
  • SP 6 - tonify SP Qi
  • SP 3 - best with dampness in the channels, could leave this out
  • UB 20 - SP Shu
  • UB 21 - ST Shu

SP Qi Sinking
  • General Signs & Symptoms:
    Same symptoms as SP Qi Deficiency above but with prolapses of the stomach, uterus, anus a/or vagina along with frequency a/or urgency of urination
  • Tongue:
    Pale
  • Pulse:
    Empty or weak
  • General Treatment Points:
  • Maciocia Treatment Points w/Valaskatagis commentary, modifications and additions
  • Same points as SP Qi Deficiency with the following additions to raise the Qi
  • GV 20 - w/moxa to raise the Qi
  • CV 6 - tonify Qi
  • if Stomach prolapse - ST 21
  • if Anal prolapse - GV 1

SP Qi not controlling the Blood
  • General Signs & Symptoms:
    Same symptoms as SP Qi Deficiency above but with bleeding issues such as hemorrhages, vaginal bleeding, bleeding under the skin
  • Tongue:
    Pale
  • Pulse:
    Fine
  • General Treatment Points:
  • Maciocia Treatment Points w/Valaskatagis commentary, modifications and additions
  • Same points as SP Qi Deficiency with the following additions to control Bleeding
  • SP 1 - empirical point for bleeding (w/moxa)
  • SP 10 - control Blood
  • UB 17 - hui meeting of the Blood

SP Yang Deficiency
  • General Signs & Symptoms:
    A further progression of SP Qi Deficiency above with more cold signs, cold limbs, chilliness, edema (more in the middle warmer)
  • Tongue:
    Pale, wet, swollen w/teethmarks
  • Pulse:
    Deep
  • General Treatment Points:
  • Maciocia Treatment Points w/Valaskatagis commentary, modifications and additions
  • Same points as SP Qi Deficiency but you would use moxa and add the following points to further tonify the SP
  • SP 9 - resolve dampness
  • CV 9 - resolve dampness in the middle warmer
  • ST 28 - resolve dampness in the lower warmer
  • UB 22 - TH Shu, effect fluids in the lower and middle warmers

Sources and More Information

The information on our site is drawn from our own lecture notes and clinical experience.

All Content 1999-2024
Chad J. Dupuis / Yin Yang House
Our Policies and Privacy Guidelines
Our Affiliated Clinics