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.