Hello everyone, I am Chinese medicine practitioner Liu Jiafu! Recently, I consulted a patient who didn’t have any major problems, just liver stagnation. He usually has a strong temper and experiences symptoms such as chest tightness, shortness of breath, dizziness, and weakness. Because he has some knowledge of Chinese medicine and knows that his issue is liver stagnation, he bought some Chaihu Shugan San to regulate it. However, after taking several boxes of medicine, he didn’t see much improvement. In fact, his condition worsened. Eventually, he had no choice but to seek my diagnosis.
Initial consultation, I observed that the sides of the patient’s tongue were visibly swollen, and the tongue surface was uneven. These are typical tongue signs of liver stagnation and liver qi discomfort. Liver stagnation and qi stagnation can indeed lead to abnormal blood circulation, causing delayed nourishment to the limbs and internal organs, resulting in symptoms such as dizziness, chest tightness, and weakness.
However, the patient’s tongue was pale without a healthy color, indicating a deficiency in the spleen. The patient’s qi and blood were insufficient, which is one of the main reasons for his dizziness, weakness in the limbs, and other symptoms. Looking at the base of his tongue, the tongue coating was greasy and there were indentations. This is a typical sign of kidney yang deficiency in Chinese medicine. The kidney governs water, and when kidney yang is deficient, water cannot be restrained, leading to the accumulation of phlegm and dampness. The phlegm is sticky and affects the circulation of qi and blood, causing blood stasis and worsening symptoms such as chest tightness, dizziness, and weakness.
Therefore, overall, the patient not only has issues with liver stagnation but also simultaneously suffers from spleen deficiency, insufficient qi and blood, kidney yang deficiency, and phlegm and stasis. When it comes to treatment, focusing solely on soothing the liver and resolving stagnation is not the right approach. Without addressing the issues with the spleen and kidneys, the symptoms will not be relieved.
In response to the patient’s underlying causes, I prescribed a specific treatment plan. After using the medication for some time, the patient’s symptoms improved significantly. The signs of liver stagnation, spleen deficiency, and kidney yang deficiency on the tongue also showed improvement.
At that time, I used Chaihu and Yujin to disperse the stagnation in the liver qi, Qingpi to promote qi circulation, and enhance the flow of qi and blood. Only when the liver qi flows smoothly and blood circulates normally can the nourishment of internal organs and limbs be restored, effectively alleviating symptoms such as weakness and chest tightness. Furthermore, I added Danggui to nourish and invigorate blood circulation, helping to replenish the body’s deficiencies more quickly.
Next, I used Dangshen and Baizhu to tonify the spleen and boost qi, supporting the weakened spleen and stomach, promoting digestion, and allowing for the generation of new qi and blood to fully nourish the body. I then added Baijiez to resolve phlegm, Danshen to promote blood circulation and resolve stasis, Ze Xie and Fuling to promote urination and dispel dampness. These four herbs are primarily used to expel toxins from the body. Lastly, I used Duzhong and Yinyanghuo to nourish kidney yang. When yang qi is sufficient, water and dampness can be transformed, preventing the formation of phlegm.
Through this case study, I hope everyone understands that liver stagnation cannot be solely addressed by tonifying the liver. Especially in patients with long-term conditions, there may be deficiencies in other organs. We must identify the underlying causes and provide comprehensive nourishment. Blindly using medication will not solve the problem but might even aggravate the condition.
That’s all for today’s sharing, feel free to leave me a message if you have any related questions.
