Qi deficiency in TCM

Qi deficiency syndrome

It refers to the symptoms manifested by the decline of organ and tissue function. It is often caused by long-term illness, excessive fatigue, old age and physical weakness.

Clinical manifestations:

Shortness of breath, laziness to speak, fatigue, dizziness, spontaneous sweating, symptoms aggravated during activities, pale tongue with white coating, and weak pulse.

Syndrome analysis: The key point of diagnosis of this syndrome is the manifestation of low systemic functional activity. The strength of the functional activities of the organs and tissues of the human body is closely related to the strength and weakness of Qi. When Qi is strong, the functions are vigorous, and when Qi is weak, the functional activities are weakened. Due to the deficiency of vital energy and the decreased functions of internal organs and tissues, the person has little energy, is lazy to speak, and has fatigue and weakness; the clear yang due to qi deficiency cannot rise, and cannot warm and nourish the head, causing dizziness and vertigo; the pores of qi deficiency are loose, and the external defense is not strong, causing spontaneous sweating; fatigue consumes qi, so the symptoms are aggravated during activities; the qi deficiency is unable to stimulate the blood vessels, and blood cannot flow to the tongue, resulting in a pale tongue with a white coating; the qi is unable to circulate blood, so the pulse is weak when pressed.

Causes of the disease: Qi deficiency is mostly caused by inadequate congenital endowment, or malnutrition, or excessive fatigue and depletion ("fatigue leads to depletion of Qi"), or long-term illness, or decreased function of organs such as the lungs, spleen, and kidneys, resulting in insufficient Qi production. Comparing the causes, symptoms and pulse of modern medicine, Qi deficiency is very similar to the modern medical concept of "sub-health". The root cause of sub-health is insufficient yin and yang, qi and blood, and poor function of the five internal organs, which is also consistent with insufficient vital energy and qi deficiency. In terms of treatment, Chinese medicine uses the holistic concept and the principles and methods of syndrome differentiation and treatment to regulate the heart, liver, spleen, lungs, and kidneys as a whole, allowing the body to regularly renew and replicate itself and gradually restore vitality, thus transforming sub-health status into health.

The connection and difference between Qi deficiency and Qi collapse

Qi deficiency and Qi collapse are both pathological changes of deficiency in Qi diseases, but they are different from each other.

1. Qi deficiency disease involves the five internal organs

Qi is the most basic substance that constitutes the human body and maintains human life activities, and belongs to the category of human essence. The human body's essence and energy are stored in the five internal organs respectively, so "Suwen·Discussion on the Five Internal Organs" says: "The so-called five internal organs are where the essence and energy are stored and not discharged." Therefore, from the source of Qi, the Qi that constitutes the human body and maintains human life activities mainly includes two aspects: innate essence and acquired essence. From the perspective of the relationship between the generation of qi and the internal organs, all five internal organs store essence and qi, with the lungs, spleen, and kidneys being particularly important.

Qi Deficiency and Qi Deficiency of the Five Internal Organs

Qi deficiency refers to a pathological state in which the functions of internal organs decline and the ability to resist disease is low, which will produce a series of clinical symptoms. However, because Qi is stored in the five internal organs, Qi deficiency is usually related to the function of that organ. The Suwen: On the Rise and Fall of Prescriptions describes different dream situations caused by lung Qi deficiency, kidney Qi deficiency, spleen Qi deficiency, heart Qi deficiency, and liver Qi deficiency. Therefore, the pathological concept of qi deficiency should include qi deficiency of the five internal organs.

Lung Qi Deficiency

The lungs control the qi, regulate breathing, connect to the skin and hair, and regulate the water channels. If the lung qi is deficient, its functions of promoting and descending, controlling breathing, regulating water metabolism, and resisting external pathogens will be weakened, resulting in symptoms such as shortness of breath, spontaneous sweating, a low and timid voice, coughing and wheezing, chest tightness, susceptibility to colds, and even edema and difficulty urinating.

Kidney Qi Deficiency

The kidneys are located in the waist, store essence and energy, and control the opening and closing of the two yin meridians. Essence and energy fill the five internal organs and nourish the brain marrow. Deficiency of kidney qi and lack of nourishment will cause symptoms such as fatigue, dizziness, forgetfulness, soreness and weakness in the waist and knees, frequent and clear urination, clear and thin leucorrhea, pale tongue and weak pulse. If the kidneys cannot absorb air, breathing will be shallow and rapid, with more exhalation than inhalation.

Spleen deficiency

The spleen is located in the middle burner and is responsible for transportation and transformation, raising the lucidity, and regulating blood circulation. The spleen is weak and cannot transport and transform the essence of food and water, resulting in a lack of source of qi and blood. Symptoms include decreased appetite, stomach discomfort after eating, fatigue, weight loss, loose stools, sallow complexion, pale tongue with thin coating, and weak pulse.

Heart Qi deficiency

The heart controls blood vessels and stores the spirit. Deficiency of heart qi cannot stimulate blood circulation, nor can it nourish the spirit, so symptoms include palpitations, shortness of breath, sweating, aggravated by exertion, fatigue, pale tongue, and a weak pulse.

2. Qi collapse is a pathological change caused by Qi deficiency and sinking

Qi collapse is a pathological change in which both Qi deficiency and abnormal Qi rising occur, and is mainly characterized by Qi deficiency and collapse. The main causes of Qi collapse include congenital deficiency, Qi deficiency due to long-term illness, physical weakness due to aging, dietary damage, or excessive work and desire. The most common causes are long-term diarrhea and dysentery that do not heal, or women who give birth too many times and fail to take good care of themselves after childbirth.

Qi collapse is most closely related to spleen deficiency. The spleen is responsible for ascending clearness, and Qi should flow upward. If the spleen is damaged and unable to ascend, Qi will become weak and sink. Its clinical manifestations include general symptoms such as qi deficiency, fatigue, pale complexion and tiredness, as well as characteristic symptoms such as abdominal distension, gastric and kidney prolapse, rectal prolapse, or uterine prolapse in women and other visceral prolapse. Qi collapse is a pathological change caused by the failure of clear Qi to rise on the basis of Qi deficiency. The most common clinical syndrome of Qi collapse is mainly the collapse of the middle Qi. The pathogenesis is mainly the disorder of spleen and stomach transportation and transformation, and the dysfunction of ascending and descending. It manifests as decreased appetite, abdominal distension, anal prolapse, diarrhea, or weak defecation, dizziness, etc. "Suwen·Yin Yang Ying Xiang Da Lun" says: "When the clear air is in the lower part, diarrhea will occur." It is a symptom of deficiency and decline of the middle Qi, its failure to rise, and the sinking of the clear Yang Qi.

Although both Qi deficiency and Qi collapse are pathological changes of Qi weakness, Qi deficiency involves the five internal organs and is very widespread; while Qi collapse is a complex pathological change in which the clear Qi is unable to rise due to Qi deficiency and collapses, and it is mainly due to spleen deficiency, with collapse of the middle Qi being the most common.

When it comes to the dietary precautions for people with qi deficiency, the principles of the five internal organs' deficiency should be taken into consideration. People with qi deficiency should eat foods that have the effect of replenishing qi, eat things that are mild in nature and sweet or sweet and warm in taste, and eat nutritious and easily digestible tonic foods. Avoid eating foods that damage or consume energy, avoid eating raw, cold foods, and avoid eating greasy, spicy foods.