TCM Dictionary - Search Explorer
The TCM Dictionary is massive, so the fastest way to find something is to search. As an example, try a search for 'liver qi'. The more obscure the TCM concept, the better. The dictionary combines terms, definitions, medications, and acupuncture prescriptions.
There are 177 terms starting with "R"
racing pulse
A pulse having seven or more beats per respiration, i.e., at least one beat or more per respiration than the rapid pulse. It is a sign of in exhaustion of yin and yang and original qi about to desert, and is observed in acute febrile disease and vacuity traxation. It is usually a critical sign. A racing pulse in a healthy pregnant women is a sign of imminent birth.
raised chest
Abnormal elevation of the anterior chest; observed in pulmonary distention.
raised-shoulder breathing
Raising of the shoulders to assist breathing in severe panting patterns.
raising pus and dispelling putridity
raising pus and dispelling putridity
Treating welling-abscess yong1 and other sores to draw out pus and reduce ulceration. Representative formulas include Five-to-Five Elixir or Nine-to-One Elixir.
raising the pot and removing the lid
To free urine by diffusing the lung or by upraising. The lung together with the spleen, kidney, triple burner, and bladder are responsible for water metabolism and keep the waterways free and regulated. The lung governs qi, and is the upper source of the waterways. When lung qi is blocked, and depurative downbearing fails, this can cause qi transformation failure in other organs, causing hasty panting, fullness in the chest, inhibited urination, and puffy swelling. This is treated by the method of diffusing the lung and downbearing qi, which is referred to by the metaphor of raising the pot and removing the lid, the pot apparently having a hole in its bottom from which water drains only when the lid is removed.
raking the firewood from beneath the cauldron
A method of eliminating repletion heat by freeing the stool with cold-natured draining precipitants.
rapid hungering
Tendency to become hungry soon after eating.
rapid pulse
A rapid pulse has six beats per respiration. The rapid pulse is usually associated with heat, but may also be an indication of vacuity. A forceful rapid pulse indicates repletion heat and is most commonly seen in external heat (febrile) disease. A fine weak rapid pulse indicates effulgent yin vacuity fire. A large weak rapid pulse generally indicates qi vacuity. A rapid pulse is normal in infants, and a slippery rapid pulse is normal in pregnancy. The rapid pulse is usually quite smooth-flowing, so it is often confused with a slippery pulse. However, the term ``rapid'' refers exclusively to the pace, whereas ``slippery'' denotes a quality. The Bin-Hu Sphygmology (1564) clearly points out, ``Rapid and slippery should not be considered as being the same; rapid refers to the pace only.'' A pulse having seven or more beats per respiration is known as a racing pulse. Its significance is basically the same as that of the rapid pulse, though the possibility of vacuity is higher.
rashness, impatience, and irascibility
Synonyms: crude.
A sign of binding depression of liver qi.
raw
Uncooked or unprocessed.
reachable sore
An effusion of the back, so called because the patient can reach it with his or her own hand.
rebellion
In the doctrine of the five phases, a reversal of the restraining relationship, where one of the five phases is disproportionately strong and rebels against the phase that should normally restrain it. For example, wood is normally restrained by metal, but if it becomes too strong it will rebel against metal. Powerless to withstand the attack, metal will succumb. In terms of the bowels and viscera, this means that when the liver, normally restrained by the lung, becomes too strong, it will rebel against the lung and overcome it.
rebounding
Springing back against the hand as pressure is released. Rebounding is a test used in external medicine to determines whether or not pus has formed. If a sore springs back after the pressure applied to it is released, there is pus. If the sore does not spring back immediately, there is no pus.
rectal prolapse hemorrhoids
Hemorrhoids with prolapse of the rectum. Prolapse of the rectum may occur in patients who have suffered from hemorrhoids for a long time, when repeated contractions of damp-heat evil leads to qi vacuity and loss of containing power. The condition is characterized by prolapse when straining during defecation with pain and bleeding, and in some cases with exudation of yellow watery fluid.
Medication: Clear heat and transform dampness; boost qi and raise the fall. Use Rectum-Lifting Powder.
Acupuncture: Base treatment mainly on back transport points GV, BL, ST, and LI. Select GV-20 (Hundred Convergences), BL-25 (Large Intestine Transport), GV-1 (Long Strong), BL-35 (Meeting of Yang), BL-57 (Mountain Support), LI-4 (Union Valley), LI-11 (Pool at the Bend)
rectify
To correct (counterflow, stagnant qi, or static blood).
rectifying qi
Correction of any morbidity of qi (qi stagnation, qi counterflow, qi vacuity, qi fall), and especially to treat qi stagnation or qi counterflow. See moving qi (which includes coursing depression and rectifying qi and harmonizing the stomach and rectifying qi); downbearing counterflow and precipitating qi (which includes downbearing counterflow and checking vomiting and downbearing qi and calming panting).
rectifying qi and harmonizing construction
A method of treatment used to address binding depression of liver qi and construction-blood disharmony in the treatment of pathoconditions characterized by emotional depression, vexation and agitation, rib-side pain, qi stagnation in the chest, and in some cases distention of the breasts, menstrual irregularities, and menstrual pain.
Medication: medicinals used include liver-coursing and qi rectifying medicinals such as bupleurum (Bupleuri Radix), unripe tangerine peel (Citri Exocarpium Immaturum), cyperus (Cyperi Rhizoma), and toosendan (Toosendan Fructus), combined with blood-nourishing, constr
Acupuncture: Base treatment on PC, LR, and SP. Select PC-6 (Inner Pass), LR-3 (Supreme Surge), SP-6 (Three Yin Intersection), BL-18 (Liver Transport), BL-17 (Diaphragm Transport), BL-20 (Spleen Transport), LR-14 (Cycle Gate), and ST-36 (Leg Three Li); needle with even
rectifying qi and harmonizing the stomach
harmonizing the stomach and rectifying qi.
rectifying the blood
Correction of any blood-aspect pathologies; includes supplementing the blood; cooling the blood; dispelling stasis and quickening the blood; warming the blood; stanching bleeding.
rectifying the center
A method of treatment used to regulate the stomach and spleen, especially warming the center and dissipating cold.
red
The color of pale cinnabar; the color of fire. Red is associated with fire in the five phases. Diagnostically, it is associated with fire or heat. Generally speaking, the darker the red, the more severe the heat, and in externally contracted disease, the deeper the level of penetration into the body. See also crimson.
red and white dysentery
Synonyms: two turbidities.
Dysentery with sticky stool that contains red blood and white pus. See dysentery.
red and white turbidity
The generic term for red turbidity and white turbidity, in both of which a distinction is made between urinary turbidity and essence turbidity.
red and white vaginal discharge
Synonyms: wandering wind.
Mixed red and white vaginal discharge, i.e., a discharge part white and part tinged with red, that flows continuously from the vagina. Red and white vaginal discharge is attributable to liver qi invading the stomach and damp-heat pouring into the thoroughfare , controlling , and girdling vessels. In modern practice, red and white vaginal discharge usually prompts tests for cancer. See liver channel damp-heat vaginal discharge; damp toxin vaginal discharge.
red and white wandering wind
A disease characterized by the sudden appearance, usually on the lips, eyelids, and earlobes, or the chest and abdomen or shoulder and back, of red or white cloud-shaped patches of smooth, puffy skin that feel hard to the touch, associated with burning sensation, numbness, and mild itching. Red and white wandering wind is attributed to spleen-lung dryness-heat or insecurity of exterior qi allowing wind evil to invade the interstices, cause congestion, and disturb construction and defense. When the evil is stagnating in the blood aspect, the patches are red in color ( red wandering wind); when stagnating in the qi aspect, the patches are white ( white wandering wind). Usually there are no generalized signs, but abdominal pain, diarrhea, and vomiting may be observed.
Medication: Treat by dissipating wind, clearing heat, and disinhibiting dampness, assisted by regulating construction and defense. Wind-Dispersing Powder. apply Jade Dew Powder or Golden Yellow Powder. See also kidney qi wandering wind.
red areola surrounding the dark of the eye
A condition characterized by reddening of the white of the eye in the area surrounding the dark of the eye in which ``red blood threads'' (i.e., blood vessels) are dimly distinguishable and do not disappear if pressure is applied. Red areola surrounding the dark of the eye it observed in a number of eye diseases including green wind internal obstruction (glaucoma).
red bayberry sore
Sores that occur after lower body gan and bubo sore, that are heralded by generalized heat~effusion, headache, and joint pain, that start with faint red areolas, and then develop into red bayberry patches, red bayberry pox, red bayberry papules, and everted-flower red bayberry. In the advanced stage, the toxin invades the bones, joints, and internal organs in what is called ``red bayberry toxin bind.'' Red bayberry sores were first recorded in the Jin-Yuan period. By the Qing Dynasty, the disease was understood to be transmitted directly through sexual intercourse (by ``essence transformation''), indirectly (by ``qi transformation''), and from mother to fetus.
Medication: Clear the blood and resolve toxin. One-Packet Red Bayberry Powder or Smooth Greenbrier Mixture. Gosling Yellow Powder.
red blood threads
Red filiform markings in the white of the eye observed in blood-shot eyes (ciliary congestion). Compare red areola surrounding the dark of the eye.
red dysentery
Dysentery with bloody stool, i.e., blood dysentery. See dysentery.
red ears
Pronounced flushing of the ears. Red face and ears indicate yang heat, and are observed in patterns such as large intestinal heat bind.
red eyes
From Elementary Questions. Red whites of the eye of either or both eyes. Zhang1's Clear View of Medicine states, ``There are three kinds of red eyes: the first is wind assisting fire to become depressed in the upper body; the second is exuberant fire; the third is dryness damaging the liver.'' Sudden reddening of the eyes is observed in externally contracted wind-fire (wind-heat) and in heaven-current red eye. In wind-fire patterns, the eyes are swollen and painful with hot tears and aversion to light. Accompanying signs include aversion to cold and heat~effusion, headache and nasal congestion, a thin white tongue fur, and a rapid floating pulse. Heaven-current red eye, also associated with discharge, is marked by being contagious. Reddening of the eyes of gradual onset is observed in internal damage patterns such as a) liver heat attacking the upper body (liver fire flaming upward) marked by red whites of eyes or red areola surrounding the dark of the eye; and b) liver-kidney yin vacuity or liver-lung yin vacuity, characterized by pale red whites of the eyes with mild intermittent pain and clouded vision. In alcoholics, red or yellow-red eyes are attributable to internally brewing liquor toxin.
Medication: For wind-fire eye or heaven-curent red eye, course wind, discharge heat, and resolve toxin, use Wind-Expelling Heat-Dissipating Drink. For liver heat attacking upward, clear the liver and drain fire, using Gentian Liver-Draining Decoction. For liver-kidne
Acupuncture: Points in the region of the eye should only be given mild stimulation. For wind-fire eye or heaven-curent red eye, base treatment mainly on BL, GB, LI, and LR. Draim BL-1 (Bright Eyes), GB-20 (Wind Pool), and LI-4 (Union Valley); prick Greater Yang, GV-23
red face
red facial complexion.
red face wind
Synonyms: red face.
A condition that begins with reddening and itching of the face, subsequently giving way to swelling and scorching heat.
red facial complexion
A complexion redder than normal; a sign of heat. External wind-heat exterior patterns are characterized by a red face with pronounced heat~effusion and mild aversion to cold, thirst, sweating, red sore swollen throat, a red tongue tip and margins, a thin yellow tongue fur, and a rapid floating pulse. Yang brightness channel heat is marked by a continuous full red facial complexion ( mian4 se4 yuan2 yuan2 zheng4 chi4) with high fever, sweating, aversion to heat rather than to cold, thirst with intake of fluids, a dry yellow tongue fur, and a large surging pulse. Heat entering construction-blood is characterized by redness of the whole face ( man3 mian4 tong1 hong2) with a generalized heat~effusion that is most pronounced at night, dry mouth with little intake of fluid, heart vexation and sleepless, periodic delirious speech, maculopapular eruptions, ejection of blood and spontaneous external bleeding, bloody stool, bloody urine, a red or crimson tongue body, and a fine rapid pulse. Yin vacuity internal heat is characterized by a somber white facial complexion with postmeridian reddening of the cheeks; ( wu3 hou4 liang3 quan2 fa1 chi4) this is associated with emaciation, dry mouth and throat dizziness, insomnia, tidal heat~effusion, night sweating, vexing heat in the five hearts, red tongue with scant fur, and fine rapid pulse. Vacuous yang floating astray (also called upcast yang) is marked by cheeks that are a floating red as if dabbed with rouge ( liang3 quan2 fan4 hong2 ru2 zhuang1) (``floating'' describes how the patches constantly change location); this is observed in severe illnesses and is accompanied by generalized heat~effusion despite a desire to keep well wrapped, thirst with liking for warm drinks, short hasty breathing, cold sweating, reversal cold of the limbs, clear urine and sloppy stool, pale lips and tongue, white or gray-black moist tongue fur, and a faint pulse on the verge of expiration.
red flaming sore
A disease characterized by the intermittent appearance over the whole body of small red speckles. Red flaming sore is attributable to wind-heat that invades the lung and becomes depressed in the skin or to heart fire invading the lung.
Medication: Course wind, clear heat, and cool the blood. Take Ledebouriella Sage-Inspired Powder orally.
red flesh
The dorsal aspect of the hands and feet that is dark in color, in contradistinction to white flesh, i.e., the paler flesh of the palmar or plantar aspect.The deeper layer of flesh that is red in color (muscle).
red nose
drinker's nose.
red sore swollen eyes
Observed, for example, in cinnabar eye.
red thread mark
Small red markings on the surface of the skin composed of red thread-like lines up to a few millimeters long radiating from a central point. Red threat marks are a sign of blood amassment creating distention.
red tongue
A tongue redder than normal. A red tongue indicates either vacuity heat or repletion heat. Crimson (deep red or maroon), is also associated with heat, but the added depth of color indicates that the heat is located in the construction or blood aspect.
red turbidity
Murky urine that is red in color. See bloody urine.
The discharge of a turbid substance containing blood from the urethra associated with burning or stabbing pain on urination, but no blood in the urine. This is one form of essence turbidity.
red vaginal discharge
The continuous dribbling discharge of a sticky mucus from the vagina that is red like blood, but not completely composed of blood. Red vaginal discharge arises when anxiety and thought damage the spleen, disturbing movement and transformation. It also arises when depression and anger damage the liver and liver depression transforms into fire, and blood thus fails to be stored and flows with damp-heat down to the girdling vessel. In modern clinical practice, red vaginal discharge is taken as a prompt for cancer tests.
Medication: Clear the liver and support the spleen. Use variations of Free Wanderer Powder combined with Gentian Liver-Draining Decoction.
Acupuncture: Base treatment on CV, GIV, SP, and LR. Select GB-26 (Girdling Vessel), BL-30 (White Ring Transport), CV-6 (Sea of Qi), SP-6 (Three Yin Intersection), BL-20 (Spleen Transport), BL-18 (Liver Transport), CV-3 (Central Pole), SP-10 (Sea of Blood), LR-2 (Movin
red vessels invading the eye
Synonyms: red vessels invading the eye.
red vessels spreading across the eye.
red vessels spreading across the eye
Synonyms: red wandering cinnabar toxin.
A pathocondition characterized by visible red vessels ramifying outward from the inner or outer canthus, sometimes stretching into the dark of the eye, and associated with dry itchy eyes, in some cases tearing and discharge. Red vessels invading the eye are attributable to ascendant hyperactivity of heart fire, kidney water vacuity, or triple burner accumulated heat.
red wandering cinnabar
A type of infantile cinnabar toxin, attributed to contraction of heat in the uterus, heralded by generalized heat~effusion, crying, fright, and spasm, and characterized by the appearance of red swollen areolas the color of cinnabar that gradually spread and wander with no fixed location. Spreading from abdomen and back to the limbs is favorable; starting at the limbs and moving into the chest and abdomen is unfavorable.
Medication: Clear heat and resolve toxin. In the initial stage, use Forsythia Drink followed by Toxin-Dispersing Rhinoceros Beverage. Remove malign blood with alum (Alumen), and then place thin slices of beef or goat's meat on the patches, and allow them to dry slig
red wandering cinnabar toxin
red wandering cinnabar.
red wandering wind
The red form of red and white wandering wind. fetal heat cinnabar toxin.
red-hot needling
fire needling.
red-thread clove sore
A clove sore with a red threadlike line running from it toward the trunk. If the thread is fine, recovery can be rapid. A thick long thread is an unfavorable sign, especially if there are signs of traveling.
Acupuncture: Apply the treatment given under and prick the red thread from the tail upward with a three-edged needle to drain the malign blood. See clove sore; running yellow.
reddening of the cheeks
Diffuse flushing of cheeks that usually occurs in liver-kidney yin depletion with vacuity fire flaming upward. Reddening of the cheeks is often seen in enduring illness and consumption. It usually recurs in the afternoon (hence also the term tidal reddening of the face) and is associated with tidal heat~effusion, vexing heat in the five hearts, red tongue with little liquid, and a forceless rapid fine pulse.
Medication: Enrich yin and subdue yang. Anemarrhena, Phellodendron, and Rehmannia Pill plus abalone shell (Haliotidis Concha) and oyster shell (Ostreae Concha).
Acupuncture: Base treatment mainly on KI and LR. Needle with supplementation at BL-23 (Kidney Transport), KI-3 (Great Ravine), LR-3 (Supreme Surge), KI-6 (Shining Sea), and SP-6 (Three Yin Intersection), and with drainage at KI-1 (Gushing Spring), HT-8 (Lesser Mansion
reddening of the eyes
Synonyms: dark-colored urine.
reddish urine
Urine that is considerably darker than normal color; a sign of heat. Not to be confused with bloody urine. See urine.
reduced food intake
reducing urine
A method of treatment used to address enuresis and frequent long voidings of clear urine.
Medication: The most commonly used urine-reducing medicinals include mantis egg-case (Mantidis O"otheca), dioscorea (Dioscoreae Rhizoma), rubus (Rubi Fructus), and alpinia (Alpiniae Oxyphyllae Fructus). Certain essence-securing medicinals such as Cherokee rose fruit
Acupuncture: Base treatment mainly on CV, SP, and back transport points. Select BL-23 (Kidney Transport), CV-4 (Pass Head), CV-3 (Central Pole), SP-6 (Three Yin Intersection), and CV-2 (Curved Bone) (moxa) needle with supplementation and moxa.
redworm
redworm disease
From The Origin and Indicators of Disease. One of the nine worm diseases. A worm disease characterized by rumbling intestines, diarrhea, and sometimes stool containing pus and blood.
refloating the grounded ship
increasing water to move the ship.
refuse pressure
(Of pain or discomfort, especially in the chest or abdomen) to be exacerbated by pressure; as sign of interior repletion.
region below the heart
Synonyms: nose pillar; nose beam.
The area below the heart, i.e., the stomach duct. See also heart.
region below the lower extreme
The stem of the nose.
regular channel
Any one of the twelve channels.
regular water
From Essential Prescriptions of the Golden Coffer. Water swelling arising when spleen-kidney yang vacuity allow water to collect in the interior and ascend to distress the lung. Regular water is marked by general water swelling, abdominal fullness, rapid panting, and a slow sunken pulse. The lung is the tip, whereas the spleen and kidney are the root. It is treated by fortifying the spleen, warming the kidney, and promoting qi absorption. See water swelling.
regularly interrupted pulse
intermittent pulse.
regulate
To restore normal regular activity.
regulating menstruation
A method of treatment used to eliminate menstrual irregularities such as advanced menstruation, delayed menstruation, menstruation at irregular intervals, and profuse menstruation or scant menstruation.
regulating qi
A method of treatment used to eliminate qi stagnation or qi counterflow, thus restoring the normal smooth flow of qi; to move or downbear qi. In acupuncture, the use of supplementation and drainage to balance yin and yang in the body and improve physiological functioning.
reinforcing yang
supplementing yang.
relaxing tension
relaxing tension and relieving pain
A method of treatment used to alleviate hypertonicity and pain with agents such as licorice (Glycyrrhizae Radix). For this purpose, licorice is often combined with white peony (Paeoniae Radix Alba), which nourishes the blood and constrains yin, and emolliates the liver and relieves pain.
repelled yang
repelling foulness
A method of treatment used to eliminate foul turbidity.
replete metal failing to sound
sudden loss of voice.
replete pulse
A large pulse that is forceful at all levels; its beats are equally forceful when coming as when going away. Compare surging pulse.
repletion
The opposite of vacuity. See vacuity and repletion; repletion pattern.
repletion cold
cold repletion.
repletion constipation
Constipation occurring in repletion patterns such as heat constipation, phlegm constipation, qi constipation, etc.
repletion distention
Distention occurring in repletion patterns of qi stagnation and damp obstruction, brewing damp-heat, depressed heat and static blood, or food accumulation; characterized by a firm tender abdomen, constipation, yellow or reddish urine, and a forceful slippery rapid pulse.
Medication: Treatment focuses on dispelling the evil. See heat distention; qi distention; blood drum; food distention.
repletion evil
An evil giving rise to a repletion pattern; exuberant evil qi. Elementary Questions states, ``When evil qi is exuberant, there is repletion. One of the five evils. Evil qi transmitted from the child viscus in disease arising when the child steals the mother's qi.
repletion fire
Repletion heat patterns caused by exuberant evil heat. The most common repletion fire patterns are gastrointestinal repletion fire or liver-gallbladder repletion fire. They are characterized by high fever, headache, red eyes, bitter taste in the mouth, dry mouth, thirst with desire for cold drinks, vexation and agitation, rib-side pain, abdominal pain that refuses pressure, constipation, red tongue with dry yellow and sometimes prickly fur, and a rapid replete pulse. In severe cases, there is blood ejection or spontaneous external bleeding, or maculopapular eruptions.
repletion glomus
Fullness, oppression, and sensation of blockage in the stomach duct attributed to stagnating evils. Repletion glomus can arise in damp turbidity obstruction, cold stagnating in the spleen and stomach, and binding of phlegm-food. It may also occur in patterns of liver qi depression or external evils lodged in the inner body. In severe cases, there may be pain, vomiting, constipation, or inability to eat.
Medication: Regulate qi dynamic, dispel damp-phlegm, and free bowel qi. Use formulas such as Stomach-Calming Powder or Unripe Bitter Orange and Glomus-Dispersing Pill.
Acupuncture: Base treatment mainly on CV, ST, and SP. Main points: PC-6 (Inner Pass), ST-25 (Celestial Pivot), CV-12 (Center Stomach Duct), CV-6 (Sea of Qi), and ST-36 (Leg Three Li). Selection of points according to pattern: For internal damp turbidity obstruction,
repletion heat
Signs include high fever, vexation and thirst with intake of fluid, constipation sometimes with abdominal pain that refuses pressure, yellow or reddish urine, dry yellow tongue fur, and a surging rapid pulse.
repletion hiccough
Powerful sonorous hiccough associated with a large slippery pulse. Repletion hiccough is usually attributable to stomach repletion with fire, or phlegm-damp obstruction. The root cause may be damage to the stomach by voracious eating causing food to stagnate in the stomach duct.
Medication: Treat by harmonizing the stomach and downbearing qi, and by clearing stomach fire or transforming phlegm-damp. For stomach fire, use variations of Bamboo Leaf and Gypsum Decoction or Minor Qi-Coordinating Decoction, adding persimmon calyx (Kaki Calyx) to
Acupuncture: Base treatment mainly on ST, LR, and PC. Main points: BL-17 (Diaphragm Transport), PC-6 (Inner Pass), CV-17 (Chest Center), ST-36 (Leg Three Li), CV-14 (Great Tower Gate), ST-25 (Celestial Pivot), and LR-3 (Supreme Surge). Selection of points according to
repletion is treated by draining
From Elementary Questions. Disease patterns that arise when evil qi is exuberant and right qi is not debilitated (e.g., external contractions, phlegm-rheum, static blood, food stagnation, and cold accumulation patterns) are treated by methods that remove the evil qi such as resolving the exterior, dispelling phlegm, quickening the blood and transforming stasis, softening hardness, draining precipitation, and abductive stagnation.
repletion is treated by draining the child
Use of the mother-child, i.e., the engendering, relationship of the five phases involving the draining of the viscus that is the child of a viscus affected by repletion. For example, since liver-wood engenders heart-fire, the liver is the mother and the heart is the child. Hence, liver repletion can be treated not only by draining the liver, but also by draining heart-fire. Thus, for example, the method of draining heart fire can be combined with that of calming and draining the liver to treat repletion fire signs such as headache, dizziness, tinnitus, rashness, impatience and irascibility, red face and red ears, scorching pain in the chest and rib-side, yellow or reddish urine, bitter taste in the mouth, constipation, yellow tongue fur, and a rapid stringlike pulse.
repletion panting
Panting due to exuberant evil qi repletion. Repletion panting is attributable to congestion of lung qi and impairment of depurative downbearing by six excesses invading the body, depressed phlegm-fire, or water rheum intimidating the heart. It is of rapid onset and short duration, and characterized by forceful, rough, hasty rapid breathing. See wind-cold rapid panting; cold panting; heat panting; phlegm panting; water panting; fire depression panting.
repletion pattern
Any condition in which the presence of an evil is resisted by the body; the opposite of vacuity pattern. Repletion patterns are attributed to external evils, water-damp, phlegm-rheum, static blood, worm accumulations, or food accumulations. They reflect the nature of the evil (e.g., cold being characterized by pale or green-blue complexion, clear thin cold fluids), and the location (e.g., stomach disease being marked by vomiting, belching etc., or exterior disease being characterized by heat~effusion, aversion to cold, and sweating). Most importantly, however, there are signs of right qi fighting the evil such as pulses that are forceful at the deep level (e.g., rapid surging pulses, slippery stringlike pulses, and large replete pulses), pain or discomfort that refuses pressure, and sudden onset of disease.
repletion swelling
repletion with vacuity complication
Disease patterns characterized by evil exuberance and vacuity of right, i.e., disease patterns caused by repletion evils, but in which there are also signs of vacuity. For example, drum distention characterized by abdominal distention, inhibited stool and urine, emaciation, withered-yellow facial complexion, reduced food intake, shortness of breath and lack of strength, and a fine stringlike pulse, repletion pattern of binding depression of qi and blood complicated by insufficiency of the spleen and kidney.
repress the liver
residual heat
The continuing presence of heat, as manifest if heat and dryness signs, after its abatement in heat (febrile) disease.
residual screen
A screen scar left when any disease of the dark of the eye manifesting in redness, soreness, and aversion to light has abated.
Medication: Supplement vacuity and drain repletion; brighten the eyes and abate screens. Use Abalone Shell Powder as oral medication; apply Seven-Jewel Powder topically.
Acupuncture: Main points: TB-23 (Silk Bamboo Hole), BL-2 (Bamboo Gathering), Thumb Bone Hollow, and Little Finger Bone Hollow. For repletion, add TB-20 (Angle Vertex), BL-1 (Bright Eyes), and GB-41 (Foot Overlooking Tears), needling with drainage and retaining the ne
resolve
To terminate (disease patterns), eliminate (evils), or free (parts of the body from evils). ``Resolve'' appears in the following terms: resolve the exterior (liberate it from an evil): resolve the flesh (liberate them from an evil); resolve toxin (dispel); resolve depression (relieve, dispel).
resolving both exterior and interior
A method of treatment used to address interior and exterior patterns at the same time. There are two main forms: (1) Treating exterior evils in the outer body with repletion accumulation in the interior marked by aversion to cold, heat~effusion, abdominal distention and pain, nausea and constipation, and a slippery floating pulse. A representative formula is Magnolia Bark Seven Agents Decoction, which contains Cinnamon Twig Decoction minus peony (Paeoniae Radix) to resolve the exterior, and Magnolia Bark Three Agents Decoction to treat the interior. (2) Treating exuberant interior heat with a concurrent exterior pattern, marked by high fever without sweating, red face and eyes, generalized hypertonicity, dry nose, thirst, bitter taste in the mouth, vexation and agitation, delirious speech, dry tongue, and a rapid surging pulse. A representative formula is Three Yellows and Gypsum Decoction in which ephedra (Ephedrae Herba) and litsea (Litseae Rhizoma et Radix) resolve the exterior, while gypsum (Gypsum), scutellaria (Scutellariae Radix), coptis (Coptidis Rhizoma), and gardenia (Gardeniae Fructus) clear the interior. See resolving the exterior.
resolving depression
coursing depression and rectifying qi.
resolving tetany
A method of treatment used to address tetanic disease characterized by signs such as tremor, convulsions, or arched-back rigidity with liver-calming, settling and subduing, and wind-dispelling agents. See extinguishing wind; tetany.
resolving the exterior
A method of treatment used to eliminate evil from the fleshy exterior by effusing sweat (see sweating). Exterior-resolving medicinals include schizonepeta (Schizonepetae Herba et Flos), ledebouriella (Ledebouriellae Radix), notopterygium (Notopterygii Rhizoma), perilla leaf (Perillae Folium), fresh ginger (Zingiberis Rhizoma Recens), scallion white (Allii Fistulosi Bulbus), ephedra (Ephedrae Herba), and cinnamon twig (Cinnamomi Ramulus). The method of resolving the exterior takes various forms depending on the evil. See the entries listed below.
Treatment: Resolving the Exterior
resolving the exterior with coolness and acridity
resolving the exterior with warmth and acridity
enrich yin and resolve the exterior
boosting qi and resolving the exterior
assisting yang and resolving the exterior
resolving the flesh
outthrusting papules
coursing the exterior
Acupuncture: Base treatment mainly on LU, LI, GB, and TB. Main points: GV-20 (Hundred Convergences), GB-20 (Wind Pool), and TB-5 (Outer Pass). Point selection according to pattern: For wind-cold, add BL-11 (Great Shuttle), GV-16 (Wind Mansion), BL-12 (Wind Gate), LI-4
resolving the exterior with coolness and acridity
A method of treatment used to address exterior heat patterns with mild aversion to cold and pronounced heat signs, thirst, red sore pharynx, red tongue with dry thin white fur, and rapid floating pulse. The main medicinals are mint (Menthae Herba), mulberry leaf (Mori Folium), fermented soybean (Glycines Semen Fermentatum Insulsum), arctium (Arctii Fructus), pueraria (Puerariae Radix), and tamarisk (Tamaricis Ramulus et Folium), Cool Acrid Exterior-Resolving Agents ()
mint (Menthae Herba)
mulberry leaf (Mori Folium)
fermented soybean (Glycines Semen Fermentatum Insulsum)
arctium (Arctii Fructus)
pueraria (Puerariae Radix)
tamarisk (Tamaricis Ramulus et Folium) Of these, mint (Menthae Herba), mulberry leaf (Mori Folium), fermented soybean (Glycines Semen Fermentatum Insulsum), and arctium (Arctii Fructus) are the most commonly used. Mint has the strongest sweat-effusing and heat-abating effect of all cool exterior-resolving medicinals. Also, mulberry leaf can clear lung and liver heat and is thus particularly suitable for patterns involving headache, red eyes and cough. Fermented soybean is effective in outthrusting evils and abating heat~effusion. Arctium has the additional effect of clearing the throat, promoting lung qi diffusion, and clearing phlegm-heat. Pueraria is suitable for patterns also involving diarrhea and stiffness in the neck and back. Tamarisk may be used to outthrust papules in measles and can also dispel wind-damp. In cool acrid exterior resolution, the emphasis is on cool rather than acrid. For intense heat patterns, medicinals that clear heat and resolve toxin such as scutellaria (Scutellariae Radix), gardenia (Gardeniae Fructus), lonicera (Lonicerae Flos), forsythia (Forsythiae Fructus), isatis root (Isatidis Radix), and dandelion (Taraxaci Herba cum Radice) may also be used. The use of certain warm exterior-resolving medicinals such as schizonepeta (Schizonepetae Herba et Flos), ledebouriella (Ledebouriellae Radix), notopterygium (Notopterygii Rhizoma), and ephedra (Ephedrae Herba) is not excluded in the treatment of exterior heat patterns when used with large quantities of heat-clearing medicinals. For example, Lonicera and Forsythia Powder includes schizonepeta, and Notopterygium, Arctium, Dandelion, and Mint Decoction includes notopterygium although both are cool acrid exterior-resolving formulas. Cool acrid exterior-resolving formulas include Lonicera and Forsythia Powder, Mulberry Leaf and Chrysanthemum Beverage, and Notopterygium, Arctium, Dandelion, and Mint Decoction. The most commonly used is Lonicera and Forsythia Powder. Notopterygium, Arctium, Dandelion, and Mint Decoction, a formula tested in modern clinical practice, contains cool and warm acrid medicinals, with the addition of heat-clearing toxin-resolving medicinals. For treatment of measles, see outthrusting papules. See also resolving the exterior; wind-heat.
resolving the exterior with warmth and acridity
To treat exterior cold patterns marked by marked aversion to cold, pronounced headache and aching bones, high or low fever moist white tongue fur, tight floating pulse, and absence of any heat signs such as red tongue, dry mouth, or red sore swollen tongue.
Medication: The main warm acrid exterior-resolving medicinals are listed below.
resolving the flesh
A method of treatment used to address exterior patterns marked by sweating. Warm acrid flesh-resolving formulas such as Cinnamon Twig Decoction are used when there is headache, heat~effusion, sweating, aversion to cold, noisy nose, dry retching, weak floating pulse, white glossy tongue fur, and no thirst and drinking. Cool acrid flesh-resolving formulas such as Bupleurum and Pueraria Flesh-Resolving Decoction are used for pronounced generalized heat~effusion, slight aversion to cold, slight sweating, thirst, thin yellow tongue fur, and a rapid floating pulse. Flesh-resolving formulas help, without additional clothing or bedclothes, to encourage a mild generalized sweat that brings about resolution. See resolving the exterior.
respiration
breathing.
respiratory supplementation and drainage
A method of achieving supplementation and drainage that involves asking the patient to breath in or out on insertion and extraction of the acupuncture needle. Insertion on exhalation and extraction on inhalation supplement, whereas insertion on inhalation and extraction on exhalation drain. See needle manipulation.
restore flow
restraining
The sequence in which the five phases keep each other in check, i.e., wood (liver) earth (spleen) water (kidney) fire (heart) metal (lung) wood (liver). When the restraining cycle breaks down, the resulting disharmony can be explained in terms of the rebellion or overwhelming.
retained cupping
stationary cupping.
retainer
eyelid.
retarded closure of the fontanel gate
retching
retching of blood
The bringing up of blood with relatively little food from the stomach. Retching of blood is attributed to anger damaging the liver, excessive liquor consumption, dietary irregularities and taxation fatigue damaging the spleen and stomach, or sexual taxation damaging the kidney causing lower body vacuity and upper body exuberance.
Medication: For anger damaging the liver, treat by coursing the liver and draining fire. Use Bupleurum Liver-Coursing Powder plus wine-processed rhubarb (Rhei Rhizoma) or Moutan and Gardenia Free Wanderer Powder. For excessive liquor consumption with accumulated heat
retention of dead fetus
Synonyms: postpartum retention of the lochia.
Failure to expel a fetus that has died in the uterus. This may happen at any time during pregnancy or during labor. Retention of dead fetus is attributable either to qi-blood vacuity or to uterine stasis obstruction.
retention of the afterbirth
Failure of the afterbirth to be discharged within half an hour after birth; attributable to major qi vacuity. This was traditionally treated by introducing the hand into the womb and following the umbilical cord to its end to locate the placenta, which was then detached from the uterus. This was followed by medicinal therapy and/or acupuncture.
Medication: Use Perfect Major Supplementation Decoction.
Acupuncture: Base treatment mainly on CV, GB, LI, SP, BL, and empirical points. Select CV-3 (Central Pole), GB-21 (Shoulder Well), LI-4 (Union Valley), SP-6 (Three Yin Intersection), BL-60 (Kunlun Mountains); needle with even supplementation and drainage or with drain
retention of the lochia
Absence of normal postpartum discharge. Retention of the lochia is when cold evil exploits the sudden vacuity of qi and blood created by childbirth, and invades the uterine vessels, where it congeals and causes blood stasis. It may also arise in patients with constitutional vacuity when damage to qi and blood through childbirth causes sluggish movement of the blood.
retracted external kidney
Retraction of the male genitals. See retracted genitals.
retracted genitals
Synonyms: retracted testicles.
The drawing into the body of the anterior yin (i.e., the genitals) in either males or females. It may be the result of cold entering the reverting yin , yang brightness heat entering the reverting yin, or vacuity fall of original qi due to great vomiting and diarrhea.
retracted scrotum
The drawing of the scrotum into the body. Retracted scrotum is usually a severe condition and is observed in both heat and cold patterns. Yang brightness exuberant heat passing to reverting yin is treated by emergency precipitation to preserve yin with formulas such as Major Qi-Coordinating Decoction, whereas cold evil directly striking the lesser yin is treated with Counterflow Cold Decoction or Tangkuei Counterflow Cold Decoction. Compare retracted genitals.
retracted testicles
Testicles drawn upward and into the body. Retracted testicles are usually attributed to disease of the foot reverting yin liver channel. The Magic Pivot states, ``When reverting yin qi expires, the sinew expires. The reverting yin is the liver vessel. The liver is the union of the sinews. The sinew gather at the yin organs (genitals) and net the root of the tongue. When the vessel loses its luxuriance, the sinews become tense. When the sinews become tense, they pull the tongue and testicles. Hence, green-blue lips, curled tongue, and retracted testicle mean the death of the sinews.'' This falls within the scope of retracted genitals and retracted scrotum.
return
returning fire to its source
A method of treatment used to address upbearing kidney fire using medicinals that enrich kidney yin and conduct fire downward. Upbearing kidney fire is a pattern of upper body heat and lower body cold characterized by floating red complexion, dizziness, tinnitus, ulceration of the mouth and tongue, loose teeth, aching lumbus and weak legs, cold in the lower extremities, tender-red tongue, and a vacuous pulse.
Medication: Combine kidney-enriching medicinals such as cooked rehmannia (Rehmanniae Radix Conquita), dioscorea (Dioscoreae Rhizoma), cornus (Corni Fructus), schisandra (Schisandrae Fructus), and ligustrum (Ligustri Fructus), with aconite (Aconiti Tuber Laterale) an
returning yang and stemming counterflow
A method of treatment used to address great yang collapse vacuity desertion, characterized by aversion to cold, curled-up lying posture, counterflow cold of the limbs, drop in both body temperature and blood pressure, cold sweats, a somber white complexion, and a faint, fine pulse or vacuous rapid pulse.
Medication: Base treatment on yang-warming medicinals such as aconite (Aconiti Tuber Laterale), dried ginger (Zingiberis Rhizoma Exsiccatum), and cinnamon bark (Cinnamomi Cortex), combined with qi-boosting medicinals such as licorice (Glycyrrhizae Radix) and codonops
Acupuncture: See yang collapse.
reversal
Synonyms: counterflow cold of the extremities; counterflow cold of the limbs; reversal cold of the limbs; limb reversal.
The term jue2 is explained as meaning (1) sudden clouding reversal, i.e., fainting or syncope. (2) counterflow cold spreading upward from the extremity of the limbs. Thus, jue2 means disruption (in the flow of qi, blood) and recession of the outward spread (of yang qi). The term ``reversal'' is closely related in meaning to ``counterflow.'' Reversal cold of the limbs and counterflow cold of the limbs are identical in meaning. ``Counterflow,'' unlike ``reversal,'' is commonly used to denote disruption of the qi dynamic of organs such as the liver, stomach and lung and does not appear in terms denoting loss of consciousness. See reversal pattern; reverse-flow.
reversal cold of the extremities
Synonyms: reversal cold of the extremities.
Pronounced cold in the extremities up to the knees and elbows or beyond, as occurs in yang collapse or internal heat evil block. Reversal cold of the extremities is similar to lack of warmth in the extremities. However, the latter differs in that it is less pronounced, does not reach as far as the knees and elbows, and is observed in general yang vacuity patterns. Reversal cold of the extremities is called reversal because yang qi recedes away from the extremities. Distinction is made between cold and heat.
reversal cold of the limbs
reversal desertion
Synonyms: liver reversal headache.
A desertion pattern characterized by reversal cold of the limbs.
reversal headache
reversal heart pain
Heart pain stretching to the back. See cold reversal heart pain; heat reversal heart pain.
reversal mounting
See yin mounting.
reversal pattern
Any condition a)~clouding collapse (fainting) and loss of consciousness and/or b)~reversal cold of the limbs (marked cold in the extremities). Reversal patterns occur in the follow circumstances. (1) They occur in patients usually suffering from effulgent liver yang or dietary irregularities when mental stimulus or acute pain causes counterflow and derangement of qi dynamic. The blood moves counterflow with the qi or phlegm rises with the qi, causing clouding of the heart spirit. (2) They occur in patients suffering from weak original qi, damage to qi and liquid after enduring illness, or loss of blood, when the supply of qi and blood fails. In reversal patterns, loss of consciousness comes suddenly and is usually temporary. The patient in most cases gradually recovers. Reversal patterns can be divided into ones characterized by loss of consciousness and ones characterized by reversal cold of the extremities. See the entries listed below. Note that all the reversal patterns listed were mentioned in The Inner Canon except for liver reversal. See reversal.
Reversal Patterns
Patterns marked by loss of consciousness
phlegm reversal
food reversal
qi reversal
blood reversal
liver reversal
sudden reversal
fulminant reversal
deathlike reversal
boiling reversal
Patterns marked by cold limbs
cold reversal
heat reversal
roundworm reversal
reverse-flow
reversal cold of the extremities. On Cold Damage states, ``Lesser yin disease with clear-food diarrhea, interior cold and external heat, reverse-flow of the extremities, faint pulse on the verge of expiration... is treated with Vessel-Freeing Counterflow Cold Decoction. From The Magic Pivot. Acute pain in the chest with sudden cold of the lower extremities, heart vexation, inability to eat, and a rough pulse. From Elementary Questions. A kind of enduring headache. Elementary Questions states, ``When a person is ill, with a headache that has lasted incessantly for years... he must have been invaded by great cold that has reached the bone and marrow. The marrow is mainly the brain. Counterflow to the brain causes headache with pain in the teeth too. This disease is called reverse-flow. See reversal pattern.
reverse-flow headache
Headache characterized by pain in the head stretching into the teeth and attributed to cold evil invading the brain.
Medication: Warm and dissipate cold evil using formulas such as Notopterygium and Aconite Decoction.
Acupuncture: Base treatment mainly on GV. Select GV-20 (Hundred Convergences), SI-3 (Back Ravine), Greater Yang, GB-8 (Valley Lead), LI-4 (Union Valley), GV-16 (Wind Mansion), and GV-4 (Life Gate); needle with drainage and moxa. See headache. Compare reversal headache
reverse-flow of the extremities
reverse-flow of the limbs
reverting yin
The hand reverting yin pericardium and foot reverting yin liver channels. The name reverting yin indicates yin qi developing to its final stage and then reverting toward yang. The reverting yin is located within the greater yin and lesser yin , and hence it is said that ``reverting yin is the closedness.''
reverting yin channel
reverting yin disease
In the classical sequence, the reverting yin is the last of the three yin channels. Hence, it should theoretically be associated with the most severe diseases. Elementary Questions, states, ``The reverting yin channel skirts round the genitals and connects with the liver, so that diseases include vexation and fullness, and retracted scrotum.'' The same chapter also mentions, among the signs of reverting yin disease, ``deafness, retraction of the scrotum, inability to ingest even liquid foods, and unconsciousness.'' Elementary Questions enumerates symptoms but prescribes no formulas. Because the reverting yin patterns described in On Cold Damage are less severe, the real nature of reverting yin disease is still in question. Further research is required to clarify the matter fully. Reverting yin disease as described in On Cold Damage is characterized by upper body heat and lower body cold, and may take the form of dispersion-thirst, qi surging up into the heart region, pain and heat in the heart region, hunger with no desire to eat, or vomiting of roundworm. Reversal cold of the limbs is also observed in some cases. Pathomechanically, upper body heat and lower body cold is explained as a cold-heat complex resulting from interior vacuity. Dispersion-thirst, qi surging up into the heart region, pain and heat in the heart [region], and clamoring stomach discomfort are the manifestations of upper body heat (heat in the area just above the diaphragm). No desire for food and vomiting of roundworm reflect lower body cold (in the intestines). This impairs movement and transformation of the food, which disquiets the roundworm and causes it to rise counterflow. The reversal cold of the limbs indicates failure of yang qi to reach the periphery of the body, arising when a cold-heat complex disrupts qi dynamic.
reverting yin headache
Headache due to reverting yin disease in cold damage, characterized by headache and neck pain, dry retching, ejection of foaming drool, and reversal cold of the limbs.
Headache located on the reverting yin channel (i.e., the vertex), for which evodia (Evodiae Fructus) can be used as a channel conductor.
Medication: Treat with Evodia Decoction.
Acupuncture: Select GV-20 (Hundred Convergences), CV-12 (Center Stomach Duct), and ST-36 (Leg Three Li); needle with drainage and add moxa. Apply moxa at LR-1 (Large Pile). Select GV-20 (Hundred Convergences), Alert Spirit Quartet, LR-8 (Spring at the Bend), LR-3 (Su
reverting yin transforming into wind
liver yang transforming into wind. See liver wind stirring internally.
rheum
rheum aggregation
A condition characterized by a stringlike tautness under the ribs, with periodic sound of water, pain brought on by exposure to cold, and periodic vomiting of foamy drool, and attributed to devitalization of center yang and gathering of water rheum.
Medication: Treat with Drool-Controlling Elixir.
rheum evil congesting the lung
A form of propping rheum characterized by panting and fullness in the chest, thin clear phlegm, and, in severe cases, scant urine, white slimy tongue fur, and a stringlike sunken pulse.
Medication: Drain the lung and expel rheum with Tingli and Jujube Lung-Draining Decoction.
Acupuncture: Base treatment mainly on LU, LI, SP, and ST. Select BL-13 (Lung Transport), LU-5 (Cubit Marsh), CV-22 (Celestial Chimney), LI-4 (Union Valley), CV-17 (Chest Center), SP-9 (Yin Mound Spring), and ST-40 (Bountiful Bulge); needle with drainage.
rheumatism
rib-side
The area from the armpit down to bottom of the ribs. (i.e., to lowest of the 12 ribs).
rib-side pain
Pain in the area between the armpits and the lowest rib. The rib-side is traversed by the foot reverting yin liver and foot lesser yang gallbladder channels; hence pain in this area is associated with disease of the liver and gallbladder. In addition, heart, lung, spleen, and kidney disease can also affect the chest and rib-side or rib-side and abdomen. Rib-side pain is observed in both external contractions and internal damage patterns. External contraction patterns include wind-damp, summerheat-heat, and epidemic scourges. Internal damage includes qi depression, phlegm-rheum, static blood, and food accumulations. See entries listed below.
Rib-Side Pain
wind-cold rib-side pain
summerheat-heat rib-side pain
lung evil rib-side pain
moving qi rib-side pain
liver depression rib-side pain
liver qi rib-side pain
dead blood rib-side pain
collecting rheum rib-side pain
damp-heat rib-side pain
food accumulation rib-side pain
dry rib-side pain
free-rib pain Rib-side pain may also occur in disharmony of liver qi, liver blood vacuity, liver yin vacuity, liver-kidney yin vacuity, depletion of liver-spleen qi and blood, and depressed liver-gallbladder heat. It may be observed in jaundice. From the modern clinical viewpoint, rib-side pain is also noted in hepatomegaly or splenomegaly.
rib-side pain and distention
Pain and subjective feeling of distention in the rib-side region. Rib-side pain and distention is variously attributed to qi depression, congealing phlegm, and stagnation in the vessels. See rib-side pain.
rich paste
Synonyms: correct .
A paste preparation to be taken orally. The ingredients are usually boiled 2--3 times, for 2--3 hours each time, until the smell is only faint. After each boiling, the decoction should be strained off, and fresh water added to the pot for the next boiling. Then, all the decoctions are slow-boiled together until they are reduced to a thick, viscous paste. The correct consistency is reached as soon as no water separates out from a globule of the paste when dropped on paper. If the paste becomes too thick, it is likely to stick to the pot and burn. If too thin, it is difficult to store. Then, a quantity of honey or sugar, equal to a specified proportion of the original materials (usually an equal proportion) is added before a final boiling. The paste is then put in earthenware or glass jars. Pastes keep for long periods, and are usually used for chronic diseases. See paste.
right
Normal or rendering normal. right complexion refers to the normal complexion of the healthy individual. right qi denotes the forces that maintain normal bodily functions and that seek to re-establish them when evil qi is present.
(usually `the right') right qi. Compare evil.
right complexion
A normal complexion. The healthy complexion of the Chinese is traditionally described as a ``bright, lustrous, contained complexion with a faint red and yellow hue.'' A bright, lustrous complexion indicates the presence of spirit. A ``contained'' complexion, i.e., one in which color is held within the skin and is not exposed (see true visceral complexion), indicates the presence of stomach. A right complexion indicates harmony of qi and blood and internal fullness of essential qi. A distinction is made between the governing complexion and the visiting complexion. The governing complexion is each person's basic complexion; the visiting complexion is any deviation from governing complexion brought about by changes in the weather and environment or in physiological state. Neither the governing nor the visiting complexion is pathological.
right qi
True qi, especially in opposition to disease. Right qi is the active aspect of all components including the organs, blood, fluids, and essence and the above-mentioned forms of qi in maintaining health and resisting disease. Right qi stands in opposition to evil qi, which is any entity in its active aspect of harming the body.
The normal qi of the seasons, warmth in spring, heat in summer, coolness in autumn, and cold in winter.
right vacuity and evil repletion
Simultaneous existence in one patient of vacuity and repletion. Rich vacuity and evil repletion occurs when a disease is not treated properly or evil qi is excessively exuberant, or when vacuity of right develops while evil repletion is still present. It may also occur when patients suffering from constitutional vacuity contract an evil and display signs of both vacuity and repletion. Elementary Questions states, ``When evil qi is exuberant, there is repletion; when essential qi is despoiled, there is vacuity.'' In most cases, the right vacuity is the root, whereas the evil repletion is the tip.
righting qi
rectifying qi.
rigid
Synonyms: yin protrusion.
Severe stiffness, such as of the neck or back.
rigid center
Lasting stiff erections with spontaneous discharge of semen or inability to ejaculate. Rigid center has been attributed to excessive consumption of ``elixirs'' containing metals, exuberant internal fire toxin, and to excessive libido causing liver-kidney yin depletion and yang hyperactivity.
A type of dispersion-thirst pattern. see nan75 link up to sexual intemperance}
Medication: Enrich yin and drain fire. Use Gypsum and Apricot-Leaved Adenophora Decoction or Coptis and Pig's Stomach Pill. For exuberant fire and yin vacuity, add scrophularia (Scrophulariae Radix), ophiopogon (Ophiopogonis Tuber), and dried/fresh rehmannia (Rehmann
rigidity of the neck
From Elementary Questions. Tension in the muscles of the neck; attributed a) to contraction of wind, cold, or damp evil in the greater yang channel, b) to invasion of disease evil through wounds of the skin and flesh, or c) to damage to yin through loss of blood, great sweating, or great heat~effusion with insufficiency of liquid and blood depriving the sinews of nourishment. Rigidity of the neck is observed in cold damage, wind stroke, tetany, and crick in the neck.
Acupuncture: Base treatment mainly on GV, GB, and SI. Main points: GB-20 (Wind Pool), GV-14 (Great Hammer), GB-39 (Severed Bone), and SI-3 (Back Ravine); add points and select appropriate stimimulus according to the cause.
rigidity of the penis
yang rigidity.
river point
channel point.
roasting
A method of drawing out unwanted oils or irritants from medicinal materials and reducing their toxicity by exposure to heat. Materials are usually wrapped in wet paper or coated in flour and water paste, and then placed in hot embers until the wrapping becomes burnt and black. They may also be put at the side of the fire, in an oven, or tossed in a wok. Nutmeg (Myristicae Semen) and kansui (Kansui Radix) may be treated in this way.
rock
A hard uneven swelling on the surface of the body, of fixed location, and unassociated with change in skin color. After it has ruptured, it appears like a pomegranate with the skin peeling away, purple in color, giving off a malign odor, acutely painful, and healing readily. See tongue mushroom; cocoon lip; loss-of-luxuriance; mammary rock; kidney rock.
root and tip
Primary and secondary aspects of disease. The word ``root'' is used in opposition to ``tip,'' the two terms being of varying significance according to context. Root refers to (1) the essential nature of the disease, when tip is the signs; (2) the cause of disease, when the tip is clinically observable changes in the body; (3) right qi, when the tip is the evil; or (4) the primary condition, when tip are the resulting secondary condition.
root of earlier heaven
The kidney as the seat of that which is inherited at conception in the fetal origin and which provides the basis for growth, development, reproductive ability, and resistance to disease. The root of earlier heaven stands in complementary opposition to the root of later heaven, which is the stomach and spleen as the source of engendering transformation, i.e., producing from food what is required for the growth, development, and life activity. See earlier heaven; kidney is the root of earlier heaven.
root of later heaven
The spleen and stomach as the source of engendering transformation, i.e., producing from food what is required for the growth, development, and life activity. See spleen is the root of later heaven.
root-severing therapy
picking therapy.
rot
The state of rotting. See putrefaction. A disease characterized by rotting, e.g., foot rot.
rotating supplementation and drainage
twirling supplementation and drainage.
rough breathing
Breathing characterized by a rough sound in the nose. Rough breathing generally occurs in repletion patterns and arises when contraction of external evils or exuberant internal phlegm turbidity inhibits qi dynamic. Vacuity patterns are characterized by faint weak breathing and are attributed to lung-kidney qi vacuity. See breathing.
rough pulse
The opposite of a slippery pulse. A pulse that does not flow smoothly, felt to be like a knife lightly scratching bamboo. The rough tends to be somewhat fine, is generally slightly slower than the normal pulse. The Bin-Hu Sphygmology states, ``The rough pulse is fine and slow, comes with difficulty, is short and scattered, or stops and then returns, at threes and fives, like a knife lightly scratching bamboo, like rain wetting sand, or like sick silkworms eating leaves.'' (
rough tongue fur
A dry tongue fur that is rough to the touch. See dry tongue fur.
rough voidings of reddish urine
Synonyms: heart worm disease; long worm.
Scant dark-colored urine passed in short inhibited (disfluent) voidings. Rough voidings of reddish urine are observed in repletion patterns of heat or damp-heat pouring downward.
roundworm
Synonyms: heart worm disease; long worm disease.
One of the nine worm diseases. See roundworm disease.
roundworm disease
One of the nine worm diseases. A disease caused by the presence of roundworm in the body; attributed to spleen-stomach vacuity, indiscriminate eating of cold, raw, sweet, and fatty foods, or of unclear gourds, fruits, and vegetables. Roundworm disease is characterized by intermittent abdominal pain. A lump may form at the painful spot, which wriggles up and down. Pain abates when the movement ceases. The face is bright white or mixed yellow and white, sometimes with whitish patches called worm macules. Other signs include emaciation and vomiting of clear water sometimes containing roundworm.
Medication: Treat principally by expelling worms. If there is spleen-stomach vacuity or accumulation and stagnation, the methods of fortifying the spleen and abductive dispersion may also be applied. Medicinals used to expel roundworm include. quisqualis (Quisqualis
Acupuncture: Base treatment mainly on SP, ST, LI, and points for expelling worms. Select Hundred Worm Nest, SP-15 (Great Horizontal), LI-4 (Union Valley), ST-36 (Leg Three Li), and ST-4 (Earth Granary); needle with drainage.
roundworm gan
Gan disease due to persistent worm accumulation. Roundworm gan is characterized by emaciation, disquieted spirit, abdominal pain, knitting of the eyebrows, crying, vomiting of clear fluid, grinding of teeth at night, rapid hungering, and perverted appetite.
Medication: Expel worms and supplement the spleen, taking care to avoid indiscriminate use of attack (offensive treatment). Initial medication can take the form of Center-Rectifying Roundworm-Quieting Decoction, which can be followed by Worm-Transforming Pill or Chub
roundworm reversal
From On Cold Damage. Episodic abdominal pain, vexation and agitation, and reversal cold of the limbs due to roundworm.
Medication: Quiet and kill roundworm using formula such as Mume Pill. See reversal.
Acupuncture: Base treatment mainly on CV, LR, and ST. Select CV-12 (Center Stomach Duct), LR-13 (Camphorwood Gate), ST-36 (Leg Three Li), Hundred Worm Nest, BL-25 (Large Intestine Transport), BL-27 (Small Intestine Transport), and ST-25 (Celestial Pivot). Needle with
roundworm stomach duct pain
Stomach pain due to roundworm, characterized by episodes of acute pain associated with somber white complexion, reversal cold of the limbs, and in some cases vomiting of roundworm. Between episodes the complexion is yellow, sometimes with white patches, and despite normal appetite the body is emaciated.
Medication: The condition can be treated with a decoction of mume (Mume Fructus), areca (Arecae Semen), and chinaberry root bark (Meliae Radicis Cortex).
Acupuncture: Base treatment mainly on alarm and uniting points of ST, PC, SP, and empirical points. Select CV-12 (Center Stomach Duct), ST-36 (Leg Three Li), PC-6 (Inner Pass), ST-25 (Celestial Pivot), SP-4 (Yellow Emperor), and Hundred Worm Nest; needle with drainage
roundworm vomiting
Synonyms: borborygmus.
Expulsion of vomitus containing roundworm. Vomiting of roundworm is mentioned in the On Cold Damage. The Zhang's Clear View of Medicine states, ``When there is roundworm in the stomach and intestines, if there is cold, or heat, or a cold-heat complex in the stomach and spleen, this can disquiet roundworm, which ascend counterflow to be vomited out. If there is cold, there is reversal cold of the extremities, and the vomited roundworm are pale white in color; for this, use Center-Rectifying Decoction plus mume (Mume Fructus), coptis (Coptidis Rhizoma), and dichroa leaf (Dichroae Folium). If there is heat, the vomited roundworm are red and lively; for this, use Roundworm-Quieting Powder. For a cold-heat complex with periodic heart heart vexation, and vomiting after eating, use Mume Pill.
rumbling intestines
Any sound made by food in the intestines. See also gurgling intestines.
running piglet
One of the five accumulations (kidney accumulation). A sensation of upsurge from the lower abdomen to the chest and throat, accompanied by gripping abdominal pain, oppression in the chest, rapid breathing, dizziness, heart palpitations, and heart vexation. This pattern is considered to be one of the five accumulations, and is a result of an upsurging of yin cold qi of the kidney or liver channel qi fire ascending counterflow.
Medication: For an upsurging of yin cold qi of the kidney, use Cinnamon Twig Decoction Plus Extra Cinnamon or Poria (Hoelen), Cinnamon Twig, Licorice, and Jujube Decoction to warm and dissipate cold evil. For liver channel qi fire ascending counterflow, use Running P
running yellow
clove sore running yellow.
runny nose
Profuse production of snivel (nasal mucus).
rushing gate
The upper orifice of the stomach, i.e., the cardia. One of the seven gates.
rushing respiration
Hasty rapid breathing with qi rushing counterflow upward; the lung accumulation among the five accumulations. Rushing respiration is marked by upward rush of qi, a lump under the left rib-side like an upturned cup, heat~effusion and aversion to cold, oppression in the chest, counterflow retching, and coughing up of blood and pus. In enduring cases, it can develop into a pulmonary welling-abscess.
Medication: Clear and downbear lung qi; flush phlegm and discharge heat. Use Rushing Respiration Decoction.