The TCM Dictionary is massive, so the fastest way to find something is to search. As an
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better. The dictionary combines terms, definitions, medications, and acupuncture
prescriptions.
vacuity
Weakness, emptiness. See vacuity and repletion.
vacuity accumulation dysentery
Dysentery in infants and children that develops when spleen-stomach vacuity dietary irregularities or excessive consumption of sweet or fatty foods causes a persistent accumulation. Vacuity accumulation dysentery is characterized by abdominal pain that likes pressure and tenesmus occurring any time during the day or night.
Medication: It is treated by fortifying the spleen and boosting the stomach with Great Tranquility Pill combined with Saussurea and Coptis Pill.
Acupuncture: Base treatment mainly on LI, ST, CV, and back transport points. Select LI-4 (Union Valley), ST-25 (Celestial Pivot), ST-37 (Upper Great Hollow), ST-36 (Leg Three Li), Li Inner Court, CV-21 (Jade Swivel), CV-12 (Center Stomach Duct), BL-20 (Spleen Transpor
vacuity and repletion
Vacuity: emptiness or weakness. Repletion: fullness or strength. Vacuity is weakness of right qi, that is, the forces that maintain the health of the body and fight disease, whereas repletion is strength of evil qi or accumulation of physiological products within the body such as phlegm-rheum, water-damp, static blood, and stagnant qi. Vacuity patterns may be due to such causes as a weak constitution, damage to right qi either through enduring illness, loss of blood, seminal loss, and great sweating, or by invasion of an external evil (yang evils readily damaging yin humor and yin evils readily damaging yang qi). These causes are succinctly summed up in the phrase, ``Where essential qi is despoliated, there is vacuity.'' Distinction is made between general insufficiencies of qi, blood, yin, and yang. Since these frequently affect specific organs, further distinction is made between such forms as heart yin vacuity, liver blood vacuity, kidney yang vacuity, and lung qi vacuity. Qi and yang vacuity are both forms of yang qi insufficiency, hence their clinical manifestations are similar. Signs include bright or somber white complexion, lassitude of spirit, lack of strength, spontaneous sweating, and low voice. Yang vacuity is characterized by pronounced cold signs. Blood vacuity denotes depletion of the blood and often occurs in conjunction with qi vacuity (dual vacuity of qi and blood) or with yin vacuity (dual vacuity of yin and blood). Yin vacuity refers to insufficiency of the yin humor, and is invariably characterized by signs of heat and dryness. See exterior vacuity; interior vacuity; vacuity heat; vacuity cold. Repletion may be due to such factors as an invading evil, phlegm-rheum, water-damp, static blood, worm accumulations, and food accumulations. For this reason it is said, ``Where evil qi is exuberant, there is repletion.'' Repletion patterns vary according to the nature of the evil and the organ affected. A common feature of repletion patterns is that they are associated with exuberant evil qi. Thus, when a heat evil is exuberant, a repletion heat pattern emerges; the presence of an exuberant cold evil gives rise to a repletion cold pattern; and exuberant phlegm gives rise to phlegm and drool congesting the upper body. It should be emphasized that repletion reflects not only the exuberance of an evil but also the strength of the body's reaction to it. This explains why rapid surging pulses, slippery stringlike pulses, and large replete pulses, which are all forceful at the deep level, are associated with repletion patterns. See exterior repletion; interior repletion; repletion heat; repletion cold. For terms describing pathomechanisms that manifest in vacuity and repletion patterns, see exuberance and debilitation.
vacuity cold
A pattern of vacuity of right qi with cold (usually internal cold). The main manifestations are yellow face with little luster, poor appetite, upflow of clear drool into the mouth, physical cold and fear of cold, distention and pain in the stomach duct and abdomen that is relieved by warmth, heavy aching lumbus and back, long voidings of clear urine, thin stool, pale tongue with white fur, and a weak slow or moderate sunken pulse. In women there may be thin clear vaginal discharge. Vacuity cold is treated by warming yang and supplementing vacuity.
vacuity cold of the lower origin
Cold due to insufficiency of the lower origin (the kidney). See lower origin.
vacuity constipation
Constipation due to vacuity of right. Vacuity constipation due to qi vacuity and yang qi vacuity is discussed under qi constipation and cold constipation. Vacuity constipation is otherwise due to insufficiency of essence-blood in the elderly and due to postpartum blood vacuity and reduced liquid.
Medication: Treat constipation in elderly and postpartum patients by boosting yin and nourishing the blood, and by engendering liquid and moistening the intestine. Use Four Agents Decoction combined with Five Kernels Pill, and by applying Honey Enema.
Acupuncture: Base treatment on alarm, back transport, and lower uniting points of LI, on CV, ST, and SP, and on other back transport points. Select BL-25 (Large Intestine Transport), ST-25 (Celestial Pivot), ST-37 (Upper Great Hollow), BL-20 (Spleen Transport), BL-21
vacuity desertion
The manifestation of critical depletion of yin, yang, qi or blood occurring in enduring illness, as distinct from fulminant desertion, which occurs suddenly as with major blood loss or wind stroke.
vacuity desertion hiccough
Mentioned in Systematized Patterns with Clear-Cut Treatments. Hiccough due to the true origin verging on the expiration.
Medication: Use Yin-Rectifying Brew, Major Origin-Supplementing Brew, or Right-Restoring Life Gate Beverage.
Acupuncture: Base treatment mainly on CV, GV, and PC. Select PC-6 (Inner Pass), CV-17 (Chest Center), BL-17 (Diaphragm Transport), ST-36 (Leg Three Li), GV-26 (Water Trough), GV-25 (White Bone-Hole), GV-20 (Hundred Convergences), CV-4 (Pass Head), and KI-1 (Gushing S
vacuity detriment
Synonyms: vacuity taxation.
Any form of severe chronic insufficiency of yin-yang, qi-blood, and bowels and viscera, arising through internal damage by the seven affects, taxation fatigue, diet, excesses of drink and sex, or enduring illness.
vacuity diarrhea
Sloppy diarrhea forming a vacuity pattern. Vacuity diarrhea is usually due to spleen-stomach vacuity and debilitation of kidney yang. It is associated with withered-yellow facial complexion, fatigue and lack of strength, low food intake, thin stool without sour malodor, a pale tender-soft tongue with white fur, and a vacuous pulse.
A vacuous pulse with diarrhea, a sign of detriment to yin-blood. Elementary Questions states, ``Vacuity diarrhea is despoliation of the blood.''
Medication: Supplement the center and warm the kidney. Use Aconite Center-Rectifying Decoction, or Six Gentlemen Decoction combined with Four Spirits Pill.
Acupuncture: Base treatment mainly on the back transport and alarm points of the SP and ST. Select BL-20 (Spleen Transport), BL-21 (Stomach Transport), CV-12 (Center Stomach Duct), LR-13 (Camphorwood Gate), ST-25 (Celestial Pivot), SP-4 (Yellow Emperor), and ST-36 (Le
vacuity distention
Abdominal distention and fullness due to vacuity. Distinction is made between spleen-kidney yang vacuity and kidney yin vacuity. In spleen-kidney yang vacuity, abdominal fullness is accompanied by lassitude of spirit, torpid intake, fear of cold and cold limbs, somber white or withered-yellow facial complexion, pale tongue, and a fine pulse. In kidney yin vacuity, vacuity distention is attended by emaciation, soot black complexion, heart vexation, dry mouth, nosebleed and bleeding gums, short voidings of reddish urine, red or crimson tongue, and a rapid fine pulse.
Medication: The spleen-kidney yang pattern is treated by fortifying the spleen and warming the kidney, promoting qi transformation and moving water. Aconite Center-Rectifying Decoction combined with Poria (Hoelen) Five Powder is an appropriate formula. Golden Coffer
Acupuncture: Base treatment mainly on PC, ST, back transport points, CV, SP, and KI. Main points: PC-6 (Inner Pass), ST-25 (Celestial Pivot), and ST-36 (Leg Three Li). Selection of points according to pattern: For spleen-kidney yang vacuity, add CV-6 (Sea of Qi), CV-4
vacuity dysentery
Dysentery with vacuity signs. Dysentery is attributable to damp-heat and is characterized by blood and pus in the stool and by tenesmus. Occurring in weak patients or persisting for a long time so that it damages right qi, it may be attended by vacuity signs such as fatigue, milder abdominal pain, and straining to defecate.
Medication: Treat by addressing both repletion and vacuity, using formulas such as Four Agents Decoction plus cimicifuga (Cimicifugae Rhizoma), cyperus (Cyperi Rhizoma), and biota leaf (Biotae Folium). For damage to essence through sexual intemperance causing dysente
Acupuncture: Base treatment on ST, CV, and back transport points. Select ST-25 (Celestial Pivot), ST-37 (Upper Great Hollow), CV-12 (Center Stomach Duct), BL-20 (Spleen Transport), BL-21 (Stomach Transport), CV-4 (Pass Head), and CV-6 (Sea of Qi); needle with suppleme
vacuity epilepsy
Epilepsy brought on by taxation. It tends to affect people who suffer from depression, and develops when vacuity following illness and repeated external contractions causes qi, blood, and phlegm accumulations.
Medication: Supplement the kidney to treat the root; sweep phlegm to treat the tip. See root-securing right-supporting treatments for periods between fits under epilepsy.
vacuity evil
Any evil; so called because it exploits vacuity.
One of the five evils. An evil transmitted to an organ according to the mechanism that disease of the mother affects the child.
vacuity fall
A fall pattern occurring when a headed flat-abscess fails to heal owing to spleen-stomach vacuity and qi-blood depletion. In such patterns, the sore-opening is putrid and sloughing, although new flesh fails to grow. Vacuity fall is associated with heat~effusion and aversion to cold, lassitude of spirit, torpid intake, abdominal pain and diarrhea.
Medication: Supplement the stomach and spleen using Center-Supplementing Qi-Boosting Decoction or Yang-Upbearing Stomach-Boosting Decoction and variations. See fall pattern; headed flat-abscess ju1.
vacuity fire
Synonyms: upflaming vacuity fire.
Depletion of true yin causing low fever, tidal reddening of the face, vexing heat in the five hearts, steaming bone taxation heat~effusion, heart vexation and insomnia, night sweating, short voidings of reddish urine, dry mouth and throat, red tongue with scant fur, or a bare red tongue without fur, and a forceless rapid fine pulse. Vacuity fire is normally observed either in damage to yin in advanced-stage febrile disease or in yin vacuity taxation detriment.
False heat signs caused by exuberant yin repelling yang. See exuberant yin repelling yang.
Medication: Enrich yin and drain fire according to the principle of ``invigorating the governor water to restrain the brilliance of yang.'' Use formulas such as Anemarrhena, Phellodendron, and Rehmannia Pill.
Acupuncture: Base treatment mainly on KI and HT. Select BL-23 (Kidney Transport), KI-2 (Blazing Valley), KI-6 (Shining Sea), KI-1 (Gushing Spring), SP-6 (Three Yin Intersection), and HT-8 (Lesser Mansion); needle with even supplementation and drainage. Selection of po
vacuity fire flaming upward
Upper body heat signs due to kidney yin depletion and water failing to restrain fire. Signs include dry throat, sore throat, clouded head and dizzy vision, heart vexation and insomnia, tinnitus, forgetfulness, heat in the hearts of the palms and soles, soft red tongue, and fine pulse. Some patients may also display red eyes or mouth and tongue sores. Compare stirring of the ministerial fire.
vacuity fire rapid panting
Rapid panting due to detriment to kidney yin and vacuity fire flaming upward in patients, usually children, suffering from weak constitutions or from residual heat after enduring illnesses. Other signs include tidal reddening of the cheeks, vexing heat in the five hearts, and dry lips and mouth.
Medication: Enrich yin and downbear fire with formulas such as Metropolis Qi Pill.
Acupuncture: Base treatment mainly on KI, back transport points, and LU. Needle with supplementation at BL-23 (Kidney Transport), BL-13 (Lung Transport), BL-43 (Gao-Huang Transport), KI-3 (Great Ravine), and KI-6 (Shining Sea), and with drainage at LU-5 (Cubit Marsh),
vacuity glomus
Synonyms: palpitation heart pain.
Glomus (a localized subjective feeling of fullness and blockage in the chest or upper abdomen) attributed to debilitation of the spleen, stomach, heart, and kidney and depletion of yin, yang, qi, and blood, and traceable to irregular eating, excessive taxation fatigue, spleen-stomach vacuity cold with poor movement and transformation, and in some cases insufficiency of heart construction or debilitation of the life gate fire. Vacuity glomus is characterized by glomus and oppression when the stomach is empty and is accompanied by poor appetite, sloppy diarrhea, fear of cold and desire for warmth in the chest and abdomen, nontransformation of ingested food, belching of putrid gas, swallowing of upflowing acid, and, in severe cases, abdominal distention.
Medication: Warm and supplement with formulas such as Center-Ordering Decoction, Special Achievement Powder, Spleen-Returning Decoction, Stomach-Warming Beverage, or Six-Ingredient Yang-Returning Beverage.
vacuity heart pain
vacuity heat
Heat due to insufficiency of yin humor. Vacuity heat is characterized by vexing heat in the five hearts, insomnia, steaming bone tidal heat~effusion, dry throat and mouth, smooth bare red tongue, and a rapid fine pulse.
Medication: In treating vacuity heat, nourishing yin is of greater importance than clearing heat. Medicinals used include sweet wormwood (Artemisiae Apiaceae seu Annuae Herba), baiwei (Cynanchi Baiwei Radix), lanceolate stellaria (Stellariae Lanceolatae Radix), lyciu
Acupuncture: Base treatment mainly on KI. Needling with even supplementation and drainage or with drainage at KI-6 (Shining Sea), KI-2 (Blazing Valley), and KI-1 (Gushing Spring) can be used to treat vacuity heat. Needling with supplementation at KI-3 (Great Ravine) a
vacuity heat advanced menstruation
Advanced menstruation (i.e., premature arrival of periods) attributed to insufficiency of yin blood with vacuity heat harassing the thoroughfare and controlling vessels. The menstrual flow is scant, bright red, thick and sticky. Attending signs include reddening of the cheeks and heat in the palms and soles.
Medication: Nourish yin and clear heat. Use formulas such as Lycium Root Bark Beverage and Rehmannia and Lycium Root Bark Decoction.
Acupuncture: Base treatment mainly on CV, SP, and KI. Needle with supplementation at CV-4 (Pass Head), SP-10 (Sea of Blood), and SP-6 (Three Yin Intersection), and with drainage at KI-2 (Blazing Valley) and HT-8 (Lesser Mansion).
vacuity hiccough
Hiccough due to vacuity. Vacuity hiccough is mostly attributable to spleen-stomach vacuity cold and falls within the scope of cold hiccough.
vacuity is treated by supplementing
vacuity is treated by supplementing the mother
In the doctrine of the five phases, the treatment of vacuity or one organ or channel by supplementing the organ that engenders it. For example, water (kidney) engenders, or is the mother of, wood (liver). Liver vacuity is treated most effectively supplementing not only the liver but also the kidney. For liver vacuity fire characterized by insomnia, heart vexation and agitation, baking heat~effusion in the head and face, and a forceless rapid fine pulse, the principle of enriching water to moisten wood can be used, i.e., supplementing kidney water to restrain the vacuity fire of the liver.
vacuity jaundice
Synonyms: yin macules.
Jaundice with vacuity signs such as withered-yellow facial complexion, bland taste in the mouth, fearful throbbing, limp legs, mild heat~effusion and aversion to cold, disfluent voidings of turbid urine, low food intake, sloppy stool, pale tongue, and a weak fine pulse. Vacuity jaundice develops as a result of enduring jaundice or spleen vacuity and blood depletion depriving the skin of nourishment.
Medication: Support the vacuity and secure the root, taking care to avoid excessively cold formulas. Appropriate formulas include Tangkuei and Astragalus Center-Fortifying Decoction, Ginseng Construction-Nourishing Decoction, and Eight-Ingredient Rehmannia Pill.
Acupuncture: Base treatment mainly on CV, back transport points, GB, ST, and SP. Select CV-12 (Center Stomach Duct), CV-6 (Sea of Qi), BL-20 (Spleen Transport), BL-19 (Gallbladder Transport), ST-36 (Leg Three Li), SP-6 (Three Yin Intersection), and GB-34 (Yang Mound S
vacuity macules
vacuity malaria
Synonyms: exhaustion of the lower origin.
Malaria occurring either when malaria evils are contracted in constitutional weakness or enduring malaria depletes original qi. Vacuity malaria is characterized by unpronounced heat~effusion and aversion to cold, lack of strength in the extremities, reduced food intake, persistent spontaneous sweating, and a soft vacuous pulse.
Medication: Nourish right and supplement vacuity with formulas such as Six Gentlemen Decoction, Center-Supplementing Qi-Boosting Decoction, or Flowery Knotweed and Ginseng Beverage.
Acupuncture: Base treatment mainly on GV, PC, SI, ST, and KI. Select GV-14 (Great Hammer), GV-13 (Kiln Path), PC-5 (Intermediary Courier), SI-3 (Back Ravine), CV-12 (Center Stomach Duct), ST-36 (Leg Three Li), BL-20 (Spleen Transport), and KI-3 (Great Ravine). Needle
vacuity of the true origin in the lower body
Severe kidney depletion, especially kidney yang.
vacuity panting
Panting attributed to lung qi vacuity and the kidney failing to absorb qi stemming from a weak constitution, from enduring panting, or from wear on the true origin through major illness. Vacuity panting is of gradual onset and chronic in nature. It is characterized shortness of breath with difficulty in catching one's breath, a condition brought on by physical movement; relief from discomfort comes when a deep breath can be drawn. See qi vacuity panting; yin vacuity panting; true origin vacuity panting.
vacuity pattern
Any disease pattern arising from weakness of the body's forces and absence of an evil. Vacuity patterns are attributed to insufficiencies of qi, blood, yin, and yang that arise from damage to right qi either through enduring illness, loss of blood, seminal loss, and great sweating, or by invasion of an external evil (yang evils readily damage yin humor and yin evils readily damage yang qi), constitutional weakness, or the wear and tear that comes with age. Since these insufficiencies frequently affect specific organs, further distinction is made between such forms as heart yin vacuity, liver blood vacuity, kidney yang vacuity, and lung qi vacuity.
vacuity phlegm
Any phlegm pattern due to vacuity of original qi.
cold phlegm.
Medication: Boost qi and transform phlegm with Bupleurum and Peony Six Gentlemen Decoction.
Acupuncture: Base treatment mainly on CV and ST. Select CV-4 (Pass Head), CV-6 (Sea of Qi), CV-12 (Center Stomach Duct), ST-36 (Leg Three Li), and ST-40 (Bountiful Bulge). Needle with supplementation and add moxa.
vacuity puffiness
Swelling of the outer body preceding distention in the inner body, with pale urine, unsolid stool, a withered-white facial complexion, low timid voice, and a forceless pulse faint fine pulse. vacuity swelling.
vacuity stroke
A pattern similar to wind stroke characterized by bright white complexion, faint breath from the nose, stiff tongue and disfluent speech, deviation of the eyes and mouth, and hemiplegia, sometimes but not necessarily heralded by clouding collapse. Limp hands and open mouth constitutes a wind-stoke desertion pattern. It is attributed to constitutional weakness, physical taxation causing damage to qi and the spleen, and phlegm and qi congestion. It may also arise as a result of sexual intemperance causing detriment to essential qi.
Medication: Treat primarily by boosting qi with Six Gentlemen Decoction or Center-Supplementing Qi-Boosting Decoction. Desertion patterns call for swift administration of large doses of ginseng (Ginseng Radix) and astragalus (Astragali (seu Hedysari) Radix). For sexu
Acupuncture: Base treatment mainly on GV and CV. Select GV-20 (Hundred Convergences) (moxa) CV-8 (Spirit Gate Tower) (moxa) CV-4 (Pass Head) (moxa) CV-6 (Sea of Qi) (moxa) PC-6 (Inner Pass), and LU-9 (Great Abyss) until the limbs become warm, the pulse rises and the p
vacuity swelling
Synonyms: vacuity-detriment taxation damage; taxation timidity.
Water swelling attributable to vacuity; a form of yin water. Vacuity swelling is essentially attributed to spleen and/or kidney vacuity (spleen failing to control water; kidney vacuity water flood; impaired kidney qi transformation; spleen-kidney debilitation). Vacuity swelling develops slowly, and is associated with signs such as weak breathing and low voice, pale dull completion, fatigue, diarrhea, fear of cold and cold limbs, forceless fine sunken pulse.
Medication: See water swelling.
Acupuncture: observed in chronic nephritis, hypothyroidism, menopausal syndrome, hypoproteinemia.
vacuity taxation
Any pattern of severe vacuity (of qi, blood, or the organs), including notably steaming bone and consumption. The term comes from Essential Prescriptions of the Golden Coffer, and was explained in The Origin and Indicators of Disease as referring to any of various qi, blood, or organ vacuity patterns on the one hand and contagious diseases such as steaming bone and corpse transmission (i.e., consumption) on the other. Since then, it has become a convention to refer to the former patterns as vacuity detriment, whereas the latter patterns are referred to as consumption. Compare vacuity detriment.
vacuity tetany
Tetany attributed to extreme qi and blood vacuity depriving the sinews of nourishment or to major loss of blood. Vacuity tetany is characterized by convulsions, clouded head and flowery vision, spontaneous sweating, lassitude of spirit, shortness of breath, pale tongue, and a fine stringlike pulse.
Medication: Treat by boosting qi and supplementing the blood, supported by extinguishing wind. Appropriate formulas include Tangkuei Blood-Supplementing Decoction or Eight-Gem Decoction with the addition of uncaria (Uncariae Ramulus cum Unco) and scorpion tail (Buthi
Acupuncture: Base treatment mainly on back transport points, GV, SP, ST, and LR. Select BL-17 (Diaphragm Transport), BL-20 (Spleen Transport), ST-36 (Leg Three Li), SP-6 (Three Yin Intersection), GV-20 (Hundred Convergences), GV-16 (Wind Mansion), LR-3 (Supreme Surge)
vacuity vexation
Heat vexation due to vacuity fire harassing the inner body. Vacuity vexation is a feeling of unease and listlessness in the heart, accompanied by a condition that seems like distention but is not, food failing to be appetizing, and unquiet sleep, It occurs in febrile disease, either in the latter stages or or after sweating, ejection, or precipitation, when residual heat remains.
Medication: Treat with Bamboo Leaf Decoction or Gardenia and Fermented Soybean Decoction and variations. See vexation.
vacuity vexation and sleeplessness
From On Cold Damage. A feeling of uneasiness focused in the chest together with insomnia occurring in vacuity patterns. Distinction is made between qi vacuity, yang vacuity, yin vacuity, and residual heat. In qi vacuity it is accompanied by fatigue and lack of strength, reduced food intake, lassitude of spirit, dry mouth with low fluid intake and a soft soggy pulse, and is treated by supplementing qi. In yang vacuity, it is associated with cold limbs and fear of cold, and a slow sunken pulse, and is treated by warming supplementation. In yin vacuity, it is accompanied by dry mouth, red tongue, and a rapid fine pulse, and is treated by enriching yin and clearing fire. In residual heat harassing the inner body occurring in the latter stages of febrile disease, it is associated with residual heat~, dry mouth and tongue, and yellow or reddish urine, and is treated by clearing heat and eliminating vexation.
Acupuncture: Base treatment mainly on HT and three yin channels of the foot. Main points: Alert Spirit Quartet, HT-7 (Spirit Gate), BL-15 (Heart Transport), PC-6 (Inner Pass), and SP-6 (Three Yin Intersection). Selection of points according to pattern: For qi vacuity,
vacuity wind stirring internally
A wind pattern attributable to yin vacuity or blood vacuity that arises when great sweating, great vomiting, great diarrhea, major loss of blood, or damage to yin in enduring illness with depletion of the fluids causes desiccation of the blood that deprives the sinews of nourishment and causes insufficiency of liver yin that leaves yang unsubdued and allows liver wind to scurry around internally. It may also occur when kidney-water failing to moisten liver-wood causes wind to harass the upper body. Vacuity wind stirring within is marked by dizziness, tremor, worm-like movement in the extremities, or clouding collapse. See liver wind stirring internally.
vacuity with repletion complication
Any vacuity pattern with concurrent signs of an evil. For example, in blood dryness consumption, vacuity signs such as emaciation, dry skin, vexing heat in hearts of the palms and soles, and no thought of food and drink are observed in combination with repletion signs of blood stasis such as menstrual block, dark purple tongue, stasis speckles on the margins of the tongue, and a stringlike sunken pulse.
vacuity-detriment taxation damage
vacuity-repletion complex
Any disease characterized by the presence of both vacuity and repletion signs. If a patient suffering from a cough expectorates thick, sticky phlegm and has a yellow tongue fur, the condition is one of phlegm-heat congesting the lung, which is a repletion pattern. If, at the same time, breathing is short and shallow, and becomes rapid at the slightest exertion, the patient is said to be suffering from insufficiency of lung qi, which is a vacuity pattern. The simultaneous existence of the repletion pattern and the vacuity pattern constitutes a vacuity-repletion complex. A further example is internal static blood obstruction, manifesting as abdominal glomus lump. If this repletion pattern occurs with signs of dual vacuity of yin and blood, characterized by emaciation, encrusted skin, and dark rings around the eyes, the patient is said to be suffering from a vacuity-repletion complex. Such patterns may be due to contraction of an external evil by patients ordinarily suffering from vacuity of right, or may be caused by an invading evil that both causes repletion and damages right.
vacuity-taxation cough
vacuity-taxation lumbar pain
Lumbar pain arising when taxation damage causes insufficiency of kidney qi and disturbs qi transformation. The pain spreads into the lesser abdomen and is accompanied by inhibited urination, and a sunken pulse.
Medication: Use Cinnamon Bark and Aconite Eight-Ingredient Pill combined with Astragalus Center-Fortifying Decoction and Major Yin Supplementation Pill.
Acupuncture: Base treatment mainly on BL, GV, CV, and KI. Select BL-23 (Kidney Transport), GV-4 (Life Gate), KI-3 (Great Ravine), CV-6 (Sea of Qi), GV-3 (Lumbar Yang Pass), BL-40 (Bend Center), ouch points, and CV-4 (Pass Head); needle with supplementation and add mox
vacuity-taxation night sweating
Night sweating due to qi vacuity and yang weakness, to heart yang vacuity, to heart-kidney yang vacuity, or to yin blood vacuity.
Medication: When due to qi vacuity and yang weakness, it can be treated with Oyster Shell Powder or Astragalus Center-Fortifying Decoction. When due to heart yang vacuity, it can be treated with Biota Seed Decoction. When due to dual vacuity of the heart and kidney,
Acupuncture: Base treatment mainly on back transport points, KI, LI, and SI. Main points: LI-4 (Union Valley), SI-3 (Back Ravine), and HT-6 (Yin Cleft). Selection of points according to pattern: For qi vacuity and yang weakness, add CV-6 (Sea of Qi), CV-4 (Pass Head),
vacuity-taxation scant semen
vacuous
Synonyms: kidney failing to absorb qi.
Empty, not solid, weak. (1) Not solid, e.g., a vacuous pulse. (2) Of or relating to vacuity. See vacuity and repletion.
vacuous kidney failing to absorb qi
Synonyms: apical pulse.
vacuous li
Synonyms: qi swelling.
The place below the nipple at which a throbbing can be felt and said to be the collecting place of ancestral qi. Vacuous li corresponds in channel theory to the great network vessel of the stomach, and since stomach qi is a foundation of human life and is the source of ancestral qi in the chest, it reflects the state of ancestral qi and stomach qi.
vacuous puffiness
From Elementary Questions. Water swelling in the interstices of the skin that springs back after being pressed. Compare vacuity puffiness; puffy swelling.
vacuous pulse
A forceless soft usually large pulse that feels empty. The Pulse Canon states, ``The vacuous pulse is slow, large, and soft, and feels under pressure to be insufficient and gapingly empty.'' It is also described as a combination of the floating, large, slow, and soft pulses.
vacuous qi failing to ensure containment
Synonyms: unconstrained vacuous yang; solitary yang straying upward.
Qi failing to retain blood, fluids, essence etc., in the body, causing spontaneous sweating, seminal emission, diarrhea, enuresis, flooding and spotting, or blood in the stool.
vacuous yang floating upward
exuberant yin repelling yang.
A pattern of tidal heat~effusion, tender-red complexion, dry mouth without thirst, and a vacuous rapid pulse arising when yang, deprived of support through essence-blood depletion, strays upward to the upper body.
vaginal discharge
The emission of a viscid fluid via the vagina. Scant white vaginal discharge often occurs in healthy women. Only discharge that is profuse, bears an unnatural color, or gives off a malign odor is pathological. A copious clear white discharge without malodor is called white vaginal discharge and is caused by cold-damp pouring downward with spleen vacuity. A foul-smelling copious thick yellow discharge is called yellow vaginal discharge and is due to damp-heat pouring downward. A thick discharge that is white and red in color and bears a faint fishy smell is called red vaginal discharge, and arises when depressed liver qi transforms into heat, which damages the network vessels of the uterus. Modern research shows that continued red vaginal discharge is in some cases a sign of cancer. Malodorous vaginal discharge like rice water (water in which rice has been washed), yellow-green like pus, or multicolored, and attended by pudendal itch and soreness is a sign of damp toxin. See entries listed below.
vaginal flatus
Synonyms: yin protrusion.
From Essential Prescriptions of the Golden Coffer. Expulsion of qi (gas) through the vagina. Vaginal flatulence is traditionally attributed to replete grain qi and the downward discharge stomach qi or to qi and blood vacuity with center qi fall.
vaginal protrusion
vain straining
Straining in vain to pass stool despite frequent desire to defecate. Vain straining occurs in damage to yin in enduring dysentery; it is more severe than tenesmus normally associated with dysentery.
vein
Blood vessels visible through the skin.
venter
vertebra
Any of the bones forming part of the spine.
vertex
Synonyms: pain at the vertex.
The top of the head.
vertex headache
Pain in the region of the vertex. The greater yang channels meet at the vertex where they enter the brain. Pain at the vertex is usually a greater yang disease.
Medication: Use medicinals such as Chinese lovage (Ligustici Sinensis Rhizoma et Radix), ligusticum (Ligustici Rhizoma), notopterygium (Notopterygii Rhizoma), and duhuo (Angelicae Duhuo Radix).
Acupuncture: Select GV-20 (Hundred Convergences), Alert Spirit Quartet, GV-21 (Before the Vertex), GB-19 (Brain Hollow), GV-23 (Upper Star), KI-1 (Gushing Spring), LI-4 (Union Valley), and LR-3 (Supreme Surge); needle with drainage. See headache.
vesicle
A blister, especially a small one.
vessel
Synonyms: heat impediment.
Any pathway of the blood or of qi. Elementary Questions states, ``The vessels are the house of the blood.'' The Magic Pivot states, ``That which blocks i.e., contains construction qi and prevents it from going astray is the vessels.'' The vessels are intimately related to the heart; see heart governs the blood and vessels.
vessel impediment
Synonyms: qi opening.
Impediment characterized by irregular heat~effusion, palpable heat and pain in the flesh, and sometimes red patches on the skin; attributed to wind-damp stagnating in the vessels. Distinction is made between vacuity and repletion, the former being treated with Five Impediments Decoction plus cinnamon twig (Cinnamomi Ramulus), carthamus (Carthami Flos), root poria (Poria cum Pini Radice), polygala (Polygalae Radix), and ophiopogon (Ophiopogonis Tuber), and the latter with Ginseng Decoction.
vessel opening
Synonyms: channel qi.
The wrist pulse; so called because it is an ``opening'' in the body where the qi of the vessels can be felt. Also called qi opening for the same reason.
vessel qi
Synonyms: heart wilting.
vessel wilting
Synonyms: heart vexation.
From Elementary Questions. A wilting pattern attributed to heart qi heat with fire flaming upward and carrying qi and blood counterflow with it and causing emptiness of the blood vessels in the lower body. Since the heart governs the blood and vessels and both the heart and vessels are involved in this disease pattern, heart wilting is synonymous with vessel wilting. Signs include joints of the four limbs as if broken, inability to lift the limbs, and weakness in the lower leg preventing the patient from standing.
Medication: Clear the heart and drain fire; nourish and quicken the blood with variations of Four Agents Decoction.
Acupuncture: Base treatment on back transport points, HT, and GB. Needle with supplementation or with even supplementation and drainage at BL-20 (Spleen Transport), LR-3 (Supreme Surge), BL-17 (Diaphragm Transport), and BL-23 (Kidney Transport), and with drainage at B
vexation
vexation and agitation
A subjective feeling of heat and disquietude in the chest (vexation) and objective fidgetiness of the limbs (agitation). Both signs may occur in vacuity, repletion, cold, and heat patterns. For example, when evils enter the interior, causing yang brightness repletion heat, signs include high fever, thirst, vexation and oppression in the chest, fidgetiness of the extremities (yang brightness governs the four limbs). Heart vexation is often observed without agitation. Where heat sensations are pronounced, it is called heat vexation. Where vexation appears with thirst as a result of damage to liquid by exuberant heat, the term vexation and thirst is used. When vexation appears in the latter stages of febrile disease or after sweating (diaphoresis), ejection, or precipitation in the course of febrile disease when residual heat is still present, heat vexation in the chest with unquiet sleep is a sign of vacuity fire harassing the inner body, and in such cases is often referred to as vacuity vexation. Vexation accompanied by a cold body and unconscious movement of the limbs, bodily fatigue and lassitude of spirit, dry mouth with intake of fluid, and a weak fine pulse is called agitated vexation.
vexation and thirst
A feeling of heat and disquietude focused in the chest and accompanied by a desire for fluids. See vexation and agitation.
vexation of pregnancy
Heart vexation occurring in pregnancy. Vexation of pregnancy is attributed to exploitation of the heart by fire-heat that results from a)~insufficiency of yin-blood arising when the blood gathers to nourish the fetus or b)~preexisting phlegm-rheum that is transformed into phlegm-heat by the action of depression, anger, anxiety, or thought. In the case of yin vacuity, there is vexing heat in five hearts and dry mouth, whereas in phlegm heat, there is dizziness, oppression in the stomach duct, nausea and vomiting, and copious phlegm. If there is pronounced liver depression, there is distending pain in both rib-sides.
Medication: Yin vacuity patterns are treated by clearing heat, nourishing yin, and eliminating vexation with Coptis, Ass Hide Glue, and Egg Yolk Decoction. Phlegm-fire patterns are treated by clearing heat and flushing phlegm with Fritillaria and Trichosanthes Powder
vexing heat in the five hearts
Palpable heat in the palms of the hand, soles of the feet, and subjective feeling of heat in the chest. Vexing heat in the five hearts is observed in vacuity detriment and consumption, and arises from effulgent yin vacuity fire, vacuity heat failing to clear after illness, or internally depressed fire-heat.
Medication: Nourish yin and abate heat~effusion; clear heat and nourish yin; clear the liver and rectify the spleen. Use formulas such as Bone-Clearing Powder or Free Wanderer Powder. For depressed fire, treat by upbearing and effusing with Fire Depression Decoction.
vigorous fire
From Elementary Questions. Pathological fire standing in opposition to the lesser fire, which is the healthy fire of physiological activity. Vigorous fire causes wear on right qi and affects physiological functions.
vigorous heat~effusion
High fever occurring in repletion patterns and characteristic of qi-aspect heat in warm diseases.
viscera
Plural of viscus. See bowels and viscera.
visceral agitation
Synonyms: impediments of the five viscera.
From Essential Prescriptions of the Golden Coffer. A paroxysmal mental disease most prevalent in women, heralded by melancholy and depression, illusions, emotionalism, and increased or diminished sensitivity. Attacks are characterized by vexation and oppression, rashness and impatience, sighing for no apparent reason, and sadness with an urge to weep. In severe cases, there may be convulsions, which, unlike those occurring in epilepsy, are accompanied by a white complexion or complete loss of consciousness. Visceral agitation falls into two basic patterns, heart spirit deprived of nourishment and insufficiency of the liver and kidney.
visceral impediment
visceral manifestation
The manifestation of the activity of viscera and the bowels (and construction, defense, qi, blood, fluids, essence, and spirit) in outward signs; the Chinese medical physiology of the human body in which the viscera are understood to play a central role.
visceral stroke
The most severe form of wind stroke characterized by sudden clouding collapse, loss of speech, and inability to close the lips with drooling from the corners of the mouth. See wind stroke.
visceral toxin
Dysentery attributed to toxin accumulated in the viscera. Distal bleeding (bleeding remote from the anus) due to accumulated heat toxin. Hard painful swollen bleeding anus.
anal welling-abscess.
Medication: Clear heat and resolve toxin with formulas such as Pig's Intestines and Coptis Pill.
Treat with Stomach-Clearing Powder or Gentian Liver-Draining Decoction.
Acupuncture: Base treatment mainly on back transport points, ST, and BL. Select ST-25 (Celestial Pivot), BL-25 (Large Intestine Transport), ST-37 (Upper Great Hollow), BL-57 (Mountain Support), SP-10 (Sea of Blood), and SP-9 (Yin Mound Spring); needle with drainage.
viscus
Any of the five viscera (lung, kidney, liver, heart, and spleen). See bowels and viscera.
viscus of fire and water
The kidney.
viscus of wind and wood
The liver. The liver belongs to wood, and like wood thrives by orderly reaching. Just as trees are vulnerable to wind, so the liver is vulnerable to diseases characterized by spasm and itching attributed to wind. See liver.
visiting
Occasional, seasonal, temporary.
visiting complexion
visiting hostility
visual distortion
Synonyms: inspection.
Deranged, flowery vision.
visual examination
visual lining
The inner surface of the eyeball.
vital qi
The qi developing in springtime that is vital to the growth of all things. Original qi. Loosely refers to the life force.
voice
vomiting and retching
Synonyms: bitter vomiting.
Ejection of food through the mouth. The Chinese term is composed of two characters, ou3, meaning retching (sound without matter), and tu4, meaning ejection (matter without sound). However, the combined term, as the English vomiting, tends to exclude retching. While retching denotes a relative absence of expelled matter, ``dry retching'' denotes its complete absence. Vomiting and retching are the manifestations of stomach qi ascending counterflow, and like nausea may occur in almost any stomach pattern---stomach heat or cold, insufficiency of stomach yin, liver-stomach disharmony, or food damage, etc. Vomiting of ingested food that has remained for several hours without undergoing transformation is called stomach reflux. Very often this assumes a pattern of ``vomiting in the morning of foods ingested in the evening,'' or ``vomiting in the evening of foods ingested in the morning.'' Not only food but also clear water, bitter water, phlegm-drool, and roundworm may be vomited. See entries listed below. See also vomitus. Vomiting cold vomiting heat vomiting phlegm vomiting food accumulation vomiting qi vomiting vomiting of clear water bitter vomiting acid vomiting water counterflow vomiting of phlegm-droo
vomiting of bile
Synonyms: bitter vomiting.
vomiting of bitter water
vomiting of clear water
Bringing up of relatively clear water fluid from the stomach; observed in spleen-stomach vacuity cold, phlegm-rheum accumulation, lodged food failing to transform, and worm disease. For diagnosis and treatment, see cold vomiting; phlegm vomiting; water counterflow; food accumulation vomiting; roundworm vomiting.
vomiting of phlegm-drool
Synonyms: phlegm vomiting.
Vomiting with vomitus containing copious phlegm-drool; observed in phlegm and phlegm-rheum patterns such as phlegm malaria, phlegm-rheum pregnancy vomiting, and wind-phlegm dizziness. Compare ejection of foamy drool.
vomiting of phlegm-rheum
Synonyms: malign obstruction.
vomiting pregnancy
vomitus
Synonyms: foxy mounting.
The contents of the stomach expelled through the act of vomiting. Vomitus containing phlegm and water indicates stomach phlegm-rheum, and generally forms part of a cold pattern. Vomitus containing food without sour taste or malodor indicates vacuity cold or invasion of the stomach by liver qi. Vomitus with a sour taste and malodor indicates food accumulation, stomach heat, or liver-gallbladder damp-heat. Bitter, yellow vomitus generally indicates liver-gallbladder damp-heat. Vomiting of purplish black blood can only be diagnosed by taking account of other signs.
vulpine mounting
