Heart Blood Deficiency vs. Yin Deficiency Nightsweats

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" Nightsweats from heart blood insufficiency versus nightsweats from yin

deficiency and interior heat. Both are deficiency patterns but in the

latter the deficient heat manifestations are very obvious. Nightsweats from

Heart blood insufficiency result from consumption damage (lao shang) to the

blood. 'Heart storage: internally the blood, externally the sweat'. If

Heart blood is damanged, its fluid - sweat - instead of being stored by the

Heart will follow the now un-rooted qi of the Heart as it floats outward,

and will be lost through the exterior. Therefore the frequent nightsweats

will be accompanied by palpitations, insomnia and other symptoms of qi and

blood deficiency such as pallor, tiredness and lethargy, pale tongue body,

and a pulse that is floating and big (showing un-rooted qi) but weak upon

pressure. "

 

" Nightsweats from yin deficiency and interior heat result from damage to the

yin fluids or even the Kidney jing, allowing yang heat to become unbalanced

by yin. Deficient heat flares, and yin is unable to constrain its fluids,

leading to frequent nightsweats and other yin deficiency symptoms such as

malar flush, five-hearts heat and hot flushes in the late afternoon and

evening. In women, this easily causes menstrual irregularity, especially

early periods or inter-menstrual bleeding; in men, excessive sexual desire

coupled with impotence or spermatorrhea of various kinds can result. Damage

to the yin and jing eventually leads to emaciation. The tongue body will be

red with little coate, and the pulse will be rapid and thready: these are

standard yin xu signs. "

 

If the woman is having hot flushes in the afternoon and evening, this is Yin

Deficiency. But, both Yin Deficiency and Heart Blood Deficiency could be

present.

 

If Liver Blood is Deficient, Heart Blood frequently will be Deficient

because the Liver controls the Blood supply in the body, storing it when the

person is at rest and sending it out to the tissues when the person is

active. However, it is possible for a person to be Heart Blood Deficient

without being Liver Blood Deficient.

 

Deficiencies can occur in many different Organs due to heredity tendencies,

accidents, poor diet, unwise life style, etc. But, if the Organ is

responsible for supplying the rest of the body, then the Deficiency probably

will be system wide. For example, the Kidneys supply the Yin and the Yang

to the rest of the body. If the Kidneys are Deficient, the rest or most of

the rest of the body probably is going to be Yang or Yin Deficient. If the

source of the Yin or Yang, the Kidneys isn't supplying it, there is not

enough for the rest of the body. (There can be exceptions. Sometimes,

usually because of heredity, sometimes because of diet, what Yin or Yang

there is may be sent to a particular Organ. The body sometimes prioritizes

both in Western and Chinese medicine.)

 

Another example is Qi Deficiency and the Spleen. Because the Spleen plays

such a major role in Qi, if the Spleen is Qi Deficient, the rest of the body

probably will be also.

 

Yin Deficiency is commonly seen in menopausal women. There can be some

other TCM imbalances, but Yin Deficieny is the most common. As a person

ages, Kidney Yin (and Kidney Yang) tends to become less. A lot of TCM

geriatrics has been directed toward replenishing Kidney Yin and Yang.

(Modern TCM also is looking at the role of Blood Stasis in problems which

become more common as people get older.)

 

Yin Deficiency can occur without too many symptoms of Heat. When the Heat

symptoms are particularly marked, it's referred to as Yin Deficiency with

Heat. It's a graduation thing - going from few if any symptoms of Heat to

some very obvious symptoms.

 

For those new to TCM:

 

Yang warms and activates; Yin cools and calms.

 

Xu means Deficiency. Yin Xu is Yin Deficiency.

 

A malar flush - indicative of Yin Deficiency - is one that is blotchy.

Another term for Yin Deficiency is Deficiency Heat. The person is too Hot

because s/he doesn't have enough Yin to cool the body properly. In

contrast, a solidly red complexion usually is a sign of Excess Heat. In

this case, the Heat is coming from there being too much of something - like

the person eating too many foods that are heating or the localized Heat that

can result from Qi Stagnation.

 

5-hearts heat also is referred to as 5-palms heat. The chest, the soles of

the feet, and the palms of the hands will be hot. This is a sign that

points strongly to Yin Deficiency - just like the malar flush.

 

Victoria

 

 

 

 

 

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