Pitting Edema

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There are a number of classifications of edema in TCM. I'm going to

concentrate on two in this post.

 

Edema can have one or more of several causes. " Pitting " is one of

the symptoms for differenciating the Root or type of edema.

 

" Spleen yang deficiency. Stubborn, recurring, edematous swelling

most pronounced below the waist, which pits when pressed leaving a

depression which is slow to resolve. Accompanying symptoms will be

tiredness, cold limbs, sensations of epigastric fullness and

abdominal distension, poor appetite, loose stool, scanty clear urine,

pale tongue with a thin white slippery moist coat and a deep and

languid pulse.

 

" Spleen yang deficinecy. Stubborn, recurring, edematous swelling

most pronounced below the waist, which pits when pressed leaving a

depression which is slow to resolve. Accompanying symptoms will be

tiredness, cold limbs, sensations of epigastric fullness and

abdominal distension, poor appetite, loose stool, scanty clear urine,

pale tongue with a thin white slippery moist coat and a deep and

languid pulse.

 

" Kidney yang deficiency. Generalized edema which like the above is

also pitting and slow to resolve, usually starting around the waist

and in the feet, and most pronounced in the lower body, especially

around the medial " (closer to the midline of the body - the left side

of the right leg or ankle, the right side of the left leg or

ankle) " ankles. Accompanying symptoms will be pale complexion

possibly with dark areas under the eyes, cold aching of the lower

back, sore weak knees that feel heavy, clammy cold moist feeling in

the scrotum, chills and lethargy, cold limbs, scanty clear urine,

pale flabby tongue, tyhin white tongue coat and a deep and thready

weak pulse. " (Fluid Physiology and Pathology in Traditional Chinese

Medicine, Steven Clavey, p. 126.) (Note that this is one of those

cases of Kidney Yang Deficiency that can manifest as scanty clear

urine instead of profuse clear urine. In actuality a person can have

both the edema and the profuse urination.)

 

Note the general Spleen and Kidney symptoms in each paragraph. If

the digestion is affected, think Spleen imbalance. If the lower back

is sore, the knees are sore and weak, and there are dark areas under

the eyes, think Kidneys. These are general symptoms. They won't

pinpoint the specific Organ imbalance. The cold sensations point to

a Cold imbalance involving the Spleen or Kidneys.

 

Victoria