Liver constraint

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This is a term encountered often in TCM. What it means is there is

a surplus of Qi (pronouned " chee " , loosely though inadequately

translated as " energy " ). The reason there is a surplus of Qi is that

Qi isn't flowing like it should. It's building up. Like the

pressure in a hose behind a kink. Because Qi is warm, Heat builds up

where Qi builds up when Qi is not flowing freely and smoothly.

 

The Liver is the Organ most responsible for the smooth flow of Qi in

the body. When the Liver is constrained, this can trigger a bunch of

other problems. Two of these are Liver Invading Stomach and Liver

Invading Spleen. Liver Invading Stomach can trigger Rebellious

Stomach Qi with symptoms like nausea and vomiting, and the person

having an aversion to eating because it feels like there's a block

in the stomach, and food isn't going down like it should. There's a

sensation like the food being a lump that just lays there. Or a

sensation of the stomach refusing to accept food, rebelling against

it.

 

When the Liver Invades the Spleen, this can lead to Qi Deficiency

and Blood Deficiency because the Spleen plays a major role in the

production of both.

 

The number one cause of constrained Liver is poor handling of

emotions (suppression, over-expression, and inappropriate expression

(like when a person habitually substitutes feeling angry as a block

against feeling a more threatening emotion like fear or

vulnerability or love)).

 

There are other possible causes of Liver constraint. I want to talk

about one of them: Blood Deficiency. Blood Deficiency can trigger

Liver constraint. However, this is a two-way relationship. Not only

can Blood Deficiency trigger Liver constraint, Liver constraint can

trigger Blood Deficiency (because of the Liver Invading Spleen,

weakening it, and interfering with its role in Blood production).

This in time can lead to one of those snowballing situations that

TCM is so good at spotting. The decreasing Spleen function leads to

even more Blood Deficiency which in turn triggers even more Liver

constraint which in turn weakens the Spleen still more, and so on.

It snowballs.

 

There are a number of formulas for constrained Liver and Qi

Stagnation problems. I want to talk about one that is specifically

for Liver constraint with Blood Deficiency: Rambling Powder, aka

Xiao Yao San.

 

Rambling Powder acts to spread Liver Qi, strengthen the Spleen, and

nourish Blood. (Chinese Herbal Medicine Formulas & Strategies, Dan

Bensky & Randall Barolet, p. 147.) It's classified as a formula to

Regulate and Harmonize the Liver and Spleen. It contains herbs which

specifically take care not only of Liver constraint (the Radix

Bupleuri (aka Chai Hu) but also herbs that build proper Blood (Radix

Angelicae Sinensis (aka dang gui) and Radix Paeoniae Lactiforae (aka

bai shao) as well as herbs for strengthening the Spleen (Rhizoma

Atractylodis Macroephalae (aka Bai Zhu) and Sclerotium Poriae Cocos

(aka Fu Ling).

 

The honey-fried Radix Glycyrrhizae Uralensis (aka Zhi Gan Cao, aka

honey-fried licorice) also strengthens the Spleen. The combination

of the honey-fried licorice and the Bai Shao (white peony root) also

eases the " spasmodic abdominal pain " . The roasted fresh ginger

(Roasted Rhizoma Zingiberis Offiicnalis Recens (aka Wei Jiang) helps

the Stomach and prevents or stops Rebellious Stomach Qi. The Herba

Menthae Haploccalycis (aka Bo He) in a small dose helps the Radix

Bupleuri to relieve the Liver constraint, and also disperse the Heat

that has built up because of the constraint. (Bensky & Barolet, pp.

149-150.)

 

A note for those new to herbalism: The pharmaceutical names of herbs

will always contain the part of the herb (or other healing

substance). " Radix " is Latin for " Root " . " Rhizoma " is " Rhizome " .

Different parts of the same plant can have different, even opposite

properties. If more info about the herb is needed, this is added at

the end of the pharmaceutical name. " Recens " means fresh or not

dried. The properties of fresh ginger are different from those of

dried ginger. The Chinese have different names for herbs depending

on the part of the plant (or other substance) used and any special

preparation or lack thereof.

 

A note for the TCM students on the list: The Liver can Invade the

Spleen because the Liver is in Excess (constrained) or because the

Spleen is weak. This is one of those things that may show up on a

test in school. Regardless of what the first trigger is, eventually,

if left untreated, there will be a snowballing situation.

 

A note to those new to TCM: The names of TCM Organs are capitalized

to indicate that it's the TCM concept and not the anatomical organ

which is talked about. TCM Organs are NOT equivalent to anatomical

organs. TCM Organs are collections of functions. Chinese medicine

pays far more attention to functions than to form. For example, the

TCM concept of the Kidneys not only includes the functions of the

kidneys but also many of the functions of the adrenal glands and

even some of the functions of the bone marrow. The Spleen includes

many of the functions of the pancreas. Because the " Liver opens into

the eyes " , people with Liver imbalance frequently will have eye

and/or vision problems. When you see an Organ starting with a

capital letter, it's the TCM concept which is being talked about.

When you see an organ name beginning with a lower case letter, it's

the anatomical organ that is being discussed.