TCM Spleen Function and Blood Control

TCM Spleen Function

• The Spleen controls blood, and its failure to do so can cause bleeding downwards, such as from the uterus, bladder, and bowels.
• The Spleen extracts Food-Qi from food, which forms blood in the Heart with the assistance of the Original Qi from the Kidneys.
• The Spleen is the central, essential organ for the production of both Qi and Blood, and is called the 'Root of Post-Heaven Qi'.
• The Spleen controls the muscles and four limbs by extracting Food Qi from food to nourish all tissues in the body.
• The Spleen is the most important factor determining the amount of physical energy a person has, and tiredness is often related to Spleen Qi weakness.
• The Spleen opens into the mouth, and its function is related to the sense of taste and chewing.
• The Spleen's influence is reflected in the lips, which are a reliable indicator of the state of the Spleen.

TCM Lung Function

• The Lungs govern Qi and respiration, and diffuse and descend Qi.
• The Lungs control the skin and the space between skin and muscles, and manifest in body hair.
• The Lungs open into the nose, and control nasal mucous.
• The Lungs house the Corporeal Soul.

TCM Large Intestine Function

• The Large Intestine controls passage and conduction, receiving digested food from the small intestine and transforming it into stools.
• Qi has a downward movement, and stagnation of Qi can affect the Large Intestine, resulting in distension and constipation.
• The Large Intestine transforms stools and reabsorbs liquids, and has a mental aspect of letting go, not dwelling on the past.

Causes of Disease

• TCM focuses on disharmony, and identifying the cause of disharmony is important.
• Emotions can become causes of disease only when they are long-lasting, intense, or both.
• Internal causes of disease can include emotions, such as anger, sadness, joy, fear, and pensiveness.

Emotions and the Internal Organs

• Anger affects the Liver, and sadness counteracts anger.
• Joy injures the Heart, and fear counteracts joy.
• Pensiveness injures the Spleen, and anger counteracts pensiveness.
• Worry injures the Lungs, and joy counteracts worry.
• Fear injures the Kidneys, and pensiveness counteracts fear.

Effects of Emotions on Qi

• Anger makes Qi rise.
• Joy slows Qi.
• Sadness dissolves Qi.
• Worry knots Qi.
• Pensiveness knots Qi.
• Fear makes Qi descend.
• Shock scatters Qi.

Emotions and Qi Stagnation

• When Qi stagnates, it may lead to Blood stagnation.
• All emotions have a tendency to cause some stagnation of Qi after some time.

Joy

• 'Joy' as a cause of disease is excessive excitement and craving, which disturbs the Mind and may displace it from Heart Blood.
• Heart symptoms include palpitations, overexcitability, insomnia, restlessness, and a red tip on the tongue.

Anger

• Anger should be interpreted broadly to include resentment, repressed anger, irritability, frustration, rage, hatred, indignation, animosity, or bitterness.
• Anger makes Qi rise, and many symptoms and signs will manifest in the head and neck, such as headaches, dizziness, tinnitus, neck stiffness, red blotches on the front part of the neck or a red face.

Controlling Cycle

• Fire controls Metal.
• Earth controls Water.
• Metal controls Wood.
• Water controls Fire.
• Wood controls Earth.

Insulting Cycle

• Opposite of the controlling cycle, when an element 'back-lashes' its controller.
• Occurs when the controller is relatively weaker than the controlled.

5 Element Chart

• Element: Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water
• Yin Organs: Liver, Heart, Spleen, Lung, Kidney
• Yang Organs: Gall Bladder, Small Intestine, Stomach, Large Intestine, Bladder
• Seasons: Spring, Summer, Between Seasons, Fall, Winter
• Colours: Green, Red, Yellow, White, Black
• Senses: Eyes, Tongue, Mouth/Lips, Nose, Ears
• Tissues: Sinews, Vessels, Muscles, Skin, Bones
• Emotions: Anger, Joy, Worry, Sadness, Shock/Fear
• Taste: Sour, Bitter, Sweet, Pungent, Salty

TCM Spleen Function

• The Spleen extracts Food-Qi from food, which forms Blood in the Heart with the assistance of the Original Qi from the Kidneys.
• The Spleen is the central, essential organ for the production of both Qi and Blood, making it the 'Root of Post-Heaven Qi'.
• The Spleen controls Blood, and any failure in controlling Blood can cause bleeding downwards, such as from the uterus, bladder, and bowels.
• The Spleen also controls the muscles and four limbs, as it extracts Food Qi from food to nourish all tissues in the body.
• The Spleen is the most important factor in determining the amount of physical energy a person has, and tonifying the Spleen is essential to address tiredness.
• The Spleen opens into the mouth, and the action of chewing prepares food for the Spleen to transform and transport its food essences.
• The Spleen manifests in the lips, which are a reliable indicator of the state of the Spleen.

TCM Lung Function

• The Lungs govern Qi and respiration, extracting 'clean Qi' for the body.
• The Lungs combine Air Qi and Food-Qi (from the Spleen) to form Gathering Qi (Zong Qi), which is spread throughout the body to nourish tissues and promote all physiological processes.
• The Lungs diffuse and descend Qi, ensuring Defensive Qi is equally distributed all over the body and under the skin.
• The Lungs control the skin and the space between skin and muscles, receiving fluids from the Spleen and spreading them to the skin and surface between skin and muscles.
• The Lungs manifest in body hair, diffusing Defensive Qi to the skin and hair, and nourishing and strengthening body hair.
• The Lungs open into the nose, and the nose is the opening of the lungs.
• The Lungs control nasal mucous, and any impairment in the diffusing of Qi and fluids can cause nasal secretion to accumulate or become insufficient.

TCM Heart Function

• The Heart governs Blood, and transformation of Gu-Qi from Food into Blood occurs in the Heart.
• The Heart is responsible for the circulation of Blood, and the state of the Heart is reflected in the state of the blood vessels.
• The Heart manifests in the complexion, and the state of the Heart and Blood can be reflected in the complexion.
• The Heart houses the Mind, which includes the complex of mental faculties and the whole sphere of mental and spiritual aspects of a human being.

5 Elements Cycle

• The Controlling Cycle: Fire controls Metal, Earth controls Water, Metal controls Wood, Water controls Fire, and Wood controls Earth.
• The Insulting Cycle: Occurs when the controller is relatively weaker than the controlled, and an element 'back-lashes' its controller.
• The 5 Elements Chart: Lists the elements, their corresponding organs, seasons, colors, senses, tissues, emotions, and tastes.

TCM Spleen Function

• The Spleen controls the secretion of saliva, which moistens the mouth and aids digestion by mixing food with fluids.
• The Spleen produces a 'lifting' effect on the organs, ensuring they are in their proper place.
• Deficient Spleen Qi can lead to prolapse of various organs, such as the uterus, stomach, kidney, bladder, or anus.
• The Spleen is said to be the 'residence' of the Intellect (Yi), responsible for applied thinking, studying, memorizing, focusing, concentrating, and generating ideas.
• Pensiveness, which is similar to worry, affects the Spleen and can lead to obsessive thoughts, knotting Qi, and poor digestion.

TCM Stomach Function

• The Stomach controls 'receiving' food and drink, which are then separated into 'clean' and 'dirty' parts by the Small Intestine.
• The 'clean' part goes to the Bladder for excretion as urine, while the 'dirty' part goes to the Large Intestine for reabsorption and excretion.

TCM Small Intestine Function

• The Small Intestine influences mental clarity and judgment, helping us to distinguish options and make decisions.

Metal Element

• The Lung and Large Intestine are associated with the Metal Element.
• The emotional sound is Weeping or crying.
• Mucous is the secretion.
• Illness sound is Coughing.
• Sadness and grief are the emotions.
• The sense is smell.
• The season is autumn.
• Rotten is the odor.
• The climate is dry and cold.
• Pungent and spicy are the flavors.

Lung Functions

• The Lung governs Qi and Respiration.
• It controls Descending and Dispersing.
• It descends Qi to the Kidney.
• It disperses Qi throughout the body.

LI Damp Heat, LI Heat Consumption of Fluid, Cold Invading LI, LI Dryness, LI Qi Stagnation, LI Collapse

• Each of these conditions has specific causes, symptoms, and tongue and pulse signs.

Emotions and Qi Stagnation

• When Qi stagnates, it may lead to Blood stagnation.
• The relationship between Qi and Blood is important.

Joy, Anger, Sadness

• Each of these emotions can affect different organs and lead to various symptoms.
• Joy can disturb the Mind (Shen) and displace it from Heart Blood.
• Anger can affect the Liver, causing stagnation of Liver Qi or Liver Blood, Liver Yang rising, or Liver Fire.
• Sadness can weaken the Lungs and affect the Heart.