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Functions of the Liver 

    1. Liver Ensures Smooth Flow of Qi
    2. Stores the Blood
    3. Controls The Sinews
    4. Manifests in the Nails
    5. Opens into the Eyes
    6. Houses the Hun (Ethereal Soul)

Liver Ensures Smooth Flow of Qi 

It is extremely common to find Stagnation of Liver Qi in clinic. Liver ensures smooth flow of Qi throughout all the body, in all directions. 

Any activity that depends on Qi relies on the Liver’s “flowing and spreading”. 

The Smooth Flow of Liver Qi Affects Three Main Areas

  1. Emotions

    The emotional state is seriously affected by the Liver’s function of “Flowing and Spreading” Qi. When it flows normally, emotions are approximate and easy. When the spreading of Qi impaired or the circulation of Qi restrained, there will be emotional depression, frustration, repressed anger, and physical symptoms. 

    There is a relationship between emotional state and Liver Qi. “Anger makes Qi rise and Blood stagnate in the chest.” 

    Stagnation along channels related to Liver: hypochondriac and costal pain, “plum pit Qi“, chest oppression, swollen/tender breasts and genitals, lower abdominal pain. 

  2. Digestion and Bile Secretion

    Digestion and the Liver – Five element: Wood controls Earth. 

    The Liver’s function of spreading Qi aids the Spleen and Stomach’s digestive functions, and is important to ensure harmonious Qi movement in Middle Burner. But Stagnant Liver Qi can “invade” or “attack” the Stomach or Spleen (Wood overacts on Earth). 

    Smooth flowing of Liver Qi affects bile flow. Stagnant Liver Qi can obstruct bile flow (bitter taste, belching, or jaundice). 

  3. Menstruation

Stores Blood

  1. Regulates volume of Blood according to physical activity

    When at rest, Blood returns to Liver (Liver contributes to restoring energy). When body is active, Blood nourishes muscles to enable them to perform. 

    Blood regulation function influences energy level: if this function impaired, lack of Blood (= nourishment) where needed, hence easily tired. 

    If Liver Blood is deficient, there can be muscle cramps, tics and twitches or tremors/shaking in muscles. (Liver Wind from Blood Deficiency)

  2. Regulates menstruation 

    Liver is very important in gynecology. If Blood storage function is abnormal, e.g. Liver Blood is deficient, menstrual problems e.g. amenorrhea, oligomenorrhea. If Liver is Hot or Excess, menorrhagia or metrorrhagia can occur. 

    If Liver Qi stagnant, Liver Blood can stagnate (dysmenorrhea, PMS, dark clots). 

    Liver malfunction influences energy of Ren Mai & Chong Mai which are closely related to uterus.

    Blood& Liver function reciprocally affect each other. Where Blood is Deficient or Hot, Liver function can be affected. If Liver function abnormal, can affect quality of Blood. For example: If Liver is Hot, Blood can become Hot (causing skin eruptions, eczema, etc.: Blood becomes heated by being stored in a hot “container”).

Controls Sinews

Sinews (tendons) depend on Liver Blood to moisten and nourish them so they can contract and relax as needed (smooth movement of joints and good muscle action). Deficient Liver Blood leads to lack of nourishment in the tendons, which leads to contractions, spasms, impaired extension/flexion, numbness of limbs, cramps, tremors, muscle weakness, etc. 

The Liver controls the Sinews (tendons), or the contractile aspect of the muslces. The Spleen controls the muscles, or the mass or bulk. Liver imbalances are more likely to affect movement, and Spleen weakness more likely affects flaccidity, atrophy, etc. 

Manifests in the Nails

The finger and toe nails are the outgrowth of sinews and are influenced by Liver Blood. When Liver Blood is deficient, the nails will lack nourishment and become dark, indented, dry, cracked, brittle, etc. 

Opens to the Eyes

Liver Blood nourishes and moistens eyes and gives capacity to see. Liver Blood deficient: blurred vision, myopia, “floaters” color blindness, dry “sandy” eyes. If heat in Liver, eyes bloodshot, sore and burning. 

Houses the Hun

The Hun is also called the ethereal Soul 

Hun is related to ability to be resolute, to plan and have creative drive and assertiveness. When the Liver is out of balance in excess for instance, this becomes anger.

Influences Rising and Growth

Energy moves up and out like tree (Wood element). The liver also relates to growth in the sense of personal growth, ability to change. People who feel stuck in life or a situation usually have Liver Qi Stagnation. 

Controls Planning

Liver gives capacity to plan. Said to be like General of an army (Gall Bladder gives ability to make decisions, hence very closely linked).

]]> Blood http://acuherb.us/blood/ Fri, 29 Jun 2012 17:17:56 +0000 http://acuherb.us/?p=1508

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, it is said…

Blood is denser form of Qi
Blood is inseparable from Qi
Qi moves Blood; Blood is the mother of Qi
Qi gives life and movement to Blood, but Blood nourishes the Organs that produce Qi.

Blood and Ying (Nutritive) Qi are particularly closely connected: flow together in the vessels.

The Origin of Blood

  1. Food Qi produced by the Spleen is sent upward to Lungs, and Lungs push it to the Heart, where it is transformed into Blood. The transformation requires the assistance of the Original Qi stored in the Kidneys.
  2. Kidney Essence produces Marrow: this generates the bone marrow, which contributes to making Blood.

Therefore: Blood is formed from the interaction of the Postnatal Jing (source of Food Qi, refined from Food by Spleen and Stomach) and the Prenatal Jing (stored in Kidneys).

Chinese theory of blood forming function of the bone marrow predated the arrival of Western Medicine.

Function

  1. Nourishes the body: complements the nourishing action of Ying Qi. As a denser form of Qi, it flows with the (Ying) Qi in the vessels and channels all over the body.
  2. Moistens body tissues, ensures that they do not dry out. Blood is part of Yin, fluid-like and moistening .
  3. Supports the Shen. The Shen is said to live in the Blood Vessels, which are part of the Heart. The Blood nourishes and supports the Shen, giving it a foundation.

Where Blood is deficient, the Shen can become uneasy, with symptoms of vague anxiety, slight irritability, unease and inability to fall asleep.

 

Relationship of Blood with the Internal Organs

The Heart

  1. The Heart governs the Blood. The Blood Vessels (tissue associated with the Heart and part of the whole system of the Heart in TCM) are where it circulates.
  2. The Blood is made in the Heart, via the Heart Fire (Yang). Blood on the other hand, cools the Fire and prevents it from flaring up.

The Spleen

  1. Spleen produces Food Qi, which is the basis for the formation of Blood.
  2. Spleen Qi keeps the Blood in the Vessels so that it does not extravasate.

(Deficient Spleen Qi can result in Qi being unable to hold the Blood, resulting in hemorrhages.)

The Liver

Liver stores the Blood.

  • When person is active, Blood flows to the muscles and tendons (governed by the Liver). When person lies down, Blood flows back to Liver.
  • Liver Blood moistens the eyes, ensuring good eyesight and also moistens the sinews, promoting flexibility of joints.
  • Liver Blood supplies the uterus with Blood, together with the Penetrating Vessel (Chong Mai – one of the eight Extraordinary or Ancestral Vessels), with which it is closely related. Therefore Liver Blood is very important for regular and healthy menstruation.

The Liver, Blood, and Gynecology

Kidneys store Jing and Liver stores Blood. 
Kidneys are the mother of the Liver in 5 Element theory. 
Jing and Blood mutually support each other. 
Jing is indirectly transformed into Blood, and Blood nourishes and replenishes Jing. 
Kidney Jing controls reproductive function and influences Blood. (Kidney Jing creates Liver Blood). 

Women’s physiology is more dependent on Blood than that of men. 
State of Liver Blood is very important regarding menstruation. 
E.g., if Liver Blood deficient, this can cause amenorrhea or scanty menstruation. 
E.g., if Liver Blood is stagnant, this can cause dysmenorrhea.

Lungs

  1. Assist Spleen in sending Food Qi to the Heart to form Blood.
  2. Control the channels and Blood Vessels by filling the Blood Vessels with Qi to assist the Heart’s pushing action.

Kidneys

  1. Original Qi (stored in Kidneys) is needed to transform Food Qi into Blood.
  2. Kidney stores Jing, which produces Marrow. Marrow generates bone marrow, which contributes to the formation of Blood. 

To nourish Blood in TCM, we must therefore tonify (increase energy of) the Spleen and Kidneys.

However, the Heart, Spleen & Liver have the most direct relationship with the Blood: Heart governs Blood, Spleen holds Blood in the Vessels and the Liver stores Blood.

 

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