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Stress a Western Medical/Biological Perspective
When people perceive that they are in threatening situations that they are unable to cope with, then messages are carried along neurones from the cerebral cortex (where the thought processes occur) and the limbic system to the Hypothalamus. This has a number of discrete parts.
The Anterior Hypothalamus produces sympathetic arousal of the Autonomic Nervous System (ANS). The ANS is an automatic system that controls the heart, lungs, stomach, blood vessels and glands. Due to its action we do not need to make any conscious effort to regulate our breathing or heartbeat. The ANS consists of two different systems:
1. The Sympathetic Nervous System and;
2. The Parasympathetic Nervous System.
The Parasympathetic Nervous System.
Essentially, the parasympathetic nervous system conserves energy levels. It increases bodily secretions such as tears, gastric acids, mucus and saliva which help to defend the body and help digestion. Chemically, the parasympathetic system sends its messages by a neurotransmitter called acetylcholine which is stored at nerve endings, and aids relaxation.
The Sympathetic Nervous System
Prepares the body for action. In a stressful situation, it quickly does the following:
- Increases strength of skeletal muscles
- Decreases blood clotting time
- Increases heart rate
- Increases sugar and fat levels
- Reduces intestinal movement
- Inhibits tears, digestive secretions.
- Relaxes the bladder
- Dilates pupils
- Increases perspiration
- Increases mental activity
- Inhibits erection/vaginal lubrication
- Constricts most blood vessels but dilates those in heart/leg/arm muscles
The main sympathetic neurotransmitter is called noradrenaline, which is released at the nerve endings. The stress response also includes the activity of the adrenal, pituitary and thyroid glands.
The two adrenal glands are located one on top of each kidney. The middle part of the adrenal gland is called the adrenal medulla and is connected to the sympathetic nervous system by nerves. Once the latter system is in action it instructs the adrenal medulla to produce adrenaline and noradrenaline (catecholamines), which are released into the blood supply. The adrenaline prepares the body for flight and the noradrenaline prepares the body for fight. They increase both the heart rate, and the pressure at which the blood leaves the heart; they dilate bronchial passages and dilate coronary arteries; skin blood vessels constrict and there is an increase in metabolic rate. Also gastrointestinal system activity reduces which leads to a sensation of butterflies in the stomach.
Lying close to the hypothalamus in the brain is an endocrine gland called the pituitary. In a stressful situation, the anterior hypothalamus activates the pituitary. The pituitary releases adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) into the blood, which then activates the outer part of the adrenal gland, the adrenal cortex. This then synthesises cortisol which increases arterial blood pressure, mobilises fats and glucose from the adipose (fat) tissues, reduces allergic reactions, reduces inflammation and can decrease lymphocytes that are involved in dealing with invading particles or bacteria.
Increased cortisol levels over a prolonged period of time lowers the efficiency of the Immune System. The adrenal cortex releases aldosterone, which increases blood volume and subsequently blood pressure. Prolonged arousal over a period of time due to stress can lead to essential hypertension.
The pituitary also releases thyroid stimulating hormone which stimulates the thyroid gland, which is located in the neck, to secrete thyroxin. Thyroxin increases the metabolic rate, raises blood sugar levels, increases respiration/heart rate/blood pressure/and intestinal motility. Increased intestinal motility can lead to diarrhoea.
The pituitary also releases oxytocin and vasopressin which contract smooth muscles such as the blood vessels. Oxytocin causes contraction of the uterus. Vasopressin increases the permeability of the vessels to water therefore increasing blood pressure. It can lead to contraction of the intestinal musculature.
If the person perceives that the threatening situation has passed then the Parasympathetic Nervous System helps to restore the person to a state of equilibrium. However, for many people they perceive everyday of their life as stressful. Unfortunately, the prolonged effect of the stress response is that the body's immune system is lowered and blood pressure is raised which may lead to essential hypertension and headaches. The adrenal gland may malfunction which can result in tiredness with the muscles feeling weak; digestive difficulties with a craving for sweet, starchy food; dizziness; and disturbances of sleep.
Below are some of the symptoms of stress:
BEHAVIOUR
Alcohol/drug abuse
Avoidance/phobias
Sleep disturbances/insomnia
Increased nicotine/caffeine intake
Restlessness
Loss of appetite/overeating
Anorexia, bulimia
Aggression/irritability
Poor driving
Accident proneness
Impaired speech/voice tremor
Poor time management
Compulsive behaviour
Checking rituals
Tics, spasms
Nervous cough
Low productivity
Withdrawing form relationships
Clenched fists
Teeth grinding
Talking/walking/eating faster; competitive; hostile; known as type A responses
Increased absenteeism
Decreased/increased sexual activity
Sulking behaviour
Frequent crying
Unkempt appearance
Poor eye contact
EMOTIONAL RESPONSES
Anxiety
Depression
Anger
Guilt
Hurt
Morbid jealousy
Shame/embarrassment
Suicidal feelings
FEELINGS
Tension
Headaches
Palpitations
Rapid heart beat
Nausea
Tremors/inner tremors
Aches/pains
Dizziness/feeling faint
Indigestion
Premature ejaculation/erectile dysfunction
Vaginismus/psychogenic dyspareunia
Limited sensual and sexual awareness
Butterflies in stomach
Spasms in stomach
Numbness
Dry mouth
Cold sweat
Clammy hands
Abdominal cramps
Sensory flashbacks
Pain
IMAGERY
Images of:
Helplessness
Isolation/being alone
Losing control
Accidents/injury
Failure
Humiliation/shame/embarrassment
Self and/or others dying/suicide
Physical/sexual abuse
Nightmares/distressing recurring dreams
Visual flashbacks
Poor self-image
COGNITIONS
I must perform well
Life should not be unfair
Self/other-damning statements
Low frustration statements e.g. I can't stand it.
I must be in control
It's awful, terrible, horrible, unbearable etc.
I must have what I want
I must obey 'my' moral code and rules
Others must approve of me
Cognitive distortions e.g. all or nothing thinking
INTERPERSONAL
Passive/aggressive in relationships
Timid/unassertive
Loner
No friends
Competitive
Put other' needs before own
Sycophantic behaviour
Withdrawn
Makes friends easily/with difficulty
Suspicious/secretive
Manipulative tendencies
Gossiping
DRUGS/BIOLOGY
Use of: drugs, stimulants, alcohol, tranquillizer,
hallucinogens
Diarrhoea/constipation/flatulence
Frequent urination
Allergies/skin rash
High blood pressure/coronary heart disease(angina/heart
attack)
Epilepsy
Dry skin
Chronic fatigue/exhaustion/burn-out
Cancer
Diabetes
Rheumatoid arthritis
Asthma
Flu/common cold
Lowered immune system
Poor nutrition, exercise and recreation
Organic problems
Biologically based mental disorders
External and Internal Pathogenic Characteristics determining Health
General
In the view of Traditional Chinese Therapies, health is a state in which the relations of the components of the human body and the unity between man and nature are kept in harmony. When this harmony is destroyed by certain factors and the body cannot maintain its normal state disease occurs. So, any factors that destroy the relative balance of the human body are known as causes of disease.
Aetiology in Traditional Chinese Therapies characterized by three points:
1.Recognizing etiologic factors under the guidance of the Concept of Holism. Unlike Western medicine, Traditional Chinese Therapies does not emphasize the identification of the specific etiologic factors such as viruses and bacteria of diseases. Instead, it stresses the significance of the environmental or internal conditions of the human body in the occurrence of disease. For example, it believes that we depend on the supply of both Heaven Yang and Earth Yin, which affect the human body through different climatic conditions and air and food. Therefore abnormal changes of the weather or climatic conditions are regarded as one of the major groups of pathogenic factors that invade the body from the outside; and improper diet , such as excessive or inadequate intake of food, or preference for food of certain tastes , are pathogenic factors that directly disturb the functional activities of the Zang and Fu Organs – the major and secondary organs of the body.
In addition, emotional stress, if in excess, may also become a pathogenic factor as it will lead to dysfunction of the Zang and Fu Organs.
2. Stressing the relativity of pathogenic factors. Whether or not abnormal changes of any factors, such as climatic conditions or emotional changes, can transform into pathogenic factors depends not only on the changes themselves, but also the reaction of the human body to these changes. For example, a sudden and violent climatic change may become one of the Six External Pathogens, but if its effect is limited for some reason, or the resistance of the Immune System is strong enough to defend the body, it will not cause diseases. In such conditions, it cannot be regarded as one of the Six External Pathogens. Abnormal changes of weather provide the possibility for climatic conditions to become pathogens, but it is the mutual action of the climatic conditions and Vital Qi that determines whether the abnormal weather transforms into an illness or not.
3. Identifying pathogenic factors by analysing the manifestations of a disease. Traditional Chinese Therapies believes that any syndrome is a morbid reflection of the human body under the action and influence of pathogenic factors. There is a correspondence between the pathogens and the manifestations of disease. Therefore, when analysing causes of a disease, apart from possible objective considerations, Traditional Chinese Therapies deduces the nature of the pathogens mainly on the basis of the manifestations. For example, when a patient has fever and chills, lack of sweat, stuffy and running nose and a floating tense pulse, he can be diagnosed as having an Exterior Syndrome due to Wind Cold. Whether or not it is very cold during the occurrence of the disease is not very important in the determination of the pathogens.
The Six External Pathogens
This is a general term for Wind, Cold, Summer Heat, Damp, Dryness and Fire. The six types of external climatic changes, when in excess, cause illness/diseases. They are transformed from the six kinds of climatic changes, which, in normal conditions, are the basic conditions for the survival of the human being. In the long period of evolution, we have gradually developed the ability to adapt ourselves to the changes of weather. However, when these changes are excessive and go beyond the adaptability of the human body, they may disturb the functional activities of the human body, turning into pathogenic factors. As they invade the human body from the outside, diseases caused by them are referred to as External diseases. Generally speaking , the Six External Pathogens have the following common characteristics:
1. Invasion of the Six External Pathogens into the human body is closely related to the climatic conditions in different seasons and the environment one lives in. Diseases related to Wind occur more frequently in spring because Wind is prevalent in this season. Summer Heat attacks the body only in the summer because it exists only in this season. Living for a long time in a damp place, one is likely to suffer from arthritis. And working in a hot environment, one is liable to be invaded by Heat and Fire.
2. Each of these pathogens can cause disease alone or in combination with other pathogens. For example, Wind may attack the body alone, causing an Exterior Syndrome due to Wind, or in combination with Cold or Heat, causing Exterior Syn- dromes due to Wind Cold or Wind Heat, or in combination with both Cold and Damp to cause arthralgia.
3. Because they originate in the external environment, the Six External Pathogens invade the body mainly through the skin, or the nose and mouth, the Organs and tissues exposed to the environment. Fourth, the Six External Pathogens can act not only on one another in the occurrence of diseases, but can transform into each other in accordance with the constitution of an individual. As a result, the nature of the disease's pathogenesis and Syndrome changes accordingly. For example, Cold may transform into Heat due to the Yang Excess constitution of a patient when it invades from the Exterior to the Interior; while Damp, in the case of interlocking in the interior of the body and obstructing the distribution of Body Fluids, may be transformed into Dryness.
Pathogenic Wind
Wind prevails in spring, but it also exists all the year round. So diseases caused by Wind can be seen in all four seasons. Wind in excess is known as pathogenic Wind, which serves as the most important External pathogen and usually invades the human body by attacking the superficial muscles and skin first. Pathogenic Wind possesses the following features:
1. Wind is air in motion. Being a pathogen of Yang nature, Wind tends to cause looseness of muscles, and disease caused by Wind usually occurs in the upper body. As Wind is mobile, going upward and outward, it is a yang pathogen. When it attacks the body, it tends to attack the superficial muscles, the Yang Channels and the upper part of the body. So, Wind often causes such symptoms as sweating and headache.
2. Wind has the property of moving and changing. This means that Wind is mobile in nature and it may cause shaking of trees. So diseases caused by Wind are characterized by their migratory symptoms, sudden onset, and rapid progression. For example, rheumatic arthralgia caused mainly by pathogenic Wind is marked by migratory pain of the joints, and migratory itching of the skin and its intermittent occurrence marks urticaria, which is due to invasion of pathogenic Wind.
3. Wind is the predominant pathogen. As Wind exists all year round, it can cause diseases whenever the defensive ability of the body declines. Therefore, a great variety of diseases are related to the invasion of Wind. Furthermore, as Wind is in a state of constant motion. Other pathogens usually attack the human body following the invasion of pathogenic Wind. So external diseases are usually ascribed to pathogenic Wind or Wind in combination with other pathogenic factors.
Pathogenic Cold
Cold is prevalent in winter. It usually attacks the body when the temperature is low and we fail to adapt to the change by dressing properly. Pathogenic Cold may attack the Exterior of the body or invade the interior of the body directly. Diseases in the former case are called affliction pf pathogenic Cold, and those in the latter case, direct attack of Cold on the interior.
Pathogenic Cold has the following features:
1. It is a Yin pathogen; Cold tends to impair Yang Qi. Cold is the prevalent climate in winter, in which Yin Qi of nature is flourishing, so it is a Yin pathogen. Like attracts like. So Yin of the body will become hyperactive in the case of invasion of Cold and Yang Qi is over restricted. For example, Cold attacking the Exterior often obstructs Defensive Qi (one kind of Yang Qi), leading to failure of the Exterior to be warmed and resultant chills. Direct attack of Cold on the Spleen and Stomach usually cause Cold pain in the abdomen, watery diarrhoea, etc. meaning that Spleen Yang is impaired and its transforming and transporting actions are disturbed.
2. Cold is liable to cause coagulation of Blood and retention of Body Fluids. Blood and body fluids depend on the propelling effect of Yang Qi and a moderate temperature for their free circulation. If Cold invades the body, Yang Qi will be impaired and body temperature will be lowered. So the flow of Blood and Body Fluids will become sluggish, or even coagulated, which is clinically marked by pain. For example, rheumatic arthralgia mainly due to pathogenic Cold is marked by Cold pain of the joints, which is usually severe and fixed.
3. The contracting nature of Cold. This means that pathogenic Cold often leads to ingoing of Qi , contraction of the muscles and convulsion of tendons and vessels. If attacked by pathogenic Cold, the muscular striae and the sweat pores will be closed, so Defensive Qi will be obstructed, and fever or chills and absence of sweating will occur as a result. Invasion of pathogenic Cold into the vessels will cause coagulation of Qi and Blood and contraction of the vessels, leading to headache, pantalgia, tense pulse, etc. Inability of the limbs to flex and extend freely or Cold and numbness of the limbs will follow if the Cold attacks the Channels and joints and results in contraction of the tendons and Channels.
Pathogenic Summer Heat
Summer Heat is a pathogen existing only in summer. So diseases caused by it are also seen only in summer and are obviously seasonal. Summer Heat results from the hot climate in this season due to the exuberance of Yang Qi in nature.
Summer Heat has the following characteristics:
1. It is a Yang pathogen; Summer Heat has a scorching nature. Summer Heat derives from overabundant Yang Heat in summer, so when it attacks the body, Yang Qi of the body will be extremely exuberant. For this reason, diseases caused by Summer Heat are usually manifested as excessive Heat symptoms such as high fever, dysphoria, a red face, full and large pulse.
2. Going upwards and dispersing, Summer Heat tends to consume Qi and Body Fluids. When Summer Heat invades the body, it often leads to opening of the sweat pores, therefore profuse sweating results. Meanwhile, excessive Yang due to attack of Summer Heat will also consume Yin Fluids. So Deficiency of Body Fluids occurs. Because of the excessive discharge of Body Fluids, Qi will escape at the same time, which is known as escape of Qi following discharge of Body Fluids. Besides, hyperactivity of the body, with Qi as the motive force of the activities, will also cause Deficiency of Qi. Therefore, invasion of Summer Heat is also marked by the symptoms of Deficiency of both Qi and Yin, such as thirst with desire for drinks, scanty and dark urine, and shortness of breath.
3. Summer heat often invades the body in combination with Damp. In summer people usually take more cold food and beverages; therefore, Damp is also a common factor contributing to diseases in summer. In such cases, there is latent moderate fever, latent sweating, thirst with little fluid intake, dusky and greasy face, heaviness of body, depressed feeling over the chest, nausea, vomiting, and loose stools.
Pathogenic Damp
In the UK wherever we are we are likely to have damp environmental conditions. Diseases caused by Damp can be divided into two types, Internal Damp and External Damp. The former is mostly caused by a wet climate, living in a damp place or being caught by rain, the latter by retention of water in the interior due to dysfunction of the Spleen, or excessive intake of dairy products, cold fruit, wheat , alcohol, and raw and cold food.
Pathogenic Damp has the following features:
1. It is a Yin pathogen; Damp tends to obstruct the flow of Qi and to impair Yang Qi. Damp, heavy and turbid in nature, is similar to water, so it belongs to Yin. As a substantial Yin pathogen, Damp is most likely to obstruct the flow of Qi when it stays in Zangfu Organs or Channels, giving rise to disturbance of the ascent and descent of Qi, or blockage of the Channels. Clinically this is mainly marked by chest fullness, an oppressed feeling in the epigastric region, scanty and difficult urination, sticky stools, abdominal pain etc. Damp depends on Yang Qi for movement; when it invades the body, it will impair Yang Qi, especially Spleen Yang.
2. Damp has a turbid and heavy nature. Damp tends to lead to a heavy feeling of the head as if being bound, soreness and aching of the whole body, and lassitude and heaviness of the limbs. This is because Damp is a Yin pathogen that is apt to lodge in the Channels and obstruct the flow of Qi. For example, an attack of pathogenic Damp on the superficial muscles will be manifested by heaviness of the head due to obstructed lucid Yang being unable to reach the head; obstruction of Yang Qi in the joints and Channels by Damp often gives rise to numbness of the muscles and skin and pain and heaviness of the joints, which is also referred to as Damp arthralgia. By the turbid nature of Damp is meant that pathogenic Damp often brings about dirty and turbid excretions, a dirty face, loose and mucous stools, bloody stools, turbid urine, and eczema.
3. Damp is indicated by viscosity and stagnation. Damp is thickened water, so it is sticky in nature. For this reason, diseases caused by Damp are characterized by their lingering course and are difficult to cure. Even when they are temporarily relieved, they are liable to reoccur, as usually seen in eczema and arthralgia due to Damp. Besides, diseases due to Damp often exhibit sticky symptoms such as slimy and greasy stools and urine, and greasy fur of the tongue.
4. Damp tends to flow downwards and to attack the lower portion of the body. As Damp is similar to water in nature, it has a tendency to go downward. So diseases caused by Damp are often marked by symptoms in the lower portion of the body, such as edema, which occurs mostly in the legs, and diarrhoea.
Pathogenic Dryness
Dryness is prevalent in autumn, a season caused by decline of Yang Qi in nature in which everything becomes astringent. If it is excessive, it will cause diseases. Dryness often attacks the human body in combination with Heat (think central heating and air conditioning).
Pathogenic Dryness has the following features:
1. Pathogenic Dryness, which is dry in nature, tends to impair Body Fluids. As Dryness is the opposite of moisture, it is liable to injure Body Fluids, leading to dry symptoms as a result of loss of moisture in organs and tissues, such as a dry nose and mouth, a dry throat accompanied by thirst, lustreless hair, dry or even cracked skin, scanty urine and dry stools.
2. Pathogenic Dryness impairs the Lung first. The Lung is a delicate organ, which means it is easily impaired by pathogens. Under normal conditions, the Lung desires moistening and is disgusted at Dryness, so Dryness tends to impair the Lung. In addi- tion, the Lung corresponds to autumn according to the Five Elements theory, so Dryness affects the Lung more frequently at that time. Furthermore, the Lung communicates with the environment directly through the nose, and Dryness usually enters the body through the nose, thus the Lung is the first organ to be affected in the case of invasion of pathogenic Dryness. Impaired by pathogenic Dryness, Lung Yin or Body Fluids in the Lung will become deficient and ascent-descent of Lung Qi will be disturbed, giving rise to a dry cough with little sputum, or thick sputum which is very difficult to expectorate, dry nose and skin, or even sputum mixed with blood, and chest pain associated with shortness of breath.
Pathogenic Fire (Heat)
Pathogenic Heat, Fire and warmth all arise from overabundance of Yang Qi. They are of the same nature but their degree is different. Fire is advanced Heat, while Heat is advanced warmth. Pathogenic Heat and warmth are usually caused by External pathogens such as External pathogenic Wind Heat and pathogenic Warm Heat while Fire can be caused by either an attack of External pathogens or excessive Yang Qi of the body, such as Fire transformed from extreme External pathogenic Heat or from stagnant Damp, Heart Fire and Liver Fire.
Fire as one of the Six External Pathogens actually refers to External Heat. The term "Fire" is often used to refer to External pathogenic Heat. Pathogenic Fire (Heat) is clinically characterized as follows:
1. Being a Yang pathogen, it tends to flare up. Fire results from excessive Yang, so it is a Yang pathogen. Besides, Fire has the properties of going upward and of being hot. Therefore, Syndromes due to an attack of Fire are marked by high fever, aversion to heat, severe thirst, profuse sweating, full and rapid pulse, red face and eyes, redness on the tongue tip or edges, oral ulcers, swollen and painful gums, etc.
2. Fire is liable to consume both Qi and Yin Fluids. Being the result of Excess Yang, Fire often forces Body Fluids to be discharged profusely and directly impairs Yin Fluids, so impairment of Yin is frequently seen in diseases caused by Fire.
3. Fire can consume Qi in two ways: first, Qi may be discharged together with sweat; secondly, Fire often leads to hyperactivity of the body which then must be supported by more Qi. For these reasons, Syndromes due to pathogenic Fire are not only manifested by Heat symptoms, but also manifested by symptoms of Deficiency of both Yin Fluids and Qi, such as thirst with preference for Cold drinks, dry throat and tongue, scanty and dark urine, constipation, and lassitude.
4. Fire, fire tends to accelerate circulation of Blood and to cause Internal Wind. The Heart belongs to Fire in the Five Elements and controls Blood vessels, so pathogenic Fire has an affinity for Blood and tends to enter the Blood vessels to cause the accelerated flow of Blood or even bleeding. Also Fire tends to consume Yin Fluids and to lead to malnourishment of the tendons, giving rise to convulsion, upward staring of the eyes, a stiff neck and the symptoms of internal Wind.
5. Fire is responsible for skin ulcers and swelling. Fire entering the Blood vessels may collect in certain areas, leading to abscesses or skin ulcers. This is why such diseases are manifested as redness, swelling, heat and pain in the affected part.
6. Fire often disturbs Heart Spirit. According to the Five Elements theory, Fire is closely related to the Heart, which controls the spirit. So disturbance of Heart Spirit is often present in the case of pathogenic Fire attacking the body, manifested as dysphasia, insomnia, mania, coma, delirium, etc.
Concept of the Seven Emotions
Joy, anger, worry, anxiety, sorrow, and fear are collectively known as the Seven Emotions, which, under normal conditions, are the physiological responses of the human body to environmental stimuli. Therefore, they are not pathogenic factors. However, if the emotional stimuli are too sudden or too strong or last a long time, they will disturb the functional activities of Zang-fu Organs, cause disharmony of Qi in its ascent, descent, entry and exit movements, and eventually result in illness or disease. They cause internal disorders of the body, so they are also called the Seven Emotional states as pathogens responsible for internal diseases.
In the light of Traditional Chinese Theory, the Seven Emotions are closely related to the Five Zang Organs and the circulation of Qi and Blood. On the one hand, they are dependent upon the functional activities of different Zang-fu Organs for their generation; on the other, they affect the functional states of these organs. Therefore, diseases of Zang-fu Organs may be manifested as abnormal changes of the emotions, and emotional changes in excess, in turn, impair these organs. For example, stagnation of Liver Qi often presents as emotional depression or irritability, while excessive anger often stagnates the flow of Liver Qi or induces Liver Qi to rise excessively.
Characteristics of the Seven Emotions as pathogenic factors
Different from the Six External Pathogens, which usually invade the human body by attacking the Exterior of the body first, the Seven Emotions in excess often impair the corresponding organs directly, leading to adverse flow of Qi and disharmony of Qi and Blood of Zangfu Organs with the ensuing occurrence of disease.
Impairing the internal organs
The Seven Emotions often impair the internal organs directly, and first of all, the Heart. The Heart controls emotion, as one kind of mental activity. However, each of the Seven Emotions is ascribed to a different Zang-Fu Organ, because emotions take Essence Qi for their material basis. TCM believes that the Heart is related to joy, the Liver to anger, the Lung to worry and sorrow, the Spleen to anxiety, and the Kidney to fear. Therefore, excessive joy impairs the Heart; excessive anger impairs the Liver, excessive worry or sorrow impairs the Lung, excessive anxiety impairs the Spleen; and excessive fear impairs the Kidney.
Of course, the correspondence of Zangfu Organs with emotional activities by no means indicates that a specific emotion only impairs its corresponding organ, in fact, as the Heart controls the spirit, any emotional change in Excess will impair the Heart. In addition, one emotion may impair several organs, for the disturbance of one organ may cause disorders of other organs closely related to it. For example, emotional depression will cause disharmony between the Liver and Stomach or the Liver and Spleen as a result of the impairment of the Liver and the transverse attack of Liver Qi on the Stomach and Spleen.
Emotions are produced based on the flow of Qi and Blood. As the Heart governs Blood and spirit, the Spleen, situated in the Middle Jiao and serving as the hub of the ascent and descent of Qi, dominates transformation and transportation, and the Liver stores Blood and dominates dispersion and discharging, diseases caused by emotional disorders are mostly manifested as disorders of Qi and Blood of these organs. For example, worry often impairs both the Heart and the Spleen, leading to mental disorders and dysfunction of the Spleen. Injured by emotional depression, Liver Qi will go up excessively and Blood will follow the rise of Liver Qi to go upward, leading to distending pain in the hypochondriac region, sighing, dysmenorrhoea, amenorrhoea, or abdominal masses. Disturbing flow of Qi
When emotional states are abnormal, they will affect the ascent, descent, entry and exit of Qi. This is because emotional activities depend on the free flow of Qi.
Anger
Anger induces Qi to flow upward. This indicates that excessive anger can induce Liver Qi to go up excessively and give rise to the subsequent upward adverse flow of Blood. As Liver Qi tends to go up and anger corresponds to the Liver, excessive anger injures the Liver and disturbs the normal descent and ascent of Liver Qi. In such cases, it is often manifested as a red face and eyes, dizziness and vertigo, distending pain of the head, or even sudden coma. Sometimes, diarrhoea may also be seen as a result of Blood following the adverse Qi to rise excessively or due to Liver Qi attacking the Spleen.
Joy
Joy relaxes Qi. This includes two aspects. In normal conditions, joy can promote the flow of Qi and Blood, thus it can relax mental strain. However, excessive Joy may cause Qi to flow too fast to be controlled, so there are such manifestations as poor concentration of the Mind, or even mania.
Sorrow/Grief
Sorrow consumes Qi. This means that deep sorrow is likely to consume Lung Qi, leading to chest depression and demoralization. Voice is produced by the flow of Lung Qi through the throat, and depends on sufficient Lung Qi for its material basis. In a state of sorrow, one is liable to cry or weep for a long time, so Lung Qi is consumed and lassitude, a depressed feeling in the chest, as well as demoralisation occur as a result of deficient Lung Qi failing to perform the functional activities of the Lung.
Anxiety/worry
Anxiety stagnates the flow of Qi. When thinking, one must concentrate and Vital Qi will remain in place to support the thinking. Therefore, excessive lengthy or intense thinking will lead to stagnation of Qi, especially Spleen Qi, which tends to accumulate. Manifestations of such a morbid state include poor appetite, abdominal distension, constipation, etc., due to the stagnation of Spleen Qi.
Fear
Fear causes disturbed flow of Qi. When one is suddenly frightened, his or her circulation of Qi will be disturbed, leading to palpitations, a distressed mind, inability to concentrate the mind, etc. Fear induces Qi to flow downward. The Kidney is related to fear and also controls defecation and urination. These mainly depend on the controlling effect of Kidney Qi, which is produced by Kidney Essence. Excessive fear often leads to incontinence faeces and urine, as well as weakness of the legs, as a result of the impairment of Kidney Qi and Kidney Essence, which in turn fail to control defecation and urination and to nourish the bones.
Worsening or deterioration of a disease
As emotional changes often exert an unfavourable influence on the functional activities of Zangfu Organs and the flow of Qi and Blood, they may worsen or cause a disease to deteriorate. For example, patients with hypertension, a disease caused by excessive rising of Liver Yang due to Deficiency of both Kidney Yin and Liver Yin, may suffer from sudden coma or syncope, or even paralysis in the case of being stimulated by sudden and violent rage. This is because the Liver is related to anger, and sudden anger will induce further excessive rising of Liver Yang.
In conclusion Traditional Chinese Therapies have shown over thousands of years of observation the importance of thee Six External Pathogens, and the Seven Emotional changes contribution to ill health, and thereby gives we has practitioners clear guidelines on how to protect ourselves form such external and internal pathogens.