Tiredness is one of the most common presenting symptoms in western patients. Very often it is the main or only symptom of which a patient complains.
Tiredness as a main presenting symptom is discussed in oriental medicine under the heading of exhaustion and describes not only a symptom of tiredness, but also defines the underlying cause as being a deficiency of the body’s qi.
However tiredness is not necessarily always caused by a deficiency, it can sometimes be caused by an excess condition. A very simple example is the kind of tiredness that is experienced during a cold or influenza, an invasion of exterior wind-cold or wind-heat, which are by definition and excess, in addition to the deficiencies normally cause while exhausted.
Although the term exhaustion by definition implies tiredness deriving from a deficiency, chronic tiredness can also result from an excess condition.
While it is easy to understand how the conditions may result in tiredness, it basically does so by obstructing the proper movement, transformation and circulation of qi and blood. The excess conditions that are most likely to result in chronic tiredness are liver-Qi stagnation, liver-yang rising, liver-fire, liver-wind, phlegm and dampness.
The first four conditions all pertain to the liver and all hinge around the liver function of ensuring the smooth flow of Qi. The last two conditions, phlegm and dampness are very frequent excess-causes of chronic tiredness. Although they both derive from a deficiency of Spleen-qi, which would cause tiredness in itself, phlegm and dampness also cause tiredness by themselves because they obstruct movement and transformation of Qi, yang, blood or yin. Knowing the difference between these four types of deficiency is extremely important to a successful treatment particularly with herbs.
Differentiating these four types of deficiency is however, closely linked to identifying the organ involved, which is the third step in diagnosing the cause of tiredness.
Tiredness, whether caused by a deficiency or an excess can be treated with acupuncture and herbs.
For more detailed question, please contact me Dr. Jeon At Jun’s Acupuncture clinic 661-799-7369.
