introduction

A famous Chinese doctor once identified three prerequisites for mastering Chinese medicine, namely

1.     Extraordinary perceptive ability;

2.     Extensive knowledge of Chinese medical terminology;

3.     Excellent understanding of Chinese medical theory.

These three key elements of expert practice emphasize the intellectual process of Chinese medicine, challenging the widely held belief in the West that the mastery of Chinese medicine relies on technique. 

Liver Qi Depression and Binding – part i

Liver qi depression and binding is one of the most common Chinese patterns presenting in our patient population.  In the West, this pattern is usually called liver qi stagnation, despite the fact that this term is never actually used in Chinese. Unfortunately, by oversimplifying the name of this complex pattern, crucial information is lost, making it more difficult for Western practitioners to diagnose and treat this key pattern adequately and effectively.

liver qi depression and binding — Part ii

Of the six depressions, qi and fire are both yang, while the remaining four are yin in nature. In Part II, we will explore blood, dampness, phlegm, and food depressions. The more modern, and familiar, terms for these pathologies are blood stasis, damp accumulation, phlegm obstruction, and food stagnation.

liver qi depression and binding — Part iiI

The fourth character in the name of the liver qi depression and binding pattern can be rendered as knotty, binding, or bound—e.g., the bound pulse. This ideograph contains a radical (meaning portion) visually depicting a thread or string. Medically, the character suggests two or more things which are tied together.