Fighting Heart Disease-Part 1 of 2

In traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), heart disease may be caused by either deficiency or excess patterns. Treatment principles vary as every person has a different type of body constitution. In this article, we present the TCM principles of treating this malady. For treatment from the perspective of Western medicine, click here. 

Excess Patterns

1. Heart & Blood Stagnation Syndrome

Symptoms include:

• constant pain in the chest that worsens at night
• palpitations
• dark spots on the tongue

Treatment principles:

• promote blood circulation
• clear blood stasis
• clear stagnation

2. Phlegm Stagnation Syndrome

Symptoms include:

• stuffiness in the chest that causes back and shoulder aches
• shortness of breath
• heavy limbs

Treatment principles:

• eliminate phlegm and stagnation

3. Yin Stagnation Syndrome

Symptoms include

• pain in the chest and back
• stuffiness
• shortness of breath
• palpitations
• weak pulse.

Treatment principles:

• unblock yang
• relieve numbness and cold

Deficiency Patterns

1. Heart & Kidney Yin Deficiency Syndrome

Symptoms include:

• chest pain
• palpitations
• night sweats
• dizziness
• insomnia

Treatment principles:

• nourish yin
• tonify kidney system and heart system
• soothe the mind

2. Qi & Yin Deficiency Syndrome

Symptoms include:

• stuffiness
• mild pain in the chest
• palpitations
• shortness of breath
• all above symptoms aggravated by physical activity

Treatment principles:

• supplement qi
• nourish yin
• promote blood circulation

3. Yang Deficiency Syndrome

Symptoms include:

• shortness of breath
• palpitations
• chest pains that spread to the back
• cold limbs
• aversion to cold

Treatment principles:

• strengthen qi
• warm yang
• promote blood circulation

This is an adaptation of an article, “Love Your Heart”, which first appeared in Issue 5 of Natura magazine