BODY FLUIDS

BODY FLUIDSRefer to: endogenous dryness syndrome caused by insufficient moistening of the whole body or certain viscera and tissues. Insufficiency of body fluids causes failure to nourish them.Cause: inadequate production or excessive loss.Example: a deficiency of fluids in the intestines can lead to constipation.Analysis: body are nourished, lubricated, and moistened by body fluids, since it is insufficient, dryness (mouth, throat, lips, skin, and nose) becomes most remarkable. Loss of body fluids also makes it impossible to produce urine, thus scanty urine results. Deficiency of body fluids reduces the production of blood, causing internal heat, red & dry tongue and rapid pulse appearTreatment: replenish body fluidsInsufficiency of body fluidsRefer to: abnormal accumulation of fluid in the body indicates the impediment of fluid distribution and discharge.Cause: mainly by dysfunction of lung, spleen, and kidney. Problems: Dampness and Phlegm. This can have a variety of causes and outcomes. Analysis: Poor appetite, fatigue, dizziness, edema, cough. Example: if the Spleen is damaged by poor diet, this can lead to Dampness that may manifest itself as lethargy with a feeling of heaviness in the lower abdomen.Abnormal accumulation of fluidPatternsSignsTongue Pulse Fluid DeficiencyDryness in the body, scanty urination, thrist, constipation/dry stoolsRed w/no coatthin, rapidFluid RetentionPoor appetite, fatigue, dizziness, edema, coughWet w/white coatslippery, wiryBody Fluid Disharmonies with Signs and Symptoms

Relationship between Qi and the Jin YeQi transforms and transports fluids, otherwise fluids accumulate.

Qi holds the body fluids in, as it does with the blood. When the Qi is deficient, fluids can leak out. Examples: Kidney Yang deficiency causing enuresis Lung Qi deficiency causing spontaneous sweating Spleen Qi deficiency causing chronic vaginal discharge

Qi is also dependant on Fluids, and a loss of fluids can result in a deficiency of Qi. Examples: Excessive sweating causes a loss of defensive (Wei) Qi along with the fluids. Excessive vomiting depletes Qi.

Relationship between Blood and the Jin Ye

Mutual nourishment:a) Body Fluids constantly replenish Blood and "thin it out" so that it does not coagulate. If Body Fluids are harmonized they turn red and are transformed into Blood.b) Blood also nourishes Body Fluids: both are Yin. Hence loss of Fluids, e.g. in excessive perspiration, can cause deficient Blood. Conversely, chronic blood loss can cause loss of Fluids and dryness.

Blood & Body Fluids have the same source and mutually nourish each other. In treatment, one should never cause sweating where a patient is bleeding or if there is significant deficiency of blood. Also one should never let blood when a patient is sweating.