How to link the TCM Fundamentals of 1st Yin Organ - the Heart with the Integumentary System

Hey, My next topic will be Pathological Causes and it's Characteristics, however, it would be necessary to show you How to link the TCM Fundamentals of 1st Yin Organ - the Heart with the Integumentary System.

On a block scale, the Integumentary System is an organ system consisting of the skin(the largest organ), hair, nails and the exocrine glands.

This is How to link TCM Fundamentals on 1st Yin Organ - the Heart with the Integumentary System in the following way:

TCM FUNDAMENTALS

An introduction to the Spirit element is necessary for TCM foundations as it is essential to control, so to speak, the unrestricted movement of the body by brain and heart activities as in Western Medicine. This Spirit is termed as 'Shen'.  

1st Yin Organ - Heart

• Permanent Resident:  Shen
• Master of:   Blood 
• Clan:  Pulse
• Grouping to 5 Elements:  Fire
• Physiological Function:
• 1)Circulate Blood to all parts of the Body
• 2)Control the state of Consciousness
• Orifice:  The Tongue 
• Bodily Association:  Pulse 
• State of Conditions:  Manifest on the Face
• Emotion Classification:  Happiness
• Liquidity State: in form of Sweat
• Correlation Match:  Small Intestine

Permanent Resident: Shen

The Shen of the spirit in charge of the consciousness resides in the heart in TCM foundation.  Shen is the awareness or perception of one's belonging

and surrounding.  We will talk about Shen in my later blogs. 

Master of: Blood

The Heart pumps the blood through the arteries and capillaries to reach every part of the body to carry out physiological activities, especially to the largest organ, the skin. As long as the Heart can pump due to the fact of its very peculiar nature, it governs the blood flow to all parts of the body like a Master.

Clan: Pulse

Generally, the Clan means a close-knit of interrelated families, so any interrelated materials branch out from the heart, whether it is amplitude, width, or rate they are all interrelated to the blood and in turn are within the heart association. So the manifestation of the heart in its clan is the Pulse in TCM Fundamentals. So Pulse is the rhythmical throbbing of the arteries as blood is propelled through them.

Grouping to 5 Elements:  Fire

At this point, you just need to know the grouping of the Heart which is the Fire.  I will write a blog to discuss which elements are complimenting or restraining each other.

Physiological Function

The main function of the Heart is:

1) to circulate blood to every part of the body to carry out physiological activities. So it is the Master of the blood and pulse.

2)to control the state of consciousness in body and mind.

So it is also master of the consciousness.

Orifice:  The Tongue

The Heart has its orifice at the Tongue.  So I will write more on the observation of the Tongue to explain on the Yin Yang energy affecting the Heart when the body is sick.

Bodily Association:  Pulse

Very obvious, the Heart pumps the blood through the arteries and the resulting formation is the throbbing rhythm of the arteries.  Therefore the Heart's association on the body is the Pulse.

States of Condition:  manifest on the Face

In another word, whether and how is the heart performing its activities is manifested on the Face. Under normal condition, if a person is looking glamorous, then the Heart is likely to be in a good condition.  Likewise, I will write more in my later blog when necessary.

Emotion Classification: Happiness

When it comes to emotion, the Heart loves and be in charge of Happiness more than other classes.  Fear and Sad are bad to the Heart which I will discuss more later on.

Liquidity State:  in the form of Sweat

The Heart in its body fluid state is in form of Sweat. The integumental system has many exocrine glands which are feed by capillaries at the dermis layer to secrete sweat to the skin surface to regulate temperature for example. 

Just to quote you another example of sweat secretion during the onset of minor heart attack, usually than not, there will be big drops of sweat around the shoulder and upper chest indicating the sudden change of the heart condition.  (Cold Sweating)

Correlation Match:  Small Intestine

Correlationship means a mutual relationship or connection between 2 things. So the correlation for the Heart in the body is the Small Intestine in the TCM context.

I have summed up all the foundations for the Heart in the TCM context and hope to discuss with you if you any feedback.  I love to answer all of your feedback.

If you are reading my blog for the first time, please remember to subscribe by email address correctly and click 'submit' below so that you wouldn't miss anything I teach here.

There are so many other blogs out there but none teach you why, when and where to use the relevant herbs, only I give the reasons for 3 W; why, when and where.

I would like to leave you now so that you can have more time to digest this blog.

Best of all,

Xiong Sian 

***Reference:

( Emperor's Interior Sutra  is available on sales better known as the esoteric scripture of the yellow emperor in Amazon, it's just a different way of naming the book cover)

Physiological Characteristics development of the child in the context of TCM fundamentals

Hey, have I given you enough time to digest and 'absorb' the Yin Yang fundamentals?  These fundamentals are very, very important throughout the Traditional Chinese Medicine applications. The Fundamentals RULE throughout TCM practice worldwide. It's just like any fundamentals lay in any structure, without which, the structure will collapse in no time. There are a lot more which I'm going to write about in TCM theory and you would be able to digest them bit by bit just like the stages of baby growth discussed in the previous blogs.

Physiological Characteristics 

Today, I'm going to continue where I have left out on the Physiological Characteristic development of the child in the context of the TCM fundamentals. There are many ancient classical medical schools of thought advocating this topic in their specific fields.  However, only the most appropriate aces are then picked and categorised into these 2 main groups:

1. The Vibrant and Rapid Development
2. Delicate Organs in the Unfilled Shape

Based on these 2 benchmarks, another 2 relevant theories are formed, namely:

• Pure Yang Theory
• Juvenile Yin and Juvenile Yang Theory

The Real Inner Layer of the Pericardium

The Vibrant and Rapid Development

The choice of these 2 words was enough to make them a metaphor to the rapid growth and development of childhood. We will look at it from the bodily growth perspective point of view:

From 0 to 3 years old

• Weight
• Increase by 3 times
• 
  
• Height
• Increase by 1.5 times
• 
  
• Head Circumference
• Increase by 50% 

These ancient physicians have observed this dynamic changes of every child possessing this vibrant and rapid development characteristic.  So much so they had established the Pure Yang Theory to umbrella this special phenomenon.

However, by looking into the terminology of Yin Yang fundamentals alone, it doesn't mean that the child possesses only Yang energy with no Yin at all.  (I have to grab you out of this spin to rest and digest).  So the Pure Yang Theory only stipulate this vibrant and rapid development as the fundamentals. That's it.

Delicate Organs in Unfilled Shape

Take a break and pat yourself for well done.  In TCM fundamentals, when we refer to Delicate Organs, there are only 5 Yang organs and 6 Yin organs.  That's it.  The Pericardium is taken out but I would write on how The Pericardium correlates with the Triple Burner in acupuncture treatment in my blogs later.  

It would take at least one to two blogs to complete the explanations on these 2 organs, mainly the Pericardium and the Triple Burner.

Anatomy of the Spleen

Ok, I'm going back to our topic again.  The  'Shape' consists of Body Structure, Fluid and 'Gasification' function(much like industry gasification). And 'Unfilled' refers to the physiological function that needed to be fortified. The observation was done on the child's Unfilled Shape by the ancient physician which formed the fundamentals of Juvenile Yin and Juvenile Yang theory.

The Observation 

From the Neonate to Childhood stage

• The upper body is longer than the lower 
• Generally, Anterior Fontanelle will be closed by 18 months
• Hair thin and yellowish
• Perspire easily during sleep(pores not closed because the overall physiological process is not fortified as yet)
• 
  

I hope you can 'absorb' some ideas on the above discussion.  The classification and terminology of both theories are straight forward and super, super easy. 

If you are reading my blog for the first time, please remember to subscribe by email address correctly and click 'submit' below so that you wouldn't miss anything I teach here.

There are so many other blogs out there but none teach you why, when and where to use the relevant herbs, only I give the reasons for 3 W; why, when and where.

***Reference:

( Emperor's Interior Sutra is available on sales better known as the esoteric scripture of the yellow emperor in Amazon, it's just a different way of naming the book cover)

Best of all, 

Xiong Sian 

The Philosophy of Yin Yang and 5 Elements Theory

Hey everybody, before I can write on the topic of a physiological characteristic of the child, I have to break here to introduce The Philosophy of Yin Yang and 5 Elements Theory to make clear the terminology and classification used through my blogs later on.  So what is the Philosophy of Yin Yang and 5 Elements Theory?   By and large, it is an ancient philosophy of dialectical materialism.  To make it simple, just break up the 3 words; philosophy, dialectical and materialism to each own definition. 

• Philosophy, in short, is the study of science
• Dialectical is the discussion in general 
• Materialism is all the surrounding material

Yin and Yang

The ancient physician used this philosophy to accumulate clinical experiences and formed the fundamentals of the present-day Traditional Chinese Medicine System.

The fundamentals of Yin Yang and 5 Elements are:

• Inter transformation
• Interdependence
• Mutual consumption(mutual roots)

When there is a Yin, there must be a Yang.  So Yin and Yang contains each other; one compliment and supplement each other.

There comes a time when one element has a deficiency or in abundance; each will either supplement or consume the other element, causing pathological conditions.

Yin and Yang Phenomena

The list of Yin and Yang phenomena is extensive, nevertheless, here are the few examples:

Yin 

• Chronic
• Body
• Introvert
• Anatomy
• Medial
• Deficiency

Yang

• Acute
• Head
• Extrovert
• Physiology
• Lateral
• Excess

Yin Organs:

• Lung
• Heart
• Liver
• Spleen
• Kidney
• Pericardium

Yang Organs:

• Large intestine
• Small intestine
• Gallbladder
• Stomach
• Bladder
• Triple burner(san jiao)

Yin and Yang in Balanced Equilibrium 

Yin and Yang Pathology 

When Yang is excessive, it causes heat syndrome and vice verses the reverse takes place.

The same applies to the Yin force.  So the fundamentals of Yin and Yang rule everywhere.

Before I go on to my next blog to write on the child physiological characteristic, I like to quote you some very famous Yin and Yang phenomena that apply to everyone in daily routine.

1. Being and non-being produce each other
2. Difficult and easy complement each other
3. Long and short define each other
4. High and low oppose each other
5. Fore and aft follow each other

I'll stop here and let you have more time to digest them and not scary.

If you are reading my blog for the first time, please remember to subscribe by email address correctly and click 'submit' below so that you wouldn't miss anything I teach here.

There are so many other blogs out there but none teach you why, when and where to use the relevant herbs, only I give the reasons for 3 W; why, when and where.

Best of all, 

Xiong Sian 

***Reference:

( Emperor's Interior Sutra is available on sales better known as the esoteric scripture of the yellow emperor in Amazon, it's just a different way of naming the book cover)

Sensory Motor and Speech Development is directly correlated to the muscle growth and central nervous system

Hey, I'm very sure that this will be the most interesting blog you would like to check against and see the daily change in your baby.  Some parents even think of getting to reach home soonest to enjoy this ever-changing characteristic of the baby.  All these are taking place because the baby is ready to undergo the physiological changes in Sensory-Motor and Speech evolution. Primarily, the Sensory-Motor and Speech development is directly correlated to the muscle growth and central nervous system.

Sensory-Motor Development 

The neonate has 2 kinds of activities:

1. Reflective ( sucking and sipping)
2. Involuntary

We shall see all activities taking place in the order of:

1. From the top(upper) to the bottom(lower)
2. Inconsistency to coordination 
3. Coarse to fine

• 1 month old
• Neonate always stretch the body after each sleep 
• 
  
• 2 month old
• Infant can raise the head on prone position
• 
  
• 3 to 4 month old
• The infant will be able to lift the upper body
• 
  
• 6 month old
• Able to rollover
• 
  
• 7 month old
• The infant can sit upright
• 
  
• 9 month old
• Able to crawl, some even able to hold on to the railing to stand up
• 
  
• 1 year old
• Able to stand upright, can do cruising
• 
  
• 1 1\2 year old
• Able to walk

After this, as the infant progress into the next stage and so on, a movement like climbing the stairs and jumping over will be more powerful, precise and accurate.

Accuracy and Precision

The stages of precisive movement development are reflected in how the child grips an object, like:

• 5 month old
• When the movement of the eye and hand are incoordination, the infant can grasp the object placed in front with one grasp depicting the awareness to grip it
• 
  
• 9 to 10 months old
• Able to use thumb and index finger to take a small object and move it back and forth
• 
  
• 15 months old
• Movement is getting more dexterous and accurate, able to stack blocks
• 
  
• 18 months old
• Can stack 5 to 6 blocks
• 
  
• 2 years old
• Able to stack 6 to 10 blocks
• 
  
• 3 years old
• Able to stack 12 blocks
• 
  

A 5 months old infant raising the upper body trying to grasp object placed in front

Speech Development

The development of speech capability is often a reflection on the level of development of the central nervous system.  Generally, it has to be categorised into 4 stages:

1. Sound Articulation Stage
2. Babbling Stage
3. Monolingual Sentence Stage
4. Idiom Stage 

• Sound Articulation Stage

• The neonate can produce the crying sound only
• 2 months old, can articulate cooing and harmonious vocal sound
• 3 months old can articulate mumbling sound.
• 
  

• Babbling Stage

• 5 to 6 months old can articulate a monotonous syllable
• 7 to 8 months old can articulate repeated polyphony sound like "mama", simultaneously can repeat after adult on single-syllable sound.

• 
  

• Monolingual Sentence Stage

• After 1 year old, a toddler can articulate a daily living single word such as sleep, eat, and go, etc.
• 15 months old, a toddler can read out own self name.
• 18 months old, a toddler can articulate a single and simple sentence to express oneself feeling.
• 
  

• Idiom Stage

• After 2 years old, a toddler can do simple communication
• 4 to 5 years old, can use complete wordings to express oneself request
• After 7 years old, can be better off in controlling the language and words learnt.

If you are reading my blog for the first time, please remember to subscribe by email address correctly and click 'submit' below so that you wouldn't miss anything I teach here.

There are so many other blogs out there but none teach you why, when and where to use the relevant herbs, only I give the reasons for 3 W; why, when and where.

I would like to leave you now with this blog so as to give you more time to digest it.

Best of all, 

Xiong Sian 

***Reference:

( Emperor's Interior Sutra is available on sales better known as the esoteric scripture of the yellow emperor in Amazon, it's just a different way of naming the book cover)

 .

Limelight to the Fontanelles and the Deciduous Teeth because they form the ending transition of the develpoment portion

Hey, I'm back to write on the development transition of the child, I would like to add some Limelight to the Fontanelles and the Deciduous Teeth because they form the ending transition of the development portion.  So there are altogether 6 fontanelles, the 'soft spot' so to speak, noticeable right on top of the baby's head.  And they are positioned as follows:

FONTANELLE 

• Anterior Fontanelle
• The 'soft spot' noticed on the top of the head, diameter about 2.1 cm.
• 
  
• Posterior Fontanelle
• Triangular in shape located at the back of the skull, diameter less than 1cm.
• 
  
• Sphenoid Fontanelle
• One on each side of the skull, position nearest to the temples.
• 
  
• Mastoid Fontanelle
• One on each side of the skull, positioned lower to back of the ear.

Each of these fontanelles has a  very important profile related to 4 acupuncture points located just on top of this closure. (Anterior DU22 and 23; Posterior DU18 and 19) Off course, I will be illustrating how to use it effectively to treat migraine, prolapse, just to name a few in my later blogs. I have paste 4 diagrams below, each showing the position of the individual fontanelle on the skull.

Why are these fontanelles so important?  

Birth

It has to make provision for these bones of the skull to overlap each other so that the baby head can move through the birth canal.

Growth

The fontanelle provides space for brain development during the first two years of baby's life.  Please go to my previous blogs to read more.  

Time taken for closure of these fontanelles are as follows:

• Anterior
• Starts to close from the 6 months up to 2 years old
• 
  
• Posterior
• Part of fontanelle close from  2 to 4 months, (some already closes on birth)
• 
  
• Sphenoid
• By the 6 months 
• 
  
• Mastoid
• By 6 months, complete by 12 to 18 months 
• 
  

Indications or Clues

Normal

Slightly curved inwards

Obvious Sunken

Dehydration due to improper bottled feed, vomiting, diarrhoea or overheated.

Bulging

If slightly raised during crying and goes off when the baby stops crying, it is normal and nothing is wrong.

On the other hand, if the bulging did not subside after the baby stops crying and feeling a little hard, then it could be a sign of health problem.

So all these closure timings are indicators for normal condition.  Anything outside of these timing is indicators for medical conditions.  Your baby needs to see a doctor immediately.  I will write on intracranial pressure, stay small syndrome and congenital foolishness on related topics later on.

 DECIDUOUS AND  PERMANENT TEETH

A child has 2 sets of teeth:

1. Deciduous
2. Permanent

• From 5 to 10 months          
• 4 deciduous teeth
• 
  
• 1 year old
• 8 deciduous teeth
• 
  
• After 1 year old
• 
  
  2 upper and 2 lower molar
• 
  
• 1 1/2 years old 
• Canine erupted
• 
  
• 2 years old
• 2nd molar erupted
• 
  
• 20 to 30 months old
• Completed 20 deciduous teeth
• 
  
• After 6 years old
• Deciduous start to loose and permanent replaced
• 1st permanent molar erupted
• 
  
• After 12 years old 
• 2nd molar erupted
•  
• 12 to 15 years old
• Completed with 28 permanent teeth
• 
  
• 17 to 30 years old(adolescence to adult) 
• 3rd molar may or may not erupt(wisdom tooth)

 

If you are reading my blog for the first time, please remember to subscribe by email address correctly and click 'submit' below so that you wouldn't miss anything I teach here.

There are so many other blogs out there but none teach you why, when and where to use the relevant herbs, only I give the reasons for 3 W; why, when and where.

I would leave you now so that you can have more time to digest this blog.

Best of all 

Sian Xiong 

***Reference:

( Emperor's Interior Sutra is available on sales better known as the esoteric scripture of the yellow emperor in Amazon, it's just a different way of naming the book cover)

Growth Development and Physiological Characteristics

Hey, I am back to write the distinction between growth and development in this new blog. I will break the main topic of growth development and physiological characteristics into a few groups.

Growth and Development are 2 essential childhood physiological manifestations which are different from adults. Growth refers to a child physique build up and Development refers to the evolution of all physiological function.  The whole process of this never-ending growth evolution to perfection depicts this special characteristic of preadolescence.

Growth and Development

Growth Evolution

• Physique transition

The regulatory overview of healthy child development is based on childhood physique growth.  This is also used as a mean to measure the state of health of a child in association with the municipal conditions, geographical and climatic environment, nutrition and prevailing diseases.

Given below are a physiological constant of the child physique builds up under normal conditions:

Weight

A Neonate normally weighs about 3kg and lose some weight during the 1st week, pegged at less than 10%.

• From 1 to 6 month           weight(kg)=3 +0.6 x number of months
• 
  
• From 7 to 12 month.        Weight(kg)=6.6+0.5 x (number of months -6)
• 
  
• From 2 to 12years            Weight(kg)=(age-2) x 2+12)

Height

There are 2 methods to measure the height of the child:

• Under 3 years                     back lying position
• 
  
• Above 3 years                     stand on an upright position

A new Neonate measure about 50cm in length and will continue to grow for 25 cm each year up to 2 years old.  This is the formula to use after 2 years old:

• Height(cm)=75+5 x (age)
• 
  

Upper Edge of the Symphysis Pubis

Over here I want to give an introduction to a reference point in the human body which I will be using in the later blogs in finding the various acupuncture points of the body for acute illness treatment.  This reference point is the Upper Edge of Symphysis Pubis as shown in the picture below.

The pointer on the upper edge of Symphysis Pubis

The reference point at the upper edge of Symphysis Pubis

So, we are going to take 2 measurements:

• The upper reading is taken from the top of the head to the upper edge of the symphysis pubis
• The other lower reading from the upper edge of the synthesis pubis to the sole.

These 2 measurements will tell many growth-related facts, namely:

1. The upper reading is the indicator of the growth rate of the spinal column.
2. The lower reading is the indicator of the growth rate of the leg bones.

• For the neonate, the upper reading is longer than the lower one, shifting the midpoint to the Tummy Button
• 
  
• 1 year old
• The midpoint will shift down below the Tummy Button for the infant
• 
  
• 6 years old 
• The midpoint continues to shift down to a point which is the midpoint between the Tummy Button and the upper edge of the symphysis pubis.
• 
  
• 12 years old
• Midpoint shift to exactly at the upper edge of the symphysis pubis indicating both upper and lower reading is about the same.
• 
  

Head Circumference(HC)

How to measure it?

Using a soft measuring tape to start from the midpoint between 2 eyebrows which is the highest point, goes one round touching the posterior occipital tubercle is termed as the Head Circumference.

• New neonate         34cm
• 
  
• 6months old          42cm
• 
  
• 12months old        46cm
• 
  
• 2years old              48cm
• 
  
• 5 years old             50cm

The possible medical condition is:

• Brain Hypoplasia(if HC is too small)
• Hydrocephalus(if HC is too big)

Chest Circumference

Again how are we going to measure it?

Using the soft measuring tape starting from the tip of either one shoulder blade goes one round touching the 2 nipples as the correct measurement.  Observe the breathing of the child and take the average reading in between the breathing.  Pretty good so far.

• New neonate.             32cm
• 
  
• 12months.                   44cm
• 
  
• 24months.                   47cm

If you are reading my blog for the first time, please remember to subscribe by email address correctly and click 'submit' below so that you wouldn't miss anything I teach here.

There are so many other blogs out there but none teach you why, when and where to use the relevant herbs, only I give the reasons for 3 W; why, when and where.

I would leave you now so that you can have more time to digest this blog.

Best of all 

Sian Xiong 

***Reference:

( Emperor's Interior Sutra is available on sales better known as the esoteric scripture of the yellow emperor in Amazon, it's just a different way of naming the book cover)