Five phase theory and its use in medicine

CORRESPONDENCES OF THE FIVE PHASES (see the following tables)

The Correspondences of the Five Phases may help in diagnosis of health problems by indicating which Phases are imbalanced. For instance, if a human patient has a history of lacrimation, blurred vision and defects in the nails, one might suspect imbalance in the Wood Phase (see tables of Correspondences). If he/she has an angry temperament, shouted a lot and had a history of muscle aches and tendon pain, this would be further evidence of Wood imbalance. Further examination would help to distinguish between LV and GB. For instance, palpation of the bladder Shu (reflex) Points, front Mu (Alarm) Points, Yuan (Source) and TEST Points (see paper on the study techniques) would be very helpful to distinguish between LV and GB. Pulse diagnosis might also suggest that another Phase, for instance Earth, was also imbalanced. For instance, in a liverish patient, a frequent picture might include indigestion, weakness, nausea and Watery eyes. The Qi diagnosis may be LV Excess with ST Deficiency. In Five Phase Theory, the treatment of such a case is very simple. One needle at the Grandmother/Wood Point of ST (ST43) would suffice. By stimulating this point on the Deficient ST COS, Excess Qi is drained from LV (Wood, Yin) to fill the Deficiency in ST (Earth, Yang) via the Ko Cycle. (In Ko Cycle, Wood controls (is the Grandmother of) Earth and therapeutic Qi passes from Yin to Yang (or Yang to Yin) in the Ko Cycle). (Don't worry if you do not understand this example. It will become clearer when you have studied the entire paper).

In the Five Phase Cycle, the following relationships apply to the Channels, their Organ/Bowels, Functions and Correspondences. The Yang COSs appear outside the circle in the diagram. They are: SI=Small intestine; TH=Triple Heater; ST=Stomach; LI=Large Intestine (Colon); BL=Bladder; GB=Gall Bladder. The Yin COSs appear inside the circle. They are: HT=HearT; PC=Pericardium, Circulation-Sex, Heart Constrictor); SP=Spleen-Pancreas; LU=Lung; KI=Kidney; LV=Liver.

Note that the linked COSs form a Yin-Yang Pair within each Phase: Fire HT-SI and PC-TH; Earth SP-ST; Metal LU-LI; Water KI-BL and Wood LV-GB. Qi can be transferred from HT to SI (or SI to HT, as required) by the use of the correct Luo (passage) Point, always stimulating the Luo of the Deficient COS to draw Qi from its linked COS. Also, in therapy, the points can help SI problems and vice-versa.

In the Sheng Cycle, HT nourishes SP and SI nourishes ST etc, (i.e.) the Qi in the Sheng Cycle passes from Yin to Yin or from Yang to Yang only. The Qi transfer in the Sheng Cycles is as follows (-> = creates or nourishes):