Have you ever said “I was so scared I almost peed my pants” or “I was so angry I felt my head was going to explode.” Likely so. When the link between between organs and emotions in traditional Chinese medicine is explained, the phrases take on new meaning.
The key organs in traditional Chinese medicine, (heart, lungs, kidney, liver, spleen) all have an emotion linked to them (joy, grief, fear, anger, worry) and a pathology that can result when either the emotion or organ is out of balance.
Emotions also affect the Qi, (loosely translated as energetic life force) and specific emotions cause the Qi to react and move in different ways, which can then disrupt the functions of the organs.
And with that, let’s get into the details!
*HEART: JOY
The heart is adversely affected by excessive joy, which sounds odd, as joy is well, joyful, and in theory should be welcomed in abundance. For this purpose, it’s best to think of the concept of excess joy as akin to mania or periods of manic behavior.
Excessive joy causes the Qi of the heart to scatter, and since the heart houses the shen, which is spirit + consciousness, that can result in confused behavior.
Symptoms that can result when the heart is in disharmony in TCM:
Palpitations, anxiety, sleeping disorders, fidgeting, mental disorders, chest distress or pain, canker sores, poor memory and concentration.
*LUNG: GRIEF
Excess sadness and grief can injure the lungs and weaken one’s Qi. Crying, weeping, labored breathing and wailing are all ways our physical body processes extreme loss and sadness. As anyone knows who has experienced this, it’s exhausting. If prolonged, you can end up feeling run down and it can contribute to a weakened immune system.
Symptoms of a lung imbalance in TCM: Abnormal breathing (wheezing, panting, shortness of breath, painful breathing), chills and fever, spontaneous sweating, recurrent colds, sneezing, cough, low voice, fatigue, and skin conditions.
*KIDNEYS: FEAR
Fear can cause the Qi to descend to and fright causes the Qi to be chaotic. Extreme fear affects the kidneys and can cause a person to loose control of urination, as per the example of being so scared that you pee your pants.
More often though, fear is not always so drastic as a life or death experience, but instead is an emotion that builds up over time, through aging. The kidneys in traditional Chinese medicine are viewed as the root of life and all other organ functioning derives strength from them. As a result of this, the kidneys are rarely in excess, but instead gradually decline as we age, which can contribute to becoming more fearful.
Symptoms of a kidney imbalance in TCM: infertility, sterility, sexual dysfunction, soreness and weakness of the lower back and knees, tinnitus, edema and water metabolism disorders, difficult or frequent urination, asthma, fatigue, senility.
*LIVER: ANGER
Excess anger can injure the liver and causes the Qi to rise. To illustrate this point, I always picture a cartoon character turning red with anger, steam coming out of his head and ears, his eyes bulging. It is the organ most sensitive to stress, hence the predominance of Liver Qi stagnation, aka being stressed out, in patients.
Symptoms of a liver imbalance in TCM can include: irritability, frustration, depression, easy to anger, hypochondriac pain, headaches, dizziness, red face and eyes, high blood pressure, trembling, twitching.
*SPLEEN: WORRY
Worry causes the Qi to knot or to bind. It’s the concept of worrying yourself sick, or worrying so much that you have a literal knot in your stomach. The spleen in traditional Chinese medicine is paired with the stomach and is crucial for healthy digestion.
Symptoms of spleen imbalance in TCM: poor appetite, bloating and abdominal distention, loose stool, diarrhea, abdominal pain, edema, phlegm, weak and tired limbs, flaccid muscles, fatigue.
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It’s important to note that all of these emotions are inherently normal and necessary. We run into problems when the emotions exist in excess, occur suddenly and forcefully or are constantly present at low levels that then build up over time. Also, understandably for anyone that has ever experienced grief or heartbreak, the emotions can and do overlap and change over time.
As you might have guessed, everyone has different sensitivities in their bodies. Some patients regularly experience anxiety & insomnia, but rarely have digestion issues. The area you struggle with will theoretically be more easily impacted by extreme emotion.
Lastly, but certainly not least, it’s crucial to understand that the symptoms listed are based on the diagnostic lens of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), which is not the same as Western medicine. For example, if you are stressed out, frustrated and depressed, we attribute that to the liver, the energetic function of the liver in TCM, but that does not necessarily imply you need to rush to your Western doctor for liver testing. There is overlap between TCM and Western, of course, but it is helpful to understand the categorical difference. As always, gain clarity by speaking to your health provider for any specific concerns.
As May is Mental Health Awareness month, I thought it appropriate to discuss how acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine interprets and can support mental health. Everything is connected and emotions are not all just in your head.
