Stirring of the liver wind in the interior

The occurrence of such symptoms and signs as dizziness and vertigo, convulsion, tremor and numbness, as a part of a process of pathological changes is referred to as liver wind, which may result from hyperactivity of the liver yang, extreme heat and deficiency of blood.

Liver yang turning into wind

Clinical manifestations : Dizziness and vertigo, headache, numbness or tremor of the limbs, dysphasia, a red and tremulous tongue and a string - taut, rapid pulse. In severe cases there may be sudden collapse, coma, stiffness of the tongue, aphasia, deviation of the mouth and eye, and hemiplegia.

Etiology and pathology : This syndrome often occurs to patients with a constitutional deficiency of yin and excess of yang. It may be induced by such factors as drastic emotional changes, overstrain and stress and excessive alcoholic drinking, all of which may further consume yin and give rise to abrupt rising of yang. Subsequently the liver wind is produced. The disturbance of the head and eyes by the liver yang produces dizziness, vertigo and headache. The tendons may be deprived of nourishment by either insufficiency of the liver yin or constitutional excess of phlegm leading to obstruction of qi and blood, and this may cause numbness or tremor of the limbs, and dysphasia. Sudden onset of rising liver yang may stir up wind and produce upward movement of qi and blood, which, in combination with phlegm fire, clouds the " clear cavity, " and thus creating sudden collapse and coma. Invasion of the meridians by wind phlegm binders the qi and blood circulation and brings on stiffness of the tongue with aphasia, deviation of the mouth and eye and hemiplegia. A red tongue and a string - taut, rapid pulse are both signs of hyperactivity of the liver yang.

Extreme heat stirring wind

Clinical manifestations : High fever, convulsion, neck rigidity, upward staring of the eyes ; in severe cases, opisthotonus, coma and lock jaw ; a deep - red tongue and a string - taut, rapid pulse.

Etiology and pathology : This syndrome may occur in exogenous febrile diseases where excessive pathogenic heat stirs up the liver wind. If excessive pathogenic heat induces high fever, this may scorch the tendons, producing convulsion, neck rigidity, upward string of the eyes and opisthotonos. Disturbance of the mind by heat leads to coma. A deep - red tongue and a string - taut, rapid pulse are both signs of disorders of the liver with excessive heat.

Deficiency of blood producing wind

Deficiency of the liver blood deprives the tendons of nourishment and thus stirs up deficiency type wind in the interior. For clinical manifestations, etiology and pathology refer to the syndrome of insufficiency of the liver blood.