Shen Series - Course 5

Sign and syndromes explored starting from the Classics and used to understand our patients and their clinical conditions. 7 clinical cases are fully described to help orientation in diagnosis and treatment. Constraint yu 郁 was said “the origin of most of illnesses” by Wang Lu (1332-1391), but already in Suwen (ch. 21) we read that “in strong people qi circulates and therefore illnesses resolve themselves. … In weak people qi becomes stuck and the result is illness.” Fanzao 烦 躁: significance of the common symptom of internal restlessness and external agitation. Internal heat neire 内热: excess of emotions transforms into heat, which consumes yin and zang and generates illness (wuzhi huare theory 五志化热) developed by Liu Wansu (1120-1200) and then Li Dongyuan and Zhu Danxi. Bentunqi 奔豚气, meiheqi 梅核气, zangzao 脏 躁, and baihebing 百合病 were described in Jingui yaolue (220 CE), now listed by modern Chinese texts as emotional illnesses. Diankuang 癫 狂: manifestations and causes of this severe mental condition according to Nanjing (ch.59) and the following traditional medical thought. A comparison with actual conventional psychiatry is depicted. Each content is explored through examples from our daily clinic, taking also into account some problematic issues concerning the therapeutic relationship.