bubble_chart Concept

Stomach yin deficiency pattern, also known as stomach yin deficiency pattern, is a general term for a series of symptoms caused by the depletion of yin fluid due to various chronic sexually transmitted diseases, leading to the loss of nourishment and moistening of the stomach. It is often caused by prolonged stomach heat, pathogenic heat damaging yin; liver heat scorching stomach fluid due to liver depression overacting on the spleen; or disorder of the mother-organ affecting the child-organ, with excessive heart fire damaging stomach yin.

The main clinical manifestations include: loss of appetite or reduced food intake, hunger without eating, dry mouth and throat, dry stools, irritability, low-grade fever, red tongue with little coating, and a thin, rapid pulse.

Stomach yin deficiency pattern is commonly seen in the late stage (third stage) of warm febrile diseases, "epigastric pain," "consumptive thirst," "dysphagia," and other conditions.

This syndrome should be differentiated from "pattern of dual deficiency of stomach qi and yin" and "pattern of stomach heat."

bubble_chart Differentiation and Treatment

The characteristics of yin deficiency and insufficient fluids are: dry throat and tongue, cracked lips, night sweats, low-grade fever, dry stools, and vexing heat in the chest, palms, and soles. The stomach yin deficiency pattern also commonly presents with the above symptoms.

1. In the late stage [third stage] of warm febrile diseases or during the convalescence stage, the stomach yin deficiency pattern is often seen. In the late stage [third stage] of dampness warm diseases, symptoms such as lack of hunger, poor appetite, dry lips, constipation, a red tongue with little coating, and a weak, thin, and rapid pulse indicate damage to stomach yin. The severe constipation in this syndrome is due to the fact that the stomach and large intestine both belong to the Yangming system, and their fluids are interconnected. Therefore, when stomach fluids are insufficient, intestinal fluids are also deficient, leading to difficulty in stool transmission. This is different from the constipation seen in the Yangming fu-organ pattern in terms of disease cause and mechanism, and caution should be taken not to treat it incorrectly. Treatment should focus on nourishing the stomach with sweet and cold herbs, and the Stomach-Tonifying Decoction (from Wenbing Tiaobian) is recommended.
2. In cases of epigastric pain with stomach yin deficiency pattern, the condition may arise from emotional stagnation, the transformation of the five minds into fire, excessive dryness in the weather leading to yin fluid depletion, or inherent weakness of the spleen and stomach, which prevents the production of essential substances, resulting in insufficient yin fluids and lack of stomach lubrication. Symptoms include dull epigastric pain, anorexia with a preference for soft and liquid foods, dry retching due to stomach dryness, and a thin, red tongue without coating. Treatment should focus on tonifying yin and harmonizing the stomach to relieve pain, using the Adenophora and Ophiopogon Decoction (from Wenbing Tiaobian).
3. In cases of consumptive thirst with stomach yin deficiency pattern, the prominent symptoms are dry mouth and tongue, excessive thirst, and inability to control drinking. This is caused by heat transformation in the lung and stomach, which scorches fluids and damages yin. Treatment should focus on clearing both the lung and stomach, and supplementing both qi and yin. The White Tiger Decoction Plus Ginseng (from the Treatise on Cold Damage Diseases) is the main prescription.
4. In cases of dysphagia with stomach yin deficiency pattern, symptoms include emaciation, retching, and inability to eat, or even regurgitation and difficulty swallowing. In advanced stages, the tongue may appear dark red, shiny, and without coating. Treatment should focus on nourishing yin and moistening dryness, using the Five-Juice Decoction (from Wenbing Tiaobian) with modifications.

The stomach yin deficiency pattern is more commonly seen in thin individuals and rarely in obese ones. In middle-aged and elderly individuals, yin deficiency pattern is often related to chronic sexually transmitted diseases, while in adolescents, it is usually caused by acute illnesses. Misuse of sweating, vomiting, or purgative methods leading to yin fluid depletion can also easily result in this syndrome. Since yin deficiency generates internal heat, symptoms such as low-grade fever, dry mouth, and thirst are often more pronounced in the afternoon or at night. During prolonged dry weather, the combination of internal and external dryness exacerbates the condition, making the disease tendency more severe.

In the evolution of the stomach yin deficiency pattern, it is often accompanied by lung yin deficiency pattern. For example, in cases of autumn dryness affecting the qi aspect, symptoms include mild fever, persistent dry cough, dry mouth and tongue with thirst, a red tongue with little coating, and a thin, rapid pulse. This indicates both dryness-heat damaging the lung, leading to lung yin depletion and lung qi stagnation, as well as dryness affecting the Yangming system, leading to stomach yin depletion. In such cases, simply nourishing stomach yin is insufficient; it is necessary to simultaneously enrich and tonify both the lung and stomach to achieve effective treatment.

bubble_chart Differentiation of Similar Patterns

1. pattern of dual deficiency of stomach qi and yin and stomach yin deficiency pattern: The pattern of dual deficiency of stomach qi and yin is often caused by prolonged pestilent qi depleting both yin and qi, or by misuse of sweating, vomiting, or purgative methods, leading to damage of qi and yin. In addition to the main symptoms of stomach yin deficiency, there are also accompanying symptoms of qi deficiency, such as shortness of breath, lack of strength, and profuse sweating. Furthermore, stomach qi deficiency prevents the proper digestion of food, leading to insufficient generation and transformation of qi and blood, resulting in symptoms like reduced appetite, anorexia, emaciation, pale complexion, and palpitations with insomnia. This distinguishes it from a simple stomach yin deficiency pattern.
2. pattern of stomach heat and stomach yin deficiency pattern: The pattern of stomach heat is often caused by pathogenic heat entering the interior or excessive consumption of spicy and rich foods. When it appears in acute Rebing, it is usually at the stage of progress and belongs to the category of excess heat pattern. On the other hand, the stomach yin deficiency pattern, when it appears in Rebing, is usually at the late stage [third stage] and belongs to the category of deficiency pattern. However, in the pattern of stomach heat, pathogenic heat damages stomach fluid and stomach yin, which can lead to a conversion from excess to deficiency, progressing into a stomach yin deficiency pattern. Both syndromes clinically exhibit "heat" signs, but the pattern of stomach heat is characterized by real heat, with symptoms such as fever, thirst, burning pain in the stomach, and preference for cold drinks. In contrast, the stomach yin deficiency pattern is characterized by deficient heat, with symptoms such as irritability and low-grade fever. The pattern of stomach heat manifests as increased appetite and easy hunger, whereas the stomach yin deficiency pattern manifests as hunger without the desire to eat. Both syndromes may present with dry stool accumulation, but the former is due to excessive heat in the Yangming causing heat accumulation and fu-organ excess, while the latter is due to stomach yin failing to nourish the large intestine. Additionally, the pattern of stomach heat can cause pathogenic heat to ascend along the Yangming Jingmai, leading to symptoms such as swollen and painful gums, fetid mouth odor, and heat damaging the blood vessels, causing hematemesis and nosebleeds. Such symptoms are less common in the stomach yin deficiency pattern.

bubble_chart Documentation

1. Wenbing Tiaobian: "After illness, the skin becomes dry, there is pain in the urinary tract, or a slight dry cough, or loss of appetite, all of which are due to stomach yin deficiency, and should be treated with the Yiwei Wuzhi formula."