bubble_chart Concept

Sighing, also known as "sighing." Good sighing refers to a symptom where the patient feels a sense of oppression in the chest and finds relief by exhaling with a long breath.

This symptom is different from "belching." Belching refers to the manifestation of stomach qi ascending counterflow with a sudden sound; sighing, on the other hand, is a symptom where the movement of qi is depressed and stagnant, leading to a sense of relief through long sighs.

bubble_chart Pattern Analysis

1. Liver Qi Depression︰Chest tightness and discomfort, frequent sighing, hypochondriac region distension, indifferent expression, poor appetite, bitter taste in mouth, vertigo, white tongue coating, wiry pulse. Due to emotional distress, unfulfilled desires, or intense mental stimulation, liver qi stagnation occurs, losing its free flow, hence manifesting as chest tightness and depression, with frequent sighing providing temporary relief. Clinically, there are also symptoms of low mood, indifferent expression, hypochondriac distension, anorexia, and other signs of liver depression. Treatment should focus on soothing liver and regulating qi to relieve stagnation, with prescriptions such as Bupleurum Liver-Soothing Powder, Peripatetic Powder, etc.
2. Qi Deficiency︰Frequent desire to sigh, shortness of breath, spontaneous sweating, fatigue, lack of strength, poor appetite, pale tongue texture, swollen tongue body, white coating, and thin pulse. This condition arises from excessive strain or prolonged illness leading to malnourishment, resulting in qi deficiency; qi deficiency causes pectoral qi to fail to spread, leading to a desire to sigh for relief. Clinically, in addition to frequent sighing, symptoms such as shortness of breath, spontaneous sweating, mental fatigue, lack of strength, pale tongue texture, and thin pulse are indicative of qi deficiency. Treatment should focus on tonifying the middle and replenishing qi, with prescriptions such as Original-Qi Preserving Decoction, Middle-Tonifying Qi-Replenishing Decoction, and others.

Sighing is often accompanied by chest tightness, where the chest tightness is relieved by sighing. This chest tightness is usually caused by a disturbance in the movement of qi. Liver depression leads to a loss of smoothness, resulting in depression and stagnation of qi movement, while qi deficiency causes an inability to stretch, leading to a disturbance in qi movement. The former is considered a substantial condition, while the latter is a deficiency condition. Based on the characteristics of the symptoms, the two syndromes are not difficult to differentiate.

bubble_chart Documentation

1. Zhengzhi Zhunsheng-Zabing: "The scripture says: Huangdi asked, 'What qi causes a person to sigh?' Qibo replied: 'When one is troubled by thoughts, the heart's system becomes tense; when the heart's system is tense, the qi pathways become constricted; when they are constricted, it is not beneficial, hence sighing to release it. ... It also says that the gallbladder meridian of foot Shaoyang, when disturbed, causes a bitter taste in the mouth, frequent sighing, and one should observe the abundance and deficiency, cold and heat, and treat accordingly.'"