Wei Atrophy Syndrome

Not a single pattern. Wei is a disease category (wasting and weakness of the limbs) that is then differentiated into patterns. Do not load this as if it were one bian zheng. Use it as a parent/index page that points to the five presentations below.

Presenting patterns

1. Lung Heat consuming Fluids — dry cough, dry throat, weakness after a febrile illness. Tongue red and dry. Pulse thin and rapid. Formula: Qing Zao Jiu Fei Tang. Points: LU-5, LU-9, ST-36, SP-6, BL-13.
2. Damp-Heat in the channels — heavy, slightly swollen weak limbs, feeling of heat, greasy yellow coat, slippery rapid pulse. Formula: Si Miao San. Points: SP-9, GB-34, ST-36, LI-11, GB-31.
3. Spleen-Stomach Qi xu — fatigue, poor appetite, loose stools, pale tongue, empty pulse. Formula: Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang. Points: ST-36, SP-6, REN-6, BL-20, DU-20.
4. Liver-Kidney Yin xu — chronic wasting, low-back and knee weakness, dizziness, red peeled tongue, thin rapid pulse. Formula: Hu Qian Wan. Points: KI-3, LIV-8, SP-6, BL-18, BL-23, GB-34.
5. Blood stasis in the channels — fixed pain with wasting, purple tongue, choppy pulse, history of trauma or long Bi. Formula: Shen Tong Zhu Yu Tang. Points: SP-10, BL-17, SP-6, ashi, GB-34.

Differentiate from

• Bi syndrome (pain dominates, wasting is late)
• Liver Wind (movement and spasm, not wasting)

Sequela of Heat damaging Fluids; Damp-Heat pouring into the channels; chronic middle-jiao xu; Liver-Kidney depletion; long-standing stasis.

Identify the presenting pattern first. Then clear Lung Heat, resolve Damp-Heat, tonify the middle, nourish Liver-Kidney, or move Blood.

Representative formulas. By presenting pattern: Qing Zao Jiu Fei Tang (Lung Heat consuming Fluids); Si Miao San (Damp-Heat in the channels); Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang (Spleen-Stomach Qi xu); Hu Qian Wan (Liver-Kidney Yin xu); Shen Tong Zhu Yu Tang (Blood stasis in the channels).

Representative points. ST-36, SP-6, GB-34, LU-5, LU-9, BL-13, SP-9, LI-11, GB-31, REN-6, BL-20, DU-20, KI-3, LIV-8, BL-18, BL-23, SP-10, BL-17, local ashi — chosen by presenting pattern as listed above.