CONGESTIVE HEART FAILURE

Clinical Manifestations
  • Congestive Heart failure (CHF) is a condition in which the Heart's function as a pump is inadequate to meet the body's needs.
  • Many disease processes can impair the pumping efficiency of the heart to cause congestive Heart failure.
  • The symptoms of congestive Heart failure vary, but can include:
    Fatigue
    Diminished exercise capacity
    Shortness of breath
    S swelling (edema)
Treatment Principle
Herb Formulas
Points
Clinical Manifestations
  • Fever and chills (chills predominant)
  • Irritability
  • Anhidrosis
  • Cough
  • Wheezing (asthma)
  • Copious, white, stringy, difficult to expectorate sputum
  • Stifling sensation in the chest
  • Lacrimation
  • General heaviness (especially upper body)
  • General body aches
  • No thirst
  • Floating edema (severe)
  • Considerable difficulty breathing while lying down (severe)
  • Intolerance of Cold
  • Periorbital edema
  • Dyspnea
  • Vomiting of frothy saliva during pregnancy
  • Edema
  • Chest and abdominal distention
  • Dry heaves
  • Decreased urine
  • Subcardiac edema
  • Stridor
  • Occasional chills on the back
  • Hiccups
  • Retching
  • Dysphagia
  • Diarrhea
  • Dysuria
  • Flushed face
  • Dizziness
  • Headache
  • Inflammation of the tear ducts
  • Lacrimation
  • T: Pink
  • C: Moist or White and greasy or Yellow and greasy
  • P: Superficial, tight and rapid
Treatment Principle
  • Release the Exterior
  • Transform congested Fluids (Thin Mucus)
  • Transform Phlegm
  • Warm the Lungs
  • Descend Qi
  • Relieve wheezing and coughing
  • Clear Heat
Herb Formulas
Points
Clinical Manifestations
  • Chills and fever or
  • Fever with no thirst
  • Swollen eyes, limbs abdomen or genitals
  • Achiness
  • Stiff neck and shoulders
  • Anhidrosis
  • Headache
  • Stabbing joint pain
  • Itchy throat
  • Cough
  • Asthma
  • Aversion to Cold
  • Maybe frozen shoulder
  • Dyspnea
  • Vomiting, if the condition is tonified before the Wind is expelled
  • Urinary retention if the condition is reduced before the Wind is expelled
  • Shortness of breath
  • Mild or severe gasping
  • Hiccups
  • Fullness in chest
  • Vomiting
  • Heaviness of the body
  • Edema
  • Dysuria
  • Maybe thirst
  • Maybe diarrhea
  • Maybe scanty urine
  • Maybe lower abdominal fullness
  • T: Normal
  • C: Greasy and white
  • P: Floating and slippery or tight
Treatment Principle
  • Relieve the Exterior
  • Expel Cold
  • Disperse the Lungs
  • Stop asthma
  • Expel water or Phlegm
Herb Formulas
Points
Clinical Manifestations
  • Anorexia
  • Abdominal distention and discomfort
  • Suffocating sensation in the chest
  • Epigastric mass
  • Maybe abdominal pain on palpation
  • Yang jaundice (sclera and skin are bright yellow)
  • Dislike of oily foods
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Lassitude
  • Scanty, dark urine
  • Maybe thirst or thirst with no desire to drink
  • Diarrhea with foul smell or
  • Constipation
  • Fever
  • Sweet sticky taste or bitter taste in mouth
  • T: Pink
  • C: Thick, yellow and greasy (maybe sticky)
  • P: Soft and rapid
Treatment Principle
  • Clear Heat
  • Benefit Dampness
Herb Formulas
Points
Clinical Manifestations
  • Aversion to Cold
  • Curls up a lot
  • Doesn't like to talk
  • Tired (disoriented)
  • Fatigue
  • Constant somnolence
  • Sleeping with the knees drawn up to the chest
  • Generalized edema
  • No spirit
  • Dull Shen
  • Cold extremities
  • Aching and heaviness in the extremities
  • Diarrhea or loose stools or undigested food
  • Clear, frequent urine
  • Nocturia
  • Oliguria
  • Lower back pain
  • Maybe nausea (wants to vomit but can't)
  • Abdominal pain which is relieved by warmth and pressure
  • No thirst
  • Cough with thin, watery mucus
  • Likes warm drinks
  • Severe edema in chest
  • Palpitations
  • Dizziness
  • T: Pale, swollen and moist
  • C: White and greasy
  • P: Deep and weak or Slow, deep and weak
Treatment Principle
  • Restore Yang
  • Reverse inward energy
  • Expel Cold
Herb Formulas
Points
Clinical Manifestations
  • Unproductive cough or
  • Scanty, sticky phlegm or
  • Sometimes blood-streaked sputum
  • Dry mouth
  • Dry throat
  • Low back and knees sore and weak
  • "Steaming Bone" tidal fever
  • Night sweats
  • Malar flush
  • Maybe hoarse voice
  • Maybe pain in shin, foot, and heel
  • Sterility
  • Spermatorrhea
  • T: Red and dry
  • C: None
  • P: Thready and rapid
Treatment Principle
  • Nourish Yin
  • Moisten the Lungs
  • Reinforce the Kidneys
Herb Formulas
Points
Clinical Manifestations
  • Anorexia
  • Abdominal distention and discomfort
  • Suffocating sensation in the chest
  • Epigastric mass
  • Maybe abdominal pain on palpation
  • Yang jaundice (sclera and skin are bright yellow)
  • Dislike of oily foods
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Lassitude
  • Scanty, dark urine
  • Maybe thirst or thirst with no desire to drink
  • Diarrhea with foul smell or
  • Constipation
  • Fever
  • Sweet sticky taste or bitter taste in mouth
  • T: Pink
  • C: Thick, yellow and greasy (maybe sticky)
  • P: Soft and rapid
Treatment Principle
  • Clear Heat
  • Benefit Dampness
Herb Formulas
Points
Clinical Manifestations
  • Generalized edema
  • Sensation of heaviness, distention and fullness in the epigastrium and abdomen
  • Labored, heavy breathing
  • Urinary difficulty
  • Asthma
  • Chest distention
  • General edema in summer
  • Gasping
  • Rapid breathing
  • T: Normal
  • C: White and slippery
  • P: Thready and moderate or slipper
Treatment Principle
  • Resolve Dampness
  • Reduce edema
  • Regulate Qi
  • Strengthen the Kidneys
  • Reduce swelling
Herb Formulas
Points
Clinical Manifestations
  • Edema in limbs, especially lower limbs
  • Maybe anasarca
  • Maybe abdominal distention
  • Loose stools
  • Physical and mental fatigue
  • T: Pale
  • C: White and moist
  • P: Soft and even
Treatment Principle
  • Warm Yang
  • Strengthen the Spleen
  • Benefit Qi
  • Move water
Herb Formulas
Points
Clinical Manifestations
  • Body cold
  • Limbs icy
  • Complexion white and shiny
  • Low back, knees and abdomen feel cold and painful
  • Lower abdomen feels cold and painful
  • Loose stools containing undigested food
  • “Cock-crow” diarrhea (occurs at about 5 am)
  • Edema of face and limbs
  • Dysuria
  • Severe:
    Abdominal ascites
  • T: Pale, moist and swollen
  • C: Thin and white or White and greasy
  • P: Deep, thready, weak and maybe slow
Treatment Principle
  • Warm and Reinforce the Spleen and Kidneys
Herb Formulas
Points
Clinical Manifestations
  • Sudden collapse with loss of consciousness
  • Mouth open and hands relaxed
  • Eyes closed
  • Limbs cold
  • Snoring
  • Perspiration ("flows like oil")
  • Incontinence of urine and feces
  • T: Not described
  • P: Minute and thready - about to collapse or Superficial and big but with no root (with a red face)
Treatment Principle
  • Support Zheng Qi
  • Consolidate Exhaustion
  • Strengthen Qi
  • Return Yang
Herb Formulas
Points
Clinical Manifestations
  • Palpitations
  • Shortness of breath (especially on exertion)
  • Excessive perspiration (in daytime)
  • Symptoms worse after exertion or when tired
  • Facial pallor
  • Fatigue
  • Weakness
  • Suffocating sensation in chest
  • T: Pale and swollen
  • C: White
  • P: Weak or Big and weak or Intermittent
Treatment Principle
  • Reinforce and Strengthen Heart Qi
Herb Formulas
Points
Clinical Manifestations
  • Palpitations
  • Shortness of breath
  • Excessive perspiration (daytime)
  • Above symptoms worse after exertion or when tired
  • Cold limbs
  • Fatigue
  • Weakness
  • Maybe chills
  • Cyanosis
  • Suffocating sensation in chest
  • Depression
  • Facial pallor
  • T: Pale and swollen
  • C: White
  • P: Thready and weak or Knotted or Intermittent
Treatment Principle
  • Warm and Clear Heart Yang
Herb Formulas
Points
Clinical Manifestations
  • Palpitations
  • Shortness of breath
  • Excessive perspiration (daytime)
  • Above symptoms worse after exertion or when tired
  • Fatigue
  • Weakness
  • Maybe chills
  • Cyanosis
  • Suffocating sensation in chest
  • Depression
  • Facial pallor
  • All four limbs cold
  • Watery stools with undigested food
  • Maybe loss of consciousness
  • T: Pale and swollen
  • C: White
  • P: Thready and weak or Knotted or Intermittent
Treatment Principle
  • Return Yang
  • Relieve contravection
Herb Formulas
Points
Clinical Manifestations
  • Body hot but desires warm bedclothes
  • Feeling of thirst with no desire to drink
  • Vomiting immediately after drinking
  • Agitation
  • Face and cheeks flushed
  • Watery stools with undigested food
  • P: Minute (on the point of collapse)
Treatment Principle
  • Warm Cold
  • Return Yang
  • Clear Communication between the Inside and Outside
Herb Formulas
Points
Clinical Manifestations
  • Palpitations
  • Shortness of breath
  • Drenched with perspiration
  • Above symptoms worse on exertion or when tired
  • Four limbs cold
  • Cyanosis of mouth and lips
  • Faint, weak respiration
  • P: Minute (on the point of collapse)
Treatment Principle
  • Return Yang
  • Consolidate Exhaustion
Herb Formulas
Points
Clinical Manifestations
  • Edema of whole body particularly at and below the waist
  • Pitting edema
  • Low back pain, aching and heaviness
  • Abdominal distention with full sensations
  • Oliguria
  • Cold limbs
  • Face gray and congested or pale
  • Feeling nervous and cold with mental weariness
  • In severe cases:
    Ascites
    Edema of scrotum
  • T: Pale and swollen
  • C: Thin, white or Thick, white and sticky
  • P: Deep and thready
  • With Water Flooding the Lungs:
    Cough with copious, thin watery phlegm
    Asthma with phlegmy sound (wheezing)
    Dyspnea
    Facial edema
    Edema of limbs
    Dysuria
    T: Pale and swollen
    C: White and moist or White and greasy
    P: Superficial and tight
Treatment Principle
  • Warm Kidneys
  • Promote diuresis
Herb Formulas
Points
Clinical Manifestations
  • Palpitations
  • Irritability
  • Anxiety
  • Easily startled
  • Insomnia
  • Much dreaming
  • Poor memory
  • Dizziness
  • Pale face and lips
  • T: Pale
  • P: Thready and weak
Treatment Principle
  • Nourish Heart Blood
  • Calm the Heart and Shen
Herb Formulas
Points
Clinical Manifestations
  • Palpitations
  • Insomnia
  • Much dreaming
  • Easily startled
  • Poor memory
  • Four limbs tired and lethargic
  • Loss of appetite
  • Distention and fullness of the epigastrium and abdomen
  • Loose stools
  • Sallow complexion
  • Copious, pale menses
  • Uterine bleeding or
  • Light menstrual flow or
  • Amenorrhea
  • T: Pale
  • P: Thready and weak
Treatment Principle
  • Reinforce and Benefit the Heart and Spleen
Herb Formulas
Points
Clinical Manifestations
  • Palpitations
  • Shortness of breath
  • Asthma
  • Soft weak cough
  • Prolonged bouts of coughing with dyspnea
  • Expectoration of clear, watery Phlegm
  • Suffocating sensation in the chest
  • Spontaneous, weak perspiration
  • All of the above manifestations are exacerbated by exertion
  • Shiny white complexion
  • Weak voice
  • Catches colds easily
  • T: Pale
  • C: Thin and white
  • P: Weak or Thready and weak
Treatment Principle
  • Reinforce and Benefit Heart and Lung Qi
Herb Formulas
Points
Clinical Manifestations
  • Cold extremities
  • Spontaneous perspiration
  • Weak breathing
  • Shortness of breath
  • Dizziness
  • An extremely pale face
  • Intolerance of Cold
  • Cold abdominal pain
  • Loose stools
  • Upset stomach
  • Lung abscess
  • Coughing
  • Wheezing
  • Fullness and distention in the chest
  • Profuse Phlegm and saliva
  • Dysuria
  • Edema
  • Nasal congestion
  • Clear, watery rhinorrhea
  • Oliguria
  • Loss of taste and smell
  • Dyspnea
  • Edema of the face and eyes
  • Insomnia
  • T: Pale and Swollen
  • C: White and greasy
  • P: Slippery or Minute (almost imperceptible)
Treatment Principle
  • Restore Yang
  • Strongly tonify Yuan Qi
  • Rescue Qi from collapse due to Vanquished Yang
  • Drain the Lungs
  • Move s Fluids
  • Drive out Phlegm
  • Stop cough
  • Calm wheezing
Herb Formulas
Points
Clinical Manifestations
  • Insomnia with much dreaming
  • Spermatorrhea with erotic dreams
  • Premature ejaculation
  • Irritability
  • Easily startled
  • Palpitations
  • Poor memory
  • Dizziness
  • Tinnitus
  • Low back soreness
  • Legs weak
  • Tidal fever
  • Night sweats
  • Dry mouth
  • Red cheeks
  • Urine short and red
  • T: Red
  • C: Little or None
  • P: Thready and rapid
Treatment Principle
  • Nourish Yin
  • Reduce Fire
  • Make Heart and Kidney communicate
Herb Formulas
Points
Clinical Manifestations
  • Facial complexion pale and sallow
  • Both cheeks slightly red
  • Dizziness
  • Dry eyes
  • Blurred vision
  • Spots before the eyes
  • Numbness of limbs
  • Flaccid paralysis (Wei syndrome), weakness
  • Tinnitus
  • Deafness
  • Forgetfulness
  • Low back and knees sore and painful
  • Throat dry and painful
  • Five sole Heat
  • Low-grade fever
  • Night sweats
  • Irritability
  • Insomnia
  • Stools difficult to pass
  • Constipation
  • Men:
    Spermatorrhea
  • Women:
    Irregular menses or
    Scanty menses or
    Amenorrhea
    Vaginal discharge
  • T: Red
  • C: None
  • P: Thready and rapid
Treatment Principle
  • Nourish and Reinforce the Liver and Kidneys
Herb Formulas
Points
Clinical Manifestations
  • Cardiac edema
  • Generalized edema
  • Sensation of heaviness, distention and fullness in the epigastrium and abdomen
  • Labored, heavy breathing
  • Urinary difficulty
  • Asthma
  • Chest distention
  • General edema in summer
  • Gasping
  • Rapid breathing
  • T: Normal
  • C: White and slippery
  • P: Thready and moderate or slipper
Treatment Principle
  • Resolve Dampness
  • Reduce edema
  • Regulate Qi
  • Strengthen the Kidneys
  • Reduce swelling
Herb Formulas
Points
Clinical Manifestations
  • Dizziness
  • Tinnitus or deafness
  • Poor memory
  • Aching, soreness or weakness of the low back
  • Spermatorrhea or
  • Premature ejaculation
  • Aching in the bones
  • Aching in the leg and heel
  • Dry mouth
  • Thirst
  • Night sweats
  • Five Sole Heat
  • Malar flush
  • Low grade fever in the afternoon
  • Dry throat, maybe recurrent sore throat
  • Dry stools and/or
  • Constipation
  • Urine short and red
  • Heightened libido
  • If Heart Fire also Flares:
    Insomnia
    Frequent dreams
    Palpitations
  • If Liver Yang also Rises:
    Dizziness
    Blurred vision
  • T: Red
  • C: Little or None
  • P: Thready and rapid
Treatment Principle
  • Nourish Yin
  • Subdue Fire
Herb Formulas
Points
Clinical Manifestations
  • Lower abdominal pain and Cold
  • Abdomen feels chilled
  • Aching bones and joints
  • Muscle ache
  • Whole body pain
  • Aversion to Cold, especially at the back
  • Cold limbs
  • No Thirst
  • Lower abdominal pain and Cold
  • Abdomen feels chilled
  • Maybe fever
  • No thirst
  • T: Normal
  • C: White and slippery
  • P: Deep and faint or Forceless or Choppy and slow or Wiry
Treatment Principle
  • Dispel Cold
  • Warm the channels
  • Assist Yang
  • Dispel Dampness
  • Relieve pain
Herb Formulas
Points
Clinical Manifestations
  • Pitting edema
  • Numbness
  • Fatigue
  • Weakness in the legs
  • Palpitations
  • Distention beneath the Heart
  • Constipation
  • Dyspnea
  • T: Blue purple maybe with purple or red spots
  • C: White
  • P: Choppy or Wiry and choppy
Treatment Principle
  • Dispel water accumulation
  • Disperse Qi and Blood Stagnation
  • Relieve constipation
Herb Formulas
Points
Clinical Manifestations
  • General edema of the body and extremities
  • Dysuria
  • Oliguria
  • Orthopnea
  • Pitting edema
  • Dyspnea
  • Gasping
  • Anorexia
  • Abdominal fullness and pain
  • T: Thick
  • C: White and thick
  • P: Slow or Wiry
Treatment Principle
  • Dispel Stagnant Water
  • Dry Dampness
  • Eliminate water from the Lungs
  • Harmonizes the Spleen
  • Relieve edema
  • Move Qi
Herb Formulas
Points
Clinical Manifestations
  • Shortness of breath
  • Increased dyspnea when lying down
  • Asthma
  • Abdominal pain
  • Chest and epigastric fullness and distention
  • A dark facial complexion
  • Scanty urination
  • Edema
  • P: Deep and tight
Treatment Principle
  • Activate Water circulation to eliminate Stagnation
  • Descend Qi
Herb Formulas
Points
Clinical Manifestations
  • Anorexia
  • Edema
  • Abdominal distention
  • Chest and hypochondriac distention
  • Dizziness
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Vertigo
  • Thirst with no desire to drink
  • Maybe no thirst
  • Palpitations
  • Shortness of Breath
  • T: Normal
  • C: Thick and slippery
  • P: Slippery, full and maybe wiry
Treatment Principle
  • Warm and Dissolve Tan Yin
Herb Formulas
Points
Clinical Manifestations
  • Heaviness
  • Swollen extremities
  • Pain in the extremities
  • Sluggish urination
  • Aversion to Cold
  • Fever
  • Anhidrosis
  • Cough
  • Asthma with Phlegm
  • T: Swollen
  • C: Greasy and white
  • P: Tight and wiry
Treatment Principle
  • Warm Yang
  • Benefit water
  • Dispel exogenous pathogens
Herb Formulas
Points
Clinical Manifestations
  • Cough
  • Asthma
  • Shortness of breath which is worse when lying down
  • Abdominal distention with water retention
  • Edema in the lower extremities
  • Facial edema
  • T: White bubbles
  • C: Thick, greasy and white
  • P: Thready
Treatment Principle
  • Regulate the Lungs
  • Purge Yin
Herb Formulas
Points