WEI SYNDROME (ATROPHY DISORDER)

Clinical Manifestations
  • Atrophy Syndrome, or Wei Syndrome, refers to a group of disorders whose symptoms range from flaccidity and weakness in the sinews and muscles to diminished muscle mass. Muscular atrophy may be localized or systemic. The lower extremities are often most affected resulting in weakness and difficulty ambulating. As the capacity for voluntary movement diminishes, unremitting Wei Syndrome progresses to a total loss of mobility of the extremities.
    Atrophy syndrome is often caused by injuries to the Internal organs, especially insufficient Jing and Blood, and Yin Deficiency with Excessive Fire; therefore, symptoms pertaining to Heat or Deficiency are common.
  • Classification:
    1. Muscle flaccidity syndrome (Spleen)
    2. Bone flaccidity syndrome (Kidney)
    3. Tendon flaccidity syndrome (Liver)
    4. Vascular flaccidity syndrome (Heart)
    5. Skin flaccidity syndrome (Lung)
Treatment Principle
Herb Formulas
Points
Clinical Manifestations
  • High fever
  • Great thirst
  • Anhidrosis
  • Abdominal pain
  • Irritability
  • Restlessness
  • Feverish body parts
  • Red face
  • No constipation
  • No aversion to Cold
  • Scanty urine
  • Jaundice
    A greasy light colored stool
    A bitter taste in the mouth
  • T:  Red
  • C:  Greasy and yellow
  • P:  Slippery, wiry and forceful
Treatment Principle
  • Clear Heat
  • Remove Dampness
  • Regulate Qi flow of the Liver and Gall Bladder to remove jaundice
Herb Formulas
Points
Clinical Manifestations
  • Swollen painful joints (especially lower limbs)
  • Joints are warm to the touch (may be burning and swollen)
  • The pain is worse at night
  • Reduced range of motion
  • Chills
  • Anhidrosis
  • Weight loss
  • Shortness of breath
  • Muscular atrophy
  • Difficulty walking and moving
  • Thirst
  • Hemiplegia
  • Rigidity of the limbs
  • Headache
  • Dizziness
  • Vertigo
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Edema
  • Emaciation
  • Swollen feet
  • Numbness of the extremities
  • Paralysis
  • Fatigue
  • T: Normal
  • C: White and greasy or Thin, yellow and greasy
  • P: Wiry and slippery or Slippery and rapid
Treatment Principle
  • Unblocks Yang
  • Promotes the movement of Qi
  • Dispels Wind
  • Eliminates Dampness
  • Clears Heat
  • Unblocks the channels and collaterals
  • Stops pain
Herb Formulas
Points
Clinical Manifestations
  • Whole body numbness
  • Deviation of mouth and eyes
  • Numbness of skin
  • Dysphagia due to stiffness of the tongue
  • Hemiplegia
  • Rigidity of the extremities
  • Spasms of the extremities
  • Aversion to Cold
  • Fever
  • Chills
  • Aching joints
  • Tingling of the skin
  • Paralysis of the extremities
  • Numbness and lack of sensation in the hands and feet
  • Common cold (with above symptoms)
  • Inability to walk
  • Wandering joints pain
  • T: Pink or Red
  • C: White or Thin yellow
  • P: Superficial or Superficial and wiry or superficial and tight or Wiry and thin
Treatment Principle
  • Dispel Wind
  • Clear Heat
  • Circulate Qi
  • Dredge the channels
  • Nourish and invigorates the Blood
  • Harmonize the Ying and Wei
Herb Formulas
Points
  • General points
Clinical Manifestations
  • Excruciating sharp, stabbing joint pain
  • Pain alleviated by warmth and aggravated by Cold
  • Pain with fixed location
  • Few joints are involved
  • The joints cannot be flexed or extended
  • No local redness or Heat
  • Painful area often feels cold to the touch
  • Pain worse at night and better during the day
  • Pain mostly affects low back and lower extremities
  • Pain intense but short lived
  • Pain changes over days or weeks
  • Ankylosis (stiffness) of joint
  • Aversion to Cold
  • Maybe chills with a slight fever
  • Anhidrosis
  • Frequent nocturnal urination
  • T: Pink or Pale
  • C: Thin and white (thicker than for Wind-Bi)
  • P: Superficial and tight or Wiry and tight - maybe slow
Treatment Principle
  • Warm the channels
  • Activate Qi and Blood.
Herb Formulas
Points
Clinical Manifestations
  • Flaccidity
  • Atrophy
  • Fever during the initial stage of an illness or
  • Fever followed by weakness, rapidly developing flaccidity and immobility of the extremities with muscular atrophy, and dry skin
  • Low grade fever and Yin impairment
  • Usually lower extremities
  • Dry skin
  • Restlessness
  • Irritability
  • Thirst
  • Cough
  • A dry throat
  • Scanty sputum
  • Scanty, yellow urine
  • Dry stool
  • T: Red
  • C: Yellow and scanty
  • P: Thready and rapid
Treatment Principle
  • Clear Heat from the Lungs
  • Moisten the Lungs
  • Nourish the tendons and bones
Herb Formulas
Points
Clinical Manifestations
  • Heaviness of the limbs
  • Weak and flaccid extremities
  • Occasional numbness
  • Slight swelling in the affected extremities
  • Most often affects the lower extremities
  • Possibly fever
  • Stifling sensation in the chest and epigastrium
  • Obesity
  • Edema
  • Skin problems
  • Dark, scanty, painful and difficult urination
  • A sensation of Heat that begins at the dorsum of the foot and slowly progresses up the leg to the waist
  • T: Red
  • C: Yellow and greasy
  • P: Soft and rapid and possibly slippery
Treatment Principle
  • Clear Heat
  • Dry Dampness
  • Open the channels
Herb Formulas
Points
Clinical Manifestations
  • Gradual onset of flaccidity and weakness of the extremities aggravated by exertion
  • Gradual loss of muscle mass
  • Sallow complexion
  • Facial puffiness
  • Fatigue
  • Lassitude
  • Anorexia
  • No desire for food and drink
  • Frequent belching
  • Borborygmus
  • Loss of sensation of taste
  • Four limbs feel tired and heavy
  • Abdominal and epigastric distention after eating
  • Maybe acid regurgitation or vomiting
  • Loose stools
  • Shortness of breath
  • Urine clear and abundant
  • T: Pale and flabby - may have teethmarks
  • C: White
  • P: Even, forceless and Deficient or Thready and forceless
Treatment Principle
  • Tonify and Strengthen the Spleen and Stomach
  • Augment Qi
Herb Formulas
Points
Clinical Manifestations
  • Steaming bone disorder
  • Afternoon fever
  • Tidal fever
  • Night sweats
  • Spontaneous seminal emissions
  • Irritability
  • Heat and pain in the knees (maybe with weakness)
  • Atrophy and weakness of the knees and legs
  • Red face
  • Restless fever
  • Hematemesis
  • Sore knees
  • Sore lower back
  • Maybe hemoptysis
  • May be constant hunger
  • Maybe constipation
  • Hot flashes
  • Restlessness
  • Fidgeting
  • Insomnia with frequent dreams
  • Productive bloody cough
  • Easily angered
  • Nightmares
  • Sore feet with flaccidity
  • Tinnitus
  • Burning sensation over Kidneys
  • Dizziness or vertigo
  • Five Sole Heat
  • Cough
  • T: Red
  • C: Little or None
  • P: Thready, Excess and rapid in the Chi position
Treatment Principle
  • Nourish Yin
  • Descend Fire
Herb Formulas
Points
  • General points
Clinical Manifestations
  • Fatigue
  • Muscle spasms with alternating flexion and extension of the extremities
  • Prostration
  • Clonic convulsions
  • Dizziness - worse with stress or anger
  • Impaired vision
  • Night blindness
  • Tinnitus
  • Irascibility
  • Throbbing headache with distended feeling
  • Flushed face
  • Blurred vision
  • Red, dry eyes with feeling of grit in eye
  • Dry mouth and throat with bitter taste in mouth
  • Palpitations
  • Headache
  • Nervousness
  • Insomnia with much dreaming
  • Dry throat
  • Thirst
  • Five sole Heat (palms, soles and center of chest)
  • Night sweats
  • Light or late menses or
  • Amenorrhea
  • T: Red and dry or Deep red
  • C: Little or None or Thin or Peeled
  • P: Thready and wiry or Wiry and rapid (when Yang is Rising and Excess, pulse is forceful or Thready and rapid when Yang is not prominent) or Weak and faint
Treatment Principle
  • Nourish Yin
  • Pacify the Liver
  • Subdue Yang
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
  • A hard, palpable lump in the epigastrium
  • Facial color dark and dull or pale
  • Emaciation
  • Sides and ribs distended on both sides (maybe with sharp pain)
  • Enlargement of the Liver and Spleen
  • Suffocating sensation in chest
  • Tendency to sigh
  • Men:
    Spermatorrhea
  • Women:
    Irregular menses or
    Scanty menses or
    Amenorrhea
    Vaginal discharge
  • T: Red
  • C: None
  • P: Thready and rapid
Treatment Principle
  • Break up Blood Stasis,
  • Activate the Blood
  • Moisten the Intestines
  • Unblock the bowels
  • Nourish Yin
  • Reduce swelling
Herb Formulas
Points
  • General points
Clinical Manifestations
  • Weak and Cold lower back
  • Difficulty rising
  • T: Pale and swollen
  • P: Very deep and weak
Treatment Principle
  • Tonify the Kidneys
  • Warm Yang
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 in the afternoon
  • Night sweats
  • Irritability
  • Stools difficult to pass
  • Constipation
  • Aching, soreness or weakness of low back
  • Aching in bones
  • Aching in leg and heel
  • Dry mouth
  • Thirst
  • Men:
    Spermatorrhea
    Premature ejaculation
  • Women:
    Irregular menses or
    Scanty menses or
    Amenorrhea
    Vaginal discharge
  • Dry throat, maybe recurrent sore throat
  • Dry stools and / or constipation
  • Urine short and red
  • Heightened libido
  • If Liver Yang also Rises:
    Dizziness
    Blurred vision
  • T: Red
  • C: None
  • P: Thready and rapid
Treatment Principle
  • Anchor Liver Yang
  • Calm the Spirit
  • Benefit Yin
  • Nourish the Kidneys
  • Augment the Liver
  • Activate and tonifies the Blood
  • Clear Heat
  • Cool the Blood
  • Drain Kidney Fire
Herb Formulas
Points
  • General points
Clinical Manifestations
  • Slow and gradual onset
  • Weak and flaccid lower limbs
  • Muscle twitching
  • Soreness and weakness of the lower back and spine
  • Inability to stand for a long time
  • Total loss of mobility and severe loss of muscle mass can result with exacerbation
  • Dizziness
  • Vertigo
  • Hair loss
  • Dry throat
  • Tinnitus
  • Fatigue
  • Nocturnal emissions
  • Enuresis
  • Fecal and urinary incontinence
  • Irregular menstruation
  • Dysmenorrhea
  • T: Red
  • C: Little or None
  • P: Thready and rapid
Treatment Principle
  • Tonify the Liver and Kidneys
  • Nourish Yin
  • Clear Heat
Herb Formulas
Points
Clinical Manifestations
  • Hemiplegia
  • Paralysis
  • Atrophy of the lower limbs
  • Facial paralysis
  • Slurred speech
  • Drooling
  • Dry stools
  • Frequent urination
  • Urinary incontinence
  • Deviation of the eyes and mouth
  • Excess salivation
  • Cold extremities
  • Asthenia
  • T: Normal
  • C: White
  • P: Moderate
Treatment Principle
  • Tonify Qi
  • Activate the Blood
  • Unblock the channels
  • Promote movement in the limbs
Herb Formulas
Points
  • General points
Clinical Manifestations
  • Emaciation
  • Weak low back
  • Dry skin
  • T: Pale or Red and dry
  • C: White or Little or None
  • P: Weak and thin
Treatment Principle
  • Tonify Qi
  • Nourish Yin
Herb Formulas
Points
Clinical Manifestations
  • Uterine bleeding
  • Cold extremities
  • Pale or sallow face
  • Dizziness
  • General fatigue
  • Coarse skin
  • Nocturnal emissions
  • Weak knees
  • Fatigue
  • Dyspnea
  • Night sweats
  • Irregular menstruation
  • Insomnia
  • Intolerance of Cold
  • Decreased eyesight after a prolonged illness
  • Anxiety
  • Intermittent fever
  • Jaundice
  • Deficient cough
  • Shortness of breath
  • Palpitations
  • Anorexia
  • Listlessness
  • Lassitude
  • Spontaneous sweating
  • Spermatorrhea
  • Continuous spotting
  • Leukorrhea
  • Weak legs and knees
  • T: Pale
  • C: Thin and white
  • P: Thready and weak
Treatment Principle
  • Replenish Yang
  • Warm and tonify Qi and Blood
Herb Formulas
Points
Clinical Manifestations
  • Weakness of the knees
  • Soreness of the lower back
  • Lumbago
  • Atrophy of the leg muscles
  • Lower back weakness
  • Knee pain
  • Difficulty walking
  • Emaciation
  • Impotence
  • Poor memory
  • Dizziness
  • Night sweats
  • Five-sole Heat
  • Aggravation of the pain by Damp weather
  • Pale complexion
  • Profuse urination at night
  • Tinnitus
  • Hair loss
  • Sensation of warmth
  • Thirst
  • Dry skin
  • T: Red or Pale and flabby with teethmarks
  • C: Little or Thin and white
  • P: Thready and weak, especially in the Kidney positions
Treatment Principle
  • Tonify the Liver and Kidneys
  • Strengthen the tendons and bones
  • Eliminate Damp-Heat
  • Tonify Kidney Jing
  • Relieve rheumatic pain
Herb Formulas
Points
Clinical Manifestations
  • Chronic flaccidity and weakness of the limbs
  • Muscular atrophy
  • Weakness and numbness of the limbs
  • Dark-colored skin or
  • Dry, scaled, fish-like skin
  • Possible muscular pain
  • Possible spasm leading to paralysis
  • Blood vessels may be visible on the skin surface
    T: /purple tongue
    P: Choppy/uneven, thready
  • T: Dusky, purple
  • C: Thin and white
  • P: Choppy or Choppy and thready
Treatment Principle
  • Circulate Qi
  • Activate the Blood
  • Eliminate Stasis
  • Open the channels and collaterals
Herb Formulas
Points
Clinical Manifestations
  • Heat and pain in the joints and muscles
  • Severe limitation of movement
  • Fever and shaking chills
  • Lusterless yellow complexion
  • Scanty, dark urine
  • Pain worse on cloudy or rainy days
  • Arthralgia involving one or several joints
  • Local redness and Heat of the extremities
  • Swelling with excruciating pain
  • Pain better during the day and worse at night
  • Numbness of the muscles
  • Thirst
  • Dryness of the mouth
  • Irritability
  • Muscular atrophy
  • Restlessness
  • Anorexia
  • Desire for Cold drinks
  • Loose stools
  • Aversion to Heat
  • Fullness of the chest
  • Pain improved with Cold and worse with Heat
  • Muscular swelling
  • Muscle redness
  • General heaviness
  • T:Red, maybe flabby
  • C: Yellow and greasy
  • P: Slippery and rapid
Treatment Principle
  • Clear Heat
  • Eliminate Dampness
  • Activate the collaterals
  • Stop pain
Herb Formulas
Points
  • General points
Clinical Manifestations
  • A history of trauma  
  • Flaccidity or paralysis of the limbs 
  • Incontinence of urination and defecation
  • T: Dark and purplish 
  • C: Thin and white 
  • P: Astringent
Treatment Principle
  • Tonify Qi
  • Invigorate s the Blood
  • Unblock the channels
  • Promote movement in the limbs
Herb Formulas
Points