Reason for consultation
Paresthesia and tingling in the extremities
Clinical history
The patient suffers from paresthesia and tingling in the extremities, especially in the hands, with lack of strength for a couple of years. They started with cold and then are constant at any time. They worsen with cold in winter. He has headaches in the temples, which go to the supraciliary zone and inner angle of the eye. The headache usually occurs at the same time as the paresthesia.
The patient feels tired, especially during the morning. He says he has difficulty getting started. He is rather sensitive to cold and has cold extremities. He also has chest oppression, chronic pharyngitis, stiffness of the neck, lack of concentration and memory. Gas with borborigmus, slow digestion and little appetite.
The urine is clear and abundant and frequent at night. The stools are sometimes loose.
The tongue is pale with teeth marks and moist coating.
Pulse is weak and deep.
Diagnosis
- Picture of yang qi weakened -> starts with cold and then has generalized, always starts in winter.
- Spleen symptoms -> cold extremities (the Spleen channel must first go to the 4 limbs to nourish them), lack of concentration and memory.
- Ma Mu (tingling and numbness): paresthesia -> lack of Blood (and possibly Qi)
- Pharyngitis and neck -> Tai Yin; they are secondary symptoms
If Tai Yin is weak, Yang Ming does not have enough energy to fulfill its functions.
- Wei symptoms are treated through Yang Ming
It is not a problem of obstruction, rather of lack of blood/energy (Qi and Blood deficiency).
- Spleen-Yang deficiency, with Qi/Blood deficiency in the 4 limbs