The relationship between Yin and Yang as opposite poles of the same thing or phenomenon, constantly growing and decreasing is dynamic. Not static. They tend toward balance in movement, if Yin decreases Yang increases and vice versa. If one advances, the other retreats. In this way they ensure natural development and change:
- From spring to summer, cold gradually decreases while heat increases, Yin decreases and Yang increases. From autumn to winter the opposite occurs, heat (Yang) decreases and cold (Yin) increases.
- The day ends (Yang is consumed), the night grows (Yin increases)
- During winter (Yin), the body shivers (Yang) to produce heat.
If we speak of a "whole", it is not possible for an excess of Yin or Yang to exist without having consumed a part of its opposite. Similarly, if Yang is in deficiency, the external manifestation may appear to be an excess of Yin, since Yang is weak.
If Yin or Yang increase above their normal limits, their opposite will be consumed as a natural result of the search for balance, even though this is a pathological state in itself. For example: if body temperature rises due to an infection (fever), body fluids will be consumed (sweat). This is not a normal balance, since it comes from an excess of Yang at the beginning and it is due to this excess that Yin is consumed.
Excess/deficiency of Yin and Yang
There are four possible manifestations and differentiating one from the other is very important, since sometimes an excess of Yang can be confused with a deficiency of Yin or a deficiency of Yang could be confused with an excess of Yang if attention is not paid to the details.
The predominant condition in this case is Yin such as cold, an attack of cold wind that invades the body can produce an excess of cold that consumes Yang. This phenomenon is known as cold from excess.
The lack of Yang leads to cold, however the lack of heat predominates and not the excess of cold that is apparent. We will say that it is cold from deficiency.
An excess of heat either internal or external consumes body fluids producing dryness, here the excess of heat predominates that causes fluid deficiency or dryness. It is called heat from excess.
The general exhaustion of the body comes from Yin deficiency, this causes an apparent heat, but the deficiency prevails, it is called heat from deficiency.
It is very important to know how to identify between an excess of heat or cold or heat or cold from deficiency, while in excesses the treatment strategy will be to expel pathogenic factors, in deficiencies we will have to tonify.
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