Regarding the thorax, we will ask if there is pain or a feeling of oppression, which are the main symptoms that may be present. Their details and characteristics help us differentiate the cause.
Thoracic pain
Due to Heart-Yang deficiency
Thoracic pain and oppression with palpitations. The pain radiates to the arm. (heart attack, angina pectoris...) Where there is no Yang (sun), Yin appears (dampness, cold, darkness). That Yin (in the form of Phlegm or cold) causes stagnation of Qi and Blood. Yang of the thorax must be restored. See Heart-Yang deficiency BL-14, BL-15 and 17 BL, BL-43, PC-9, PC-6, SP-4]
Due to Lung disorder
- Excess of Fire overacting on Metal (see:Pathology according to the Five Elements). A Full-Heat would cause thoracic pain among other symptoms: cough, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, heat, fever, red face.
- Due to Empty-Heat, Lung-Yin deficiency: after a febrile disease, thoracic pain remains with dry cough or phlegm with threads of blood, hot flushes, five-palm heat, sweating. The thoracic pain has a burning sensation.
Due to trauma
Broken rib, inflammation from coughing... Any trauma causes obstruction of the channels. Depending on the affected area: Yang Ming ST-43 Shu-Stream point ST, or Shao Yang GB-41. In the hypochondrium LR-14. SP-21 is essential if chronic.
- If the pain is acute we use the Shu-Stream point
- If the pain is chronic we use the Connecting point
Thoracic oppression
Due to excess of Phlegm
Abundant white mucus in the Lungs, cough, shortness of breath. Phlegm obstructs the thorax. CV-17; CV-12; BL-13; BL-20; LU-7; ST-40
Due to emotional problems
Suffocation, anxiety, nervousness, irritability, sighing, pain. Liver-Qi stagnation due to anger and contained frustration. LR-2 and LR-3, LR-14, PC-6, CV-17, LI-4
Cold pattern
Yang deficiency. Cold stagnates, freezes.
Heat pattern
Anxiety, tachycardia, insomnia. Fire due to Liver-Qi stagnation
Constitutional Lung-Qi deficiency
Pallor, weakness, asthma, frequent sighing. Shortness of breath. Weak pulse. See Lung-Qi deficiency