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The Heart in Traditional Chinese Medicine

Alternative Medicine and Natural Health

The Heart is considered a yin organ and it is paired with the Small Intestine. The Heart in Traditional Chinese Medicine is said to “dominate the Blood” and the blood vessels. In many respects this reflects the Western conception of the heart and the TCM pattern ascribed to a heart attack or to angina– Stagnant Heart Blood – is strikingly similar to the Western understanding. Phenomenon such as irregular pulse or palpitations are related to the Heart in TCM just as they are in Western medicine.

In TCM however the Heart has a much broader set of functions and relationships than simply pumping blood. In TCM, the Heart houses the Shen, which can be loosely translated to mean the mind. As a result, most conditions that Western medicine would describe as psychological, psychiatric or mental would in TCM be described as a disorder of the Heart, as would many conditions associated with the physical brain. Schizophrenia, manic depression, epilepsy, depression and stroke are often related to patterns of Heart dysfunction.

The relationship of the Heart to the mind is also reflected in patterns of sleep - insomnia, in TCM, is a Heart problem as are nightmares – and in the ability to remember past events.

The Heart is related to the tongue and as a result both the physical inability to use the tongue and the inability to speak logically are associated with Heart disorders. The state of Heart is also manifested in the face and complexion, specifically in the color of the complexion. A red, pale or blue complexion indicates Heart patterns.

Clinically, the most common Heart imbalance I see as an acupuncturist is Heart Blood Deficiency. This is characterized by anxiety, palpitations, trouble getting to sleep, and often difficulty concentrating or depression. An interesting overlap between TCM and Western medicine is that patients diagnosed with anemia will usually display signs of Heart Blood Deficiency.

The acupuncture meridian associated with the Heart begins in the armpit and travels down the ulnar side of the arm to terminate at the little finger. It is interesting to note that the pain associated with a heart attack often radiates down the arm following this meridian.