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The Spleen in Traditional Chinese Medicine

Alternative Medicine and Natural Health

The Spleen is considered a yin organ and is paired with the Stomach. The concept of the Spleen in Chinese Medicine is vastly different than the concept of the spleen in Western medicine. Whereas in Western medicine, the spleen is primarily concerned with removing old blood cells from the circulation, in Chinese medicine the Spleen is the central organ of digestion. Some have speculated that this is a widely propagated mistranslation as the Spleen function in TCM is far more similar to the Western conception of the pancreas and that we should even call this the Pancreas.

Be that as it may, convention rules. This disparity between Chinese and Western medical theory is the rule rather than the exception. Even when anatomical or physiological concepts superficially agree, when we look deeper we see that no deeper correlation exists. In Chinese medicine an Organ is understood through its functions and relationships, while in Western medicine an organ is understood as a physical object. This is why we can have an organ, the Triple Burner, in TCM that has no counterpart in Western medicine.

In digestion the Spleen is responsible for “Transportation and Transformation”. This applies to food and drink. The Spleen is responsible for the absorption of nutrients and fluids from food that has been prepared by the Stomach. The Spleen absorbs the Qi or vital energy from food and distributes it to the body. It also makes Blood. Diarrhea, loss of appetite and other symptoms related to digestion are often related to the Spleen.

In addition to its digestive functions, the Spleen is also responsible for controlling Blood and keeping Blood within the vessels. Hemorrhages, whether subcutaneous or from an orifice are often related to Spleen dysfunction (they can also be related to Heat). Similarly, the Spleen is responsible for keeping organs in their places and organ prolapses are due to Spleen weakness.

The Spleen in Chinese medicine has a relationship to the muscles, the mouth and lips, so problems in these areas can be treated with acupuncture points related to the Spleen. Mentally, Spleen dysfunction is related to excessive thinking or racing thoughts, as well as poor memory for facts or data.

The most common pattern of energetic imbalance that I see clinically as an acupuncturist is Spleen Qi Deficiency. This is easy to understand when we consider that the average American diet is quite poor nutritionally and that the Spleen is responsible for digestion. Also, since over-thinking can damage the Spleen and modern life tends to involve excess mental activity, we can see how diet and stress, the two biggest challenges to our health, primarily affect the Spleen. Symptoms of Spleen Qi Deficiency are mental and physical fatigue, loose stool, fullness or distension after eating, depression and lack of strength.

The acupuncture meridian associated with the Spleen begins on the inside of the big toe and travels up the inside of the leg over the abdomen and ends in the side of the chest.