Patterns

Ankle Sprain · Wind-Cold-Damp Bi Pattern # Updated: June 23, 2026 Reviewed by: Dr. Li Wei, DACM Reading Time: 6 min Body Area: Ankle Pattern Overview # Wind-Cold-Damp Bi is a chronic pattern following ankle sprain, characterized by cold-induced stiffness, chronic ankle pain, and aggravation in cold weather. The core pathogenesis is invasion of Wind-Cold-Damp pathogens into the ankle meridians following incomplete healing, leading to persistent pain and stiffness. ...

Anxiety Disorders · Heart-Gallbladder Qi Deficiency Pattern # Updated: June 23, 2026 Reviewed by: Dr. Li Wei, DACM Reading Time: 7 min Body Area: Whole Body Pattern Overview # Heart-Gallbladder Qi Deficiency is a common pattern in anxiety disorders, characterized by amygdala-prefrontal cortex circuit dysfunction, anxiety, palpitations, fearfulness, and easy startling. The core pathogenesis is insufficient Heart Blood and Gallbladder Qi failing to calm the spirit, leading to excessive fear response, emotional instability, and autonomic dysfunction. ...

Anxiety Disorders · Heart-Spleen Deficiency Pattern # Updated: June 23, 2026 Reviewed by: Dr. Li Wei, DACM Reading Time: 7 min Body Area: Whole Body Pattern Overview # Heart-Spleen Deficiency is a common pattern in anxiety disorders, characterized by chronic stress exhaustion, anxiety, fatigue, poor sleep, and poor memory. The core pathogenesis is prolonged stress and overthinking consuming Heart Blood and Spleen Qi, leading to Shen (spirit) restlessness, anxiety, and systemic fatigue. ...

Anxiety Disorders · Liver Depression Transforming into Fire Pattern # Updated: June 23, 2026 Reviewed by: Dr. Li Wei, DACM Reading Time: 7 min Body Area: Whole Body Pattern Overview # Liver Depression Transforming into Fire is a common pattern in anxiety disorders, characterized by chronic stress-induced norepinephrine overrelease, anxiety, irritability, headache, and agitation. The core pathogenesis is prolonged stress causing Liver Qi stagnation transforming into Fire, leading to Shen (spirit) agitation, irritability, and autonomic hyperactivity. ...

Anxiety Disorders · Phlegm-Heat Internal Disturbance Pattern # Updated: June 23, 2026 Reviewed by: Dr. Li Wei, DACM Reading Time: 7 min Body Area: Whole Body Pattern Overview # Phlegm-Heat Internal Disturbance is a pattern in anxiety disorders, characterized by gut-brain axis dysfunction, anxiety, chest tightness, and sticky mouth. The core pathogenesis is accumulation of Phlegm-Heat in the body, causing disturbance of the Heart spirit, anxiety, and autonomic dysfunction. ...

Anxiety Disorders · Yin Deficiency with Fire Pattern # Updated: June 23, 2026 Reviewed by: Dr. Li Wei, DACM Reading Time: 7 min Body Area: Whole Body Pattern Overview # Yin Deficiency with Fire is a common pattern in anxiety disorders, characterized by sympathetic-adrenal medullary system hyperactivity, anxiety, palpitations, insomnia, and night sweats. The core pathogenesis is insufficient Yin failing to control Yang, leading to ascendant deficiency fire, Shen (spirit) restlessness, and autonomic hyperactivity. ...

Asthma · Cold Wheezing Pattern # Updated: June 23, 2026 Reviewed by: Dr. Li Wei, DACM Reading Time: 7 min Body Area: Chest Pattern Overview # Cold Wheezing is a common pattern in acute asthma exacerbation, characterized by cold air/allergen-induced bronchospasm, wheezing, chest tightness, white thin sputum, and aggravation by cold. The core pathogenesis is cold phlegm hiding in the Lung, triggered by external Cold, causing Qi obstruction, bronchospasm, and wheezing. ...

Asthma · Deficiency Wheezing (Lung-Spleen Qi Deficiency) Pattern # Updated: June 23, 2026 Reviewed by: Dr. Li Wei, DACM Reading Time: 7 min Body Area: Chest Pattern Overview # Deficiency Wheezing (Lung-Spleen Qi Deficiency) is a core pattern in asthma remission, characterized by recurrent asthma, fatigue, pale complexion, poor appetite, and susceptibility to colds. The core pathogenesis is Lung and Spleen Qi deficiency with weakened defensive exterior, making the patient vulnerable to external pathogens and recurrent asthma attacks. ...

Asthma · Heat Wheezing Pattern # Updated: June 23, 2026 Reviewed by: Dr. Li Wei, DACM Reading Time: 7 min Body Area: Chest Pattern Overview # Heat Wheezing is a common pattern in acute asthma exacerbation, characterized by airway inflammation, wheezing, yellow thick sputum, red face, and feverish sensation. The core pathogenesis is Phlegm-Heat accumulating in the Lung, causing Lung Qi to fail to descend, bronchospasm, and wheezing. ...

Asthma · Lung-Kidney Deficiency Pattern # Updated: June 23, 2026 Reviewed by: Dr. Li Wei, DACM Reading Time: 7 min Body Area: Chest Pattern Overview # Lung-Kidney Deficiency is a severe chronic pattern in asthma, characterized by chronic severe asthma, adrenal insufficiency, dyspnea on exertion, and poor Qi reception. The core pathogenesis is Lung and Kidney deficiency with failure of the Kidney to receive Qi, leading to severe asthma, shortness of breath, and reduced exercise tolerance. ...

Asthma · Phlegm Wheezing Pattern # Updated: June 23, 2026 Reviewed by: Dr. Li Wei, DACM Reading Time: 7 min Body Area: Chest Pattern Overview # Phlegm Wheezing is a common pattern in asthma, characterized by airway mucus hypersecretion, wheezing with phlegm sound, copious sticky sputum, and chest tightness. The core pathogenesis is Phlegm-turbidity obstructing the Lung, causing Lung Qi to fail to descend, mucus obstruction, and wheezing. ...

Bell’s Palsy · Phlegm-Blood Stasis Obstructing the Collaterals Pattern # Updated: June 23, 2026 Reviewed by: Dr. Li Wei, DACM Reading Time: 7 min Body Area: Head Pattern Overview # Phlegm-Blood Stasis Obstructing the Collaterals is a chronic pattern in Bell’s palsy, characterized by facial nerve recovery with scar adhesion, epineural fibrosis, aberrant regeneration, synkinesis, and facial muscle contracture. The core pathogenesis is Phlegm and Blood Stasis intermingling in the facial collaterals, leading to epineural fibrosis, scar adhesion, and aberrant nerve regeneration. ...