When I checked her pulses, the Liver pulse felt wiry, and the Spleen pulse was weak. In Chinese medicine terms, her Liver Chi was stuck, or stagnating, and instead of flowing smoothly through its normal channels, it was more or less short-circuiting and attacking Carol s Spleen. As with Spleen Chi deficiency, Liver Chi stagnation can result from an improper diet, but in Carol s case I felt the origin was emotional a combination of stress and deep, unexpressed anger. One of the major responsibilities of the Liver is to ensure the smooth flow of Chi, blood, and emotions. Since anger is the emotion associated with the Liver, extreme or unexpressed anger can really compromise its functioning.
Most people are familiar with the way the emotions of anger and fear can interfere with digestion.
It is interesting that about fifty percent of people with fibromyalgia also have some form of irritable bowel syndrome. Both Eastern and Western medicine agree that insomnia is a key to fibromyalgia. Western doctors prescribe sleeping pills. Chinese medicine aims to nourish the Heart and the Liver, which are the two most important internal organs in regard to sleep, and to bring them into balance with the Spleen. With Heart blood deficiency, people find it difficult to fall asleep.