PALPITATIONS Mary Anne Matta

Deficiency Patterns – HT & GB Deficiency, HT Blood Deficiency, HT Yang Deficiency, KD Yin Deficiency Excess Patterns – Impairment of HT by Fluid, HT Blood Stagnation, Phlegm Fire bothering the HT

Big Four Points HT 7 Source PC 6 Palpitations/Chest Qi BL 15 Heart Shu CV 14 Heart Mu ***Also the Empiric Point for Palpitations is HT 5

HT & GB Deficiency – palpitations, restlessness, timid, easily startled, dreams, irritability, fright exacerbates symptoms, insomnia § Tongue is thin with white coat § Pulse is wiry, rapid, and irregular § Big 4 Points for Palpitations – HT 7, PC 6, BL 15, CV 14 § Points to Treat the HT and GB – CV 17, GB 40, BL 19

HT Blood Deficiency – palpitations worse at night and with exercise, dizziness, poor memory, tired, pale, SOB, thinks/worries too much, dry eyes, vertigo § Tongue is pale § Pulse is thin and weak § Big 4 Points for Palpitations – HT 7, PC 6, BL 15, CV 14 § Points to tonify Blood – SP 10, BL 17, 18, 20, & 23 § Tonify the SP (to build blood) – SP 6, ST 36

HT Yang Deficiency – palpitations worse with movement, chest distress and oppression, SOB. Cold signs - aversion to cold, copious urine, no desire for drinks, cold limbs and cold to the touch. § Tongue is pale and delicate § Pulse is deep, slow, weak, and thin § Big 4 Points for Palpitations – HT 7, PC 6, BL 15, CV 14 § Points to tonify Yang – moxa on CV 4, 6, 8, and 14

KD Yin Deficiency – palpitations, restlessness, insomnia. Yin Deficiency signs – tidal fever, 5-palm heat, night sweats, worse at night, dreams, scanty dark urine. KD signs – tinnitus, sore low back, knees § Tongue is red with no coat § Pulse is thready and rapid § Big 4 Points for Palpitations – HT 7, PC 6, BL 15, CV 14 § Points to tonify KD and Yin – SP 6, KD 6, KD 3, BL 23 § Points to tonify the HT & PC – BL 14, Ear Shen Men, Ear Heart

Impairment of HT by Fluid Retention – signs of fluid retention - problems with urination, mucus, salivation, thirst, edema, bloating. Fluid affecting the HT/chest – palpitations, dizziness, nausea, HBP, difficulty breathing. § TCM Physiology – Yang Deficiency can lead to fluid retention and internal cold. Cold signs can be present. Use moxa if Yang Deficiency is evident. § Tongue is white and coat is moist. Pale, swollen, and scalloped § Pulse is slippery and deep § Big 4 Points for Palpitations – HT 7, PC 6, BL 15, CV 14 § Points to move fluids – SP 9, CV 9, moxa CV 8, CV 4, KD 7 § Points to treat organs that transform fluids – BL 20, 22, 23 § HT Blood Stagnation – palpitations, restlessness, cardialgia, cyanosis, cold. In addition, know signs of a true infarction include sweating, SOB, pale, nausea, vomiting § Tongue is dark, purple, petechiae, veins under tongue § Pulse is choppy, uneven, slow, and irregular § Big 4 Points for Palpitations – HT 7, PC 6, BL 15, CV 14 § Points to move blood – BL 17, SP 10 § Points to open the chest – CV 17, PC 6

Phlegm Fire bothering the HT – palpitations, insomnia. Heat from poor diet (hot, spicy, greasy) and creating restlessness, dry mouth, big thirst, bitter taste, constipation, and oppression in the chest. § Tongue is red with thick yellow coating § Pulse rapid and slippery § Big 4 Points for Palpitations – HT 7, PC 6, BL 15, CV 14 § Points to clear heat – PC 8, HT 8 § Point to clear phlegm – SP 9, ST 40