↑ reinforcing ↓ reducing ⊥ even method.
Clinical manifestations: Breast tenderness and swelling, distension along the ribs, irritability and mood swings, frequent sighing — worse with stress, frustration or a sedentary lifestyle.
Tongue: Normal or slightly dark, red or slightly purple sides, thin white coat. Pulse: Wiry, especially taut at the left middle position.
Treatment principle: Soothe the Liver, relieve stagnation, and harmonize the Spleen.
Clinical manifestations: Explosive anger and irritability, a bitter taste, throbbing temple pain, a red face and eyes, dry mouth, acid reflux, constipation with dry stools.
Tongue: Red, especially red along the sides, yellow coating. Pulse: Wiry and rapid, forceful at the left middle position.
Treatment principle: Clear Heat while soothing the Liver to enable smooth Qi flow.
Clinical manifestations: Dizziness, ringing ears, night sweats, heat in the palms soles and chest, sore weak lower back and knees, scanty menstrual flow, insomnia with vivid dreams, dry mouth and throat.
Tongue: Red, thin with cracks, little or no coating, dry surface. Pulse: Fine, rapid, wiry; weak in the left Chi position.
Treatment principle: Nourish Liver and Kidney Yin to anchor rising Yang and reduce deficiency-heat signs.
4. Spleen and Kidney Qi Deficiency
Clinical manifestations: Premenstrual bloating and water retention, loose stools, sore weak lower back and knees, persistent fatigue, cold hands and feet.
Tongue: Pale, swollen with teeth marks, white moist coating. Pulse: Deep, weak, fine, especially weak at the right Guan and both Chi positions.
Treatment principle: Tonify Spleen-Qi to manage fluid transformation and support the premenstrual shift in energy.
Note: Confirmed absent again: this site's kidney deck combines Kidney with Spleen only at the Yang-deficiency level, not the plain Qi-deficiency level, so no pattern link is given here.
Clinical manifestations: Fixed stabbing pain in the lower abdomen or breasts, dark menstrual blood with large clots, pain worse with pressure, dark circles or dusky lips, sharp fixed headaches.
Tongue: Purple or dusky, stasis spots, distended dark sublingual veins, thin white coat. Pulse: Choppy, or wiry.
Treatment principle: Invigorate Blood and break stasis to resolve the obstructed menses and stabbing pain.
Clinical manifestations: Palpitations before the period, insomnia with difficulty falling asleep, vivid disturbing dreams, mental restlessness and irritability, heat in the palms soles and chest, night sweats, sore weak lower back.
Tongue: Red, thin with a redder tip, little or no coating, sometimes a midline crack. Pulse: Fine and rapid, weaker at the rear (Kidney) position.
Treatment principle: Nourish Heart and Kidney Yin to clear empty-heat and restore grounding between the two organ systems.