Deficiency and stagnation are the primary themes for pain and disease in Chinese medicine. It is a simple as seeing a deficiency to mean that there is a lack of energy (could also be due to a stagnation somewhere else) and a stagnation to represent a blockage energy.
Deficiency
Deficiency means that there is a lack of energy in the organ or bowel of the system. It could be caused from:
overwork/overuse
blockages elsewhere
you are eating something wrong
you are born with it (yuan qi)
lack of sleep/rest
*Note: Deficiency = chronic, long-standing, and usually dull/achy.
In Chinese lingo, you want to “tonify”/treat deficiencies for your body to go back to a state of health. You do this by:
eating right (Chinese medicine diet coming soon…)
exercise
not over indulge
proper sleep
breathing
keeping away from harmful relationships
√ Moxibustion is probably the best additional route for treating deficiencies. It is perceived to add energy to the system
Stagnation
Stagnation is a blockage of energy. It can be caused by the following:
lack of motion
repetitive motion
sedentary lifestyle
sedentary emotions
improper diet
accidents (affecting channels)
surgeries (affecting channels)
Stagnation is typically treated by “dispersion” with the following:
diversifying movement
stretching
proper diet
breathing
*Note: Stagnation = Nagging, sometimes sharp pain, tender upon touch, cronic and long-standing.
√ Cupping, gua sha, and/or seven star needle are all highly effective in treating stagnation in addition to the list above.
Note: Yoga, qigong, and taijituan are all highly effective means of treating the above ailments.