Liver Yang Rising

In plain words

Everything rises to their head: throbbing pain at the temples or the crown, ringing ears, a hot face and the feeling of being about to burst over anything, while the legs and the lower back feel weak.

There are almost always two halves to this. Below, something has been worn down over the years by overwork or too little rest; above, tension and anger push towards the head. While the lower half still anchored, nothing happened; once it stops anchoring, the active part rises freely and gathers up top. Hence the typical picture: a head that throbs and rings, and a lower back and knees with no strength.

Characteristic symptoms

• Intense headache at the top or sides of the skull
• Vertigo and dizziness
• Continuous tinnitus
• Irritability and anger outbursts
• Insomnia and restless sleep
• Facial flushing and sensation of heat rising
• Frequent arterial hypertension
• Dry mouth and eyes

Key clues to recognize it

• Full above and empty below in the same person: a throbbing, ringing head with weak legs and lower back.
• The dizziness is a swaying kind, as if the floor moved, and it appears or worsens with anger.
• The tongue is red mainly along the edges, but the coating that covers it is thin or almost absent.

Tongue and pulse

Tongue

Red tongue, especially on the edges; thin or scanty coating

Pulse

Wiry and rapid (xiàn shuò) pulse, tense and accelerated

Treatment principle

Subdue Liver Yang, nourish Yin and Kidney as the root

Common points

Reference formula

Tian Ma Gou Teng Yin (Gastrodia and Uncaria Drink)

What not to confuse it with

What aggravates it

• Arguments and high-tension days
• Several short nights in a row
• Alcohol, coffee and very spicy food
• Heat, and the middle hours of the day in summer

Lifestyle advice

Avoid intense stress, anger and overwork. Reduce alcohol, spicy foods and caffeine. Practice meditation, yoga or Qi Gong. Sleep enough in a calm environment. Monitor blood pressure regularly.

When to see a doctor