FACE COLOUR

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FACE COLOUR

Chapter contents

BLUISH/GREENISH

WHITE/PALE

Observation, Chapter 3

Qi deficiency

Slightly pale face, tiredness, poor appetite, loose stools, weak voice, slight shortness of breath, Empty pulse.

Other symptoms and signs depend on the organ involved, which may be especially the Lungs, Spleen or Heart.

Yang deficiency

Bright-pale complexion, tiredness, poor appetite, loose stools, weak voice, slight shortness of breath, spontaneous sweating, cold limbs, Pale tongue, Weak pulse.

Yang deficiency of any organ, but especially the Stomach, Spleen, Kidneys, Lungs and Heart, may cause a bright-pale complexion.

Blood deficiency

Dull-pale complexion, blurred vision, poor memory, dizziness, scanty periods, Pale tongue, Choppy or Fine pulse.

Blood deficiency of the Heart, Spleen or Liver may cause a dull-pale complexion.

Full-Cold

Greyish-pale complexion, abdominal pain, epigastric pain cold limbs, pain alleviated by exposure to heat and by drinking warm drinks, and aggravated by exposure to cold and by drinking cold drinks, thick white tongue coating, Tight pulse.

This is Full-Internal-Cold, which may affect the Stomach, Spleen, Liver channel and Intestines.

Collapse of Yang

Greyish-pale complexion, sweating on the forehead like oil beads, chilliness, cold limbs, weak breathing, absence of thirst, profuse pale urination or incontinence of urine, loose stools, incontinence of faeces, mental confusion or unconsciousness, Pale-Short and wet tongue, Deep-Minute pulse.

Invasion of Wind-Cold

Greyish-pale complexion, aversion to cold, fever, cough, itchy throat, slight breathlessness, stuffed or runny nose with clear watery discharge, sneezing, occipital headache, body aches, thin white tongue coating, Floating-Tight pulse.

Heat stagnating in the Interior (True Heat-False Cold)

Greyish-pale complexion, dark face, bright eyes with lustre, red dry lips, irritability, strong body, noisy breathing, loud voice, thirst with a desire to drink cold fluids, scanty-dark urine, constipation, burning sensation in the anus, hot chest, cold limbs, aversion to heat, mental restlessness, thirst, dark urine, dry stools, Red tongue with yellow coating, Deep-Full-Rapid pulse.

• Do not be surprised if, in women, a pale face has some redness on the cheeks. This may be due to:

— simultaneous Kidney-Yin and Kidney-Yang deficiency

— Empty-Heat from Blood deficiency

YELLOW

Observation, Chapter 3

Dampness

Yellow complexion (which may be bright if Dampness is combined with Heat), a feeling of heaviness of the head and body, epigastric fullness, a sticky taste, a feeling of oppression of the chest, excessive vaginal discharge, sticky tongue coating, Slippery or Soggy pulse.

Chronic Spleen-Qi deficiency

Dull yellow, greyish-yellow complexion, poor appetite, slight abdominal distension after eating, tiredness, weakness of the limbs, loose stools, Pale tongue, Empty pulse.

Chronic Damp-Heat

Ash-like yellow complexion, a feeling of fullness and pain of the epigastrium and lower abdomen, poor appetite, a feeling of heaviness, thirst without a desire to drink, nausea, loose stools with offensive odour, a feeling of heat, sticky taste, Red tongue with sticky-yellow coating, Slippery-Rapid pulse.

Liver-Blood deficiency

Dull-yellow or greyish-yellow complexion, dizziness, blurred vision, floaters, numbness/tingling of limbs, scanty menstruation, Pale tongue, Choppy or Fine pulse.

Spleen-Qi deficiency with stagnation of Liver-Qi

Greyish yellow complexion, poor appetite, slight abdominal distension after eating, tiredness, weakness of the limbs, loose stools, hypochondrial or epigastric distension, irritability, moodiness, a feeling of a lump in the throat, premenstrual tension, pulse Weak on the right and Wiry on the left.

Damp-Heat with Blood stasis

Bluish yellow complexion, a feeling of fullness and pain of the epigastrium and lower abdomen, poor appetite, a feeling of heaviness, thirst without a desire to drink, nausea, loose stools with offensive odour, a feeling of heat, sticky taste, purple lips and nails, Reddish-purple tongue with sticky yellow coating, Slippery-Rapid pulse.

Stomach-Heat

Dry yellow complexion, burning epigastric pain, thirst, sour regurgitation, nausea, excessive hunger, foul breath, a feeling of heat, Red tongue with a yellow coating, Overflowing-Rapid pulse.

Stomach Empty-Heat

Thin, dry, yellow complexion, malar flush, poor appetite, poor digestion, retching, loss of taste, slight epigastric pain, dry mouth and lips, dry stools, thin body, a feeling of heat in the evening, Red tongue without coating, Floating-Empty and Rapid pulse.

Spleen-Heat

Dry yellow complexion, burning epigastric/abdominal pain, excessive hunger, red tip of the nose, dry lips, mouth ulcers, thirst, dry stools, a feeling of heat, scanty dark urine, Red tongue with dry yellow coating, Overflowing-Rapid pulse.

Blood stasis

Very dull and sallow yellow complexion, mental restlessness, abdominal pain, Purple tongue, Firm pulse.

Other symptoms and signs depend on the organ involved.

Invasion of Wind-Heat

Floating, reddish-yellow complexion, aversion to cold, fever, cough, sore throat, stuffed or runny nose with yellow discharge, headache, body aches, slight sweating, slight thirst, swollen tonsils, tongue slightly Red on the sides in the chest area or on front part, Floating-Rapid pulse.

Invasion of Wind-Dampness

Floating yellow complexion, aversion to cold, fever, nausea, a feeling of heaviness, headache, body aches, slight sweating, Floating-Slippery pulse.

RED

Observation, Chapter 3

Full-Heat

Bright-red face, a feeling of heat, thirst, mental restlessness, Red tongue with yellow coating, Overflowing-Rapid pulse.

Heat of any organ, but especially the Heart, Lungs, Liver and Stomach, may cause a red face.

Yin deficiency with Empty-Heat

Malar flush, a feeling of heat in the evening, night sweating, mental restlessness, five-palm heat, Red tongue without coating, Rapid and Floating-Empty pulse.

This may be Empty-Heat of any organ but especially of the Stomach, Heart, Lungs, Kidneys, Spleen and Liver.

Liver-Yang rising

Slightly red face, headache, dizziness, tinnitus, irritability, propensity to outbursts of anger, Wiry pulse.

Damp-Heat

Red face, swollen face, greasy skin, epigastric fullness, sticky taste, thirst with no desire to drink, a feeling of heaviness of the head and body, a feeling of heat, sticky yellow tongue coating, Slippery-Rapid pulse.

Blood deficiency with Empty-Heat

Floating red colour on cheekbones, dull-pale complexion, blurred vision, dizziness, scanty periods, amenorrhoea, insomnia, Pale tongue, Choppy or Fine pulse.

Empty-Heat deriving from Blood deficiency is usually seen only in women and, although it may cause the cheekbones to become red, it is not usually associated with other Heat symptoms such as thirst or feeling of heat.

Yin Fire

Slightly red face or pale face with a floating red colour on the cheeks, intermittent and recurrent feeling of heat in the face but cold limbs, intermittent sore throat, dry mouth, dry lips, mouth ulcers, exhaustion, poor appetite, poor digestion, weak limbs, Pale tongue, Weak or Overflowing-Empty pulse.

Yin Fire is a pathological Minister Fire that arises when the Original Qi (Yuan Qi) becomes depleted from overwork. Since the Minister Fire and the Original Qi reside in the same place, the pathological Minister Fire ‘robs’ the Original Qi and rises to the head. This pattern is treated by tonifying the Original Qi and lightly clearing Heat; the representative prescription is Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang Tonifying the Centre and Benefiting Qi Decoction.

Invasion of Wind-Heat

Red face, aversion to cold, fever, cough, sore throat, stuffed or runny nose with yellow discharge, headache, body aches, slight sweating, slight thirst, swollen tonsils, tongue slightly Red on the sides in the chest area or on front part, Floating-Rapid pulse.

Deficient Yang floating

Malar flush, feeling of heat, desire to remove clothes, thirst with a desire to drink warm liquids, slight shortness of breath, cold sweating, cold limbs, pale urine, pale lips, Pale tongue, Weak pulse.

This condition is quite rare and is due to the Yang being so weak that the little Yang there is floats upwards.

BLUISH/GREENISH

Observation, Chapter 3

‘Bluish/greenish’ is a translation of the Chinese word qing, which, unfortunately, may mean both ‘green’ and ‘blue’, leading to difficulties in translating this term.

Full-Cold

Bright-bluish face, abdominal pain, epigastric pain, facial pain, pain alleviated by exposure to heat and aggravated by exposure to cold, cold limbs, white tongue coating, Tight pulse.

Heart and Kidney-Yang deficiency

Dull-bluish face, ashen face, greenish lips, palpitations, shortness of breath, discomfort of the chest, cold limbs, oedema, backache, dizziness, tinnitus, pale abundant urination, Pale and wet tongue, Deep-Weak pulse.

Chronic pain

Dull-greenish face, abdominal pain, epigastric pain, facial pain, painful periods.

A chronic pain from any origin or organ may cause the face to become dull greenish.

Lung and Kidney-Yang deficiency

Dull-greenish-purplish face, breathlessness that is worse on exertion, weak voice, cold limbs, sweating, pale frequent urination, backache, dizziness, tinnitus, Pale tongue, Deep-Weak pulse.

Liver-Qi stagnation

Very slightly greenish complexion especially around the mouth, hypochondrial or epigastric distension, irritability, moodiness, a feeling of a lump in the throat, premenstrual tension, Wiry pulse.

Liver-Wind

Greenish face, tremors, severe dizziness, tinnitus, headache, numbness of the limbs, tics, Stiff, Deviated or Moving tongue, Wiry pulse.

PURPLE

Observation, Chapter 3

Blood stasis from Cold

Bluish-purple face, chest pain, palpitations, abdominal pain, Bluish-Purple tongue, Tight pulse.

Other manifestation depend on the organ involved, which may be the Heart, Liver, Lungs or Intestines.

Blood stasis from Heat

Reddish-purple face, a feeling of heat, chest pain, abdominal pain, Reddish-Purple tongue, Wiry pulse.

This is usually due to Liver-Blood stasis associated with Blood-Heat.

DARK

Observation, Chapter 3

A ‘dark’ complexion is a mixture of a greyish-purplish colour, usually without ‘spirit’, that is, dull in appearance; in extreme cases, it can be very dark, almost black.

Severe Kidney-Yang deficiency

Dark complexion, backache, dizziness, tinnitus, feeling cold, weak knees, bright-white complexion, tiredness, depression, exhaustion, abundant clear urination, Pale and wet tongue, Deep-Weak pulse.

Severe Blood stasis

Dark complexion, purple nails, dry skin, purple lips, abdominal or chest pain, painful periods, Purple tongue, Choppy pulse.

Kidney-Essence deficiency

Dark complexion, backache, dizziness, tinnitus, weak knees, poor memory, loose teeth, premature greying of hair, infertility, sterility, Leather pulse.

SALLOW

Observation, Chapter 3

A ‘sallow’ complexion indicates a pale-yellowish colour of the skin that is dull and without lustre.

Spleen-Qi deficiency with Dampness

Sallow complexion, poor appetite, slight abdominal distension after eating, tiredness, lassitude, weakness of the limbs, loose stools, slight depression, tendency to obesity, abdominal fullness, a feeling of heaviness, a sticky taste, poor digestion, undigested food in the stools, nausea, dull frontal headache, excessive vaginal discharge, Pale tongue with sticky coating, Soggy pulse.

Chronic Spleen-Qi deficiency

Sallow complexion, poor appetite, slight abdominal distension after eating, tiredness, lassitude, pale complexion, weakness of the limbs, loose stools, slight depression, tendency to obesity, Pale tongue, Empty pulse.

Blood deficiency

Dull-sallow complexion, dizziness, blurred vision, insomnia, scanty periods, numbness/tingling of limbs, tiredness, Pale-Thin tongue, Choppy pulse.

Other symptoms and signs depend on the organ involved, which may be the Liver, Heart or Spleen.

Blood stasis

Very dull-sallow complexion, mental restlessness, abdominal pain, Purple tongue, Firm pulse.

Other symptoms and signs depend on the organ involved.

BLUSHING

Heart-Heat

Blushing easily when excited or anxious, palpitations, a feeling of heat, anxiety, insomnia, tongue with Red tip, Overflowing-Rapid pulse.

Heart-Yin deficiency with Empty-Heat

Blushing easily when excited or anxious, palpitations, insomnia, dream-disturbed sleep, poor memory, anxiety, tendency to be easily startled, mental restlessness, uneasiness, ‘feeling hot and bothered’, dry mouth and throat, thirst with a desire to sip fluids, a feeling of heat in the evening, malar flush, night sweating, five-palm heat, Red tongue, redder on the tip, no coating, Floating-Empty and Rapid pulse.

Liver-Yang rising

Blushing easily when upset, headache, dizziness, tinnitus, irritability, propensity to outbursts of anger, Wiry pulse.

Liver-Fire

Blushing easily after drinking alcohol, headache, red face, dizziness, tinnitus, irritability, propensity to outbursts of anger, thirst, bitter taste, constipation, dark urine, Red tongue with redder sides and dry yellow coating, Wiry-Rapid pulse.

Lung-Yin deficiency with Empty-Heat

Blushing easily when worried, dry cough or with scanty, sticky sputum, which could be blood tinged, dry mouth and throat at night, weak/hoarse voice, night sweating, tiredness, malar flush, a feeling of heat or a low-grade fever in the evening, five-palm heat, thin body or thin chest, insomnia, anxiety, Red tongue without coating, Floating-Empty and Rapid pulse.

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