Heart Qi Deficiency – Uncomfy Heart and S.O.B.

Heart qi deficiency is a syndrome in Chinese medicine.

Though important, it’s easy to describe. However, you need to realise why you have it because, if you do nothing about the cause, it can lead to serious complications.

Symptoms of Heart Qi Deficiency

• an uncomfortable feeling that your heartbeat is not quite ‘right’. Normally we don’t feel our heartbeat, or if we do, it’s after running fast or in sudden shock or terror, and this soon settles – one hopes. However, with Heart Qi deficiency whatever the speed of our heartbeat, even if ‘normal’, it still doesn’t feel right. (This is not the same as having palpitations.)
• pale face
• perspiration that occurs suddenly without reason
• S.O.B. (short of breath) on exercise eg have to stop to recover breathing on stairs or simple exertion
• tired
• low spirits, despondent
• Tongue: slightly pale, though sometimes there is no change in the tongue from normal
• Pulse: ’empty’. The term ’empty’ can be felt by someone trained in pulse-taking.

Why do you get Heart Qi Deficiency?

In Chinese medicine the there is a vital relationship between our spirit – who we are and want to become – and our Blood. 

 In Western psychology there is a somewhat similar link between heart and emotions, but in Western Medicine the emotional/spiritual aspect is mostly ignored. However, in Chinese medicine it’s fundamental.

• Major Blood loss: this could come from surgery, accident, haemorrhage, heavy periods, or periods which have been heavier than normal for many months or years. In Chinese medicine your Heart ‘governs’ your Blood. If you lose a lot of blood, often or in large amounts, the heart can’t do its job and eventually the Heart Blood deficiency can lead to Heart Qi deficiency. This is like during a drought, when rivers have no force and can’t turn waterwheels. This would be worse if you also had Spleen and Heart Blood deficiency.

• Major emotional problems, possibly over a long period, which have ‘depressed’ your spirit. Could be resentment or anger, but more likely sadness or grief. There’s a bit of ‘giving up’ or ‘hopelessness’ in Heart qi deficiency too.
• Such long-term or powerful emotions drain us in other ways, for instance they weaken our Kidney function. Weak Kidney function also contributes to Heart Qi deficiency.
• Long-term emotional issues suggest – for some people – the possibility of deficient will-power or decisiveness to cut our way through whatever has held us back. This often equates with either Gallbladder deficiency or deficiency of both Gallbladder AND Heart.

What might happen next?

Very often in Chinese medicine you can make predictions as to what might happen next if nothing is done about your Heart Qi deficiency. The predictions aren’t fixed in stone, but experience has shown they are often correct.

Continuing Heart Qi deficiency, especially if aggravated by more emotional factors, often leads on to

• Heart Yang deficiency which, I’m sorry to say, for some people can lead on to heart attack and/or
• Lung qi deficiency