An explanation for pain resulting from disordered Qi and Blood circulation It should now be clear that pain is mainly

a result of disturbances in the Qi and Blood circulation, and may be caused by stagnation of Qi and Blood, or deficiency of Qi and Blood but why does this disturbance of Qi and Blood flow cause pain? Which organ is in charge of pain? Actually the answer was stated clearly, 2000 years ago, in the Simple question: all kinds of pain, itching and sores are due to Heart disorder (Yellow Emperors Classic of Internal Medicine: Simple Questions 1956, p. 190). Why did the ancient texts attribute pain to the Heart? This can be explained as follows. The Heart dominates the Blood and Blood Vessels The Heart promotes normal Blood circulation in the Zang-Fu organs, Blood Vessels, channels and the tissues. Qi and Blood are closely related to each other, Qi circulation leads to Blood circulation, while Blood circulation promotes the Qi circulation, and this is because Blood is the carrier of Qi. Where the Qi and Blood circulation are disordered, a disturbed feedback will be sent to the Heart. In other words, one can say that the Heart is constantly sensitive to the condition of the Qi and Blood circulation. The Heart is the Controller of the Mind Modern medicine considers that pain is the bodys way of responding to the damaged tissue. For

instance, when a bone breaks, nerves send pain messages through the spinal cord to the brain, where they are interpreted. The TCM viewpoint is that pain is the reflection of the Mind (Shen) to the stimulation from the environment, and the activity of the Mind is considered to be the result of physiological function of the Heart. When the Qi and Blood circulation are disturbed, this situation will be conveyed to the Heart, and the pain that follows is a response from the Mind to this situation. According to this viewpoint, pain is closely related to the Heart. The Heart is the Root Controller of the other Zang-Fu organs How a person responds to pain is determined by many factors, of which emotional states are very important. For example, depression seems to increase a persons perception of pain and to decrease the ability to cope with both the pain and the treatment. Thus treating the depression treats the pain as well. If pain is not adequately treated, then pain impulses are more readily transmitted to the brain. Therefore, in TCM it is considered that it is more effective to prevent pain than to treat it after it occurs. In terms of the relationship between the emotions, the interior organs and the Heart, TCM holds that the Heart dominates the emotions and is the root controller of other Zang-Fu organs. For instance, Ling Shu (1963, p. 69) states: the Heart is the root controller for five Zang organs and six Fu organs, therefore the Heart will be disturbed by grief and meditation. In the same book Ben Shen points out in addition that: the Heart

has the responsibility to all kinds of emotional stimulation (Ling Shu 1963, p. 23). All these statements clearly mention that the Heart can be influenced by the dysfunction of other Zang-Fu organs as well the difference emotions, and this may lead to the development of pain.