michaelmax: May 15, 2019, 4:12am
This is a patient that I’ve on and off over many years. She is prone to respiratory infections I often see her when
she’s starting to feel run down or has already crossed that threshold and is dealing with an upper respiratory issue
of some sort.
In the past year or so she has some pain in our left shoulder and hip, and the left thigh gets ‘contracted and tight’
especially at night.
She has a curiously big and puffy tongue. The tip is usually red with spots and the tongue itself is reddish with a
purple cast. This has always been a curiosity to me as while she has some fluid under the skin, she’s not objectively
damp. And while there is all that red on her tongue, she is usually cold, and even likes the TDP lamp on her belly in
the middle of a St Louis hot and humid summer.
Other than the feeling cold with the heat above she does not seem particularly yang deficient. And usually when I
see the red tip with spots type tongue the patients are presenting with anxiety. This woman, while she has a busy
stressful job (that she loves) would not characterize herself as anxious. I’ve yet to see signs of anxiety with her.
Mostly because of the upper respiratory infections I see her as having dampness and heat in the upper jiao.
Last week she was in because she’s been riding that edge of “doing too much” and as we spoke it occurred to me
that she perhaps was a straight up Lg Intestine excess. She’s never bored. She’s super capable at work, hustles, gets
results, and loves that her job is challenging and asks a lot from her.
I’ve thought to myself “she seems like a Lung excess, dry skin, but wet on the inside.” And she does have plenty of
resources and knows how to manage them. In the past I’ve tonified her ST but the results have been rather “meh.”
So on this last treatment I decided to treat her like a Lg Intestine type based on her personality and hustle.
Tonified the Spleen on the right both because she’s female and the problems were on the left side.
Below you’ll find the content of an email she sent me later that day. She has a powerful way of paying attention to
what’s unfolding in her body as you see.
My new working clinical idea— while body type is important, especially with earth/metal, the spirit/personality
can also be an important part.
————————————
Michael, I think your instincts were on target. I’ll let you know more in a few days but my initial reaction —
Greater flexibility in left shoulder and both hips. I tend to store stress in these areas. There’s also a release on the
back of my neck/head between top of spine/ear (left side). My left hand is no longer sore.
The treatment was very different and very calming. I think of the energy in terms of color, direction, speed, width.
The energy ran horizontal, and it pulled right to left. This is the first time I remember energy feeling horizontal.31/01/2024, 11:29Who are you really? – Sa’am Clinical Insights – Qiological Community
https://forum.qiological.com/t/who-are-you-really/222/print2/3
There was an unwinding aspect to it. Once I got left the table, it felt like the energy was running in a horizontal
counter clockwise circle. After treatment it kept moving in a very counter clockwise fashion and as this continued
my hips and shoulder opened more. The energy was deep blue/green. No hints of orange/yellow. The speed was
odd – it was slower like water but seemed to have a scrubbing bubbles element to it. As you noted, my stomach
started growling. It felt like the energy was pulling across my shoulders/ hips, but I didn’t pick it up near my
stomach. There was also some energy flowing up/down to my left big toe.
KristinWisgirda: May 15, 2019, 2:23pm
So many great things about this post! First the title: it is such a good question to ask. I typically ask what is true
here? but now will add who are you really? too. This question seemed to help cut through the many contradictory
signs and symptoms to help you recognize something essential.
The second great thing is that you kept it simple and treated one channel unilaterally. All of those contradictory
signs and symptoms can lead one to want to treat 2 channels. Treating one channel you are now getting clear
feedback.
The third great thing is the feedback. Don’t you just love patients who are just interested in experiencing the depths
of their physical existence AND have some ability to communicate it AND feel that are part of a team rather than a
slab of meat on a table?!! These patients are such great teachers. Please keep us updated on how this treatment
unfolded for her.
michaelmax:
My new working clinical idea— while body type is important, especially with earth/metal, the
spirit/personality can also be an important part.
Agreed!
Thanks for this great case.31/01/2024, 11:29Who are you really? – Sa’am Clinical Insights – Qiological Community
https://forum.qiological.com/t/who-are-you-really/222/print3/3
sweiz: May 16, 2019, 10:36am
Wow Michael, This is such an interesting case! I can see that, given the physical constituents, it would have been a
leap to go to LI. Sometimes a channel is so obvious, like in this case Stomach, that I can’t see what else may be
going on. I would love to hear what happens with her from here on out, though it sounds like she doesn’t come in
regularly. I am curious if, not that this LI knot has been untied if it is possible that St might work better? Let us
know!