In recent years, the incidence of thyroid disorders has skyrocketed, whether it is hyperthyroidism, thyroiditis or thyroid tumors, and has become a major health problem for all age groups, especially young white-collar workers. However, the underlying causes of thyroid diseases are always difficult to be explained by experts and researchers, and can only be attributed to excessive iodine consumption, genetics, autoimmune system disorders and other unexplained causes based on the incidence analysis. In addition, thyroid disorders, especially hyperthyroidism, cause a variety of characteristic symptoms, such as proptosis, hand and tongue tremors, thin and brittle nails, paroxysmal limb paralysis, pre-tibial limited mucinous edema, vitiligo, and gynecomastia, which cannot be explained, let alone treated, from a Western medical point of view.
Although today’s science is unable to explain thyroid disease, traditional medicine in China has a profound understanding of it for thousands of years and refers to thyroid disease collectively as “gall tumor”. In the Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Internal Medicine, there is a description that “the east wind is born in the spring, the disease is in the liver, and Yu is in the neck” (Su Wen – Jin Kui Zhen Shu), and the so-called “Yu is in the neck” refers to the location of the outlet of liver qi in the neck, that is, the thyroid gland (neck) and the cervical spine (neck). This is where the thyroid gland (neck) and cervical vertebrae (neck) are located. Many liver problems are first manifested in neck discomfort, for example, people with strong liver qi tend to strain their necks, and people with depressed liver qi tend to get cervical spondylosis. Of course, most of the thyroid disorders are also directly related to this organ of the liver.
It should be noted that the liver in traditional medicine is not just the liver in the anatomical sense, but refers to the liver and gallbladder system, including the gallbladder (the liver is cognate with the gallbladder), the eyes (the liver is open to the eyes), the nails of the hands and feet (the Hua is in the claws), and the tendons of the hands and tongue (the tendons are full) and other organs throughout the body. We can also see from the route of the Liver meridian (see the diagram below) that the Liver meridian travels from the plexus behind the claw nail of the big toe, upward to the pubic hair in the pubic apparatus, around the liver, and around the gall bladder, up through the diaphragm, along the back of the throat, and up to connect with the eye system.
After understanding the theory of the liver-biliary system, the various symptoms of hyperthyroidism (proptosis, tremor of the hands and tongue, loss of nails, paroxysmal limb paralysis, and limited mucous edema in front of the tibia) can be easily explained when we look at them. From this, we can also see that thyroid disease is just a manifestation of liver system disease, and that in order to cure thyroid disease, the liver must be taken care of. To take good care of the liver, we need to understand the physiological functions of the liver, which mainly include
1, the liver is the main drainage
The liver is the main drainage, means that the liver has the function of unblocking, soothing, strip to keep the whole body qi unblocked and smooth, through but not stagnant, dispersed but not depressed. The liver’s function is to ensure the normal functioning of many physiological functions of the body. Dredge, that is, to unblock, dredge. Drainage, that is, to promote the development, the release. The main role of the liver in the physiological activities of the body is to
(1) to regulate the qi flow
The physiological function of the liver is related to the smooth regulation of the qi of the whole body. The draining function of the liver plays an important role in regulating the balance and coordination between the qi flow in and out of all the organs and tissues of the body. “Where the internal organs and twelve channels of qi, all must be encouraged by the liver and gallbladder qi, to be able to regulate and not sick” (“Read Medical Essays – Volume 4”). When there is a problem with the liver’s function of regulating the qi flow, the liver qi in the body will be rebellious or blocked, and if it is rebellious, the liver wind will move internally, causing the tendons to lose their nourishment, the liver fire to become inflamed, and the nails to lose camp, which is the root cause of the peripheral symptoms of hyperthyroidism. This is the root cause of the peripheral symptoms of hyperthyroidism. The blockage of liver qi will cause problems along the liver meridian, such as thyroid lesions, eye lesions, gallbladder stones and polyps, and intrahepatic hemangioma and cysts, all of which are caused by the stagnation of this meridian.
(2) Regulate the spirit and emotions
Emotions, i.e. emotions, include joy, anger, worry, thought, grief, fear and fright, also called the seven emotions. The liver regulates the mental and emotional activities of people through its function in regulating the qi flow. Under normal physiological conditions, if the liver’s draining function is normal, if the liver qi rises and falls, if it is neither hyperactive nor depressed, and if it is smooth and well-organized, then a person can better coordinate his or her mental and emotional activities, manifesting as a happy spirit, a relaxed mood, a clear mind, a sensitive mind, qi and chi, and a peaceful blood and qi. If the liver is not drained, it will easily cause abnormal mental and emotional activities. If the draining is not adequate, it will manifest itself as depression, sadness and anxiety (thyroid tumor, hypothyroidism); if the draining is excessive, it will manifest itself as irritability, headache, redness and redness of the eyes (hyperthyroidism). Therefore, it is said that “the disease of the seven emotions must be caused by the liver” (Liuzhou Medical Talk). Many clinical patients with thyroid tumors are introverted and less talkative, suspicious and irritable or have a lot of thoughts, which is a typical expression of “character determines disease”.
(3) Maintaining the flow of qi and blood
The liver can directly affect the smooth flow of qi. Only when the qi is well regulated can the normal operation of qi and blood be ensured. Blood follows qi and flows around without stopping” (“The Four Evidences of Wind-Labor Dropsy and Diaphragm”). The source of blood lies in qi; if qi moves, blood moves; if qi stagnates, blood stasis. If the liver is not drained and the qi is not regulated, the qi will stagnate and the blood will stasis. Patients with thyroid cancer, due to loss of drainage of the liver and stagnation of blood and qi, will mostly experience stabbing pain in the chest, neck lumps, fullness under the ribs, dysmenorrhea, amenorrhea, etc. Some patients also have pains in many places all over the body, and a few of them also have head and facial swelling, which appears after fatigue and disappears after rest.
2.The liver is the main reservoir of blood
The liver collects blood means that the liver has the function of storing blood, preventing bleeding and regulating the amount of blood. Therefore, it is known as the liver’s main blood collection, which includes the following
(1) Storage of blood
Blood is derived from water and grain essence, which is biochemically produced in the spleen and stored in the liver. The liver stores a certain amount of blood to nourish itself and to regulate the liver’s yang energy to maintain the balance of the liver’s yin and yang, and to harmonize the qi and blood. Patients with hyperthyroidism mostly suffer from liver failure to store blood, and a deficiency of blood in the liver leads to too much Yang Qi rising, so they tend to suffer from fear of heat and sweating, insomnia and dreaminess.
(2) Regulation of blood volume
Blood deficiency can occur when there is a disorder in the Liver’s blood collection function. If the liver blood is insufficient, the blood distributed to all parts of the body cannot meet the needs of physiological activities, and pathological changes of blood deficiency and loss of nourishment can occur. If the eyes are not nourished by blood, the eyes will become dry and faint, or night blindness; if the tendons are not nourished, the tendons and veins will become constricted, the limbs will become numb, and flexion and extension will be unfavorable; insufficient liver blood will also lead to sleeplessness at night and early awakening from dreams, as well as low menstrual flow and even amenorrhea in women. Many elderly patients with thyroid tumors, hypothyroidism and thyroiditis belong to this type.
3, liver regulation of sex and reproduction
It is mainly through the regulation of the Chong and Ren Channels that it affects the reproductive and sexual functions of men and women.
(1) Regulation of the Punch and Ren
The Punch and Ren Channels are connected to the Liver meridian and belong to the Liver. The liver is responsible for draining and regulating the physiological activities of the two channels. The normal function of the liver’s drainage, menstruation in time, with normal secretion, pregnancy and childbirth smooth. If the liver is not draining and causes dysregulation of the two channels, the Qi and blood will not be in harmony, resulting in menstruation, hypotrophy, fetal delivery, abnormal sexual function and infertility. Many women with thyroid tumors have gynecological problems, such as uterine fibroids and ovarian cysts, and some suffer from early menopause, irregular menstruation and dysmenorrhea. Since the Punching Vessel is located in the chest and is closely related to the breast, there are many patients with thyroid cancer who have breast hyperplasia, breast nodules and breast cancer, and a few men with hyperthyroidism also have breast hyperplasia.
(2) Regulating the essence chamber
”The liver is the master of the tendons, the liver’s drainage and the kidney’s closure of the balance, so that men’s sexual and reproductive functions are normal. If the liver is out of balance, it will lead to an inappropriate opening and closing. Patients with hyperthyroidism generally have too much draining, which is characterized by high sexual desire, strong yang, and dreaming; while patients with thyroid nodules, hypothyroidism, and thyroiditis have poor draining, which is characterized by low sexual desire, impotence, low sperm count, and infertility.
Due to the close relationship between the liver and gallbladder system and the thyroid gland, nourishing the foot convulsive Yin liver meridian and the foot Shaoyang gallbladder meridian is the most important basis for preventing and treating thyroid disorders, the most important of which is sleep. According to the theory of ziwu flow injection, every night at ziwu time (11:0~1:00) is the time period for nourishing the bile meridian, and at ugly time (1:00~3:00) in the morning is the time period for nourishing the liver meridian. In other words, during this time, the cells of the liver and gallbladder system (including the thyroid gland) are doing important work to repair and detoxify, and if these two periods do not get good rest for a long time, the thyroid gland is bound to have problems.
As mentioned above, thyroid disease is closely related to the liver and gallbladder system, and people with liver and gallbladder diseases need to pay special attention to thyroid problems. Many patients have thyroid cancer soon after cholecystectomy, and some have gallbladder tumors soon after thyroid cancer surgery. Both thyroid and gallbladder are the main outlets of liver qi. If liver qi is smooth, both will be fine; if liver qi is depressed, both will die!