Good Morning readers!

Today let’s talk a bit about Crying in the view of Chinese Traditional Medicine.

Different from what we might think/imagine, crying isn’t just an exteriorization of sadness. Humans can also cry because of anger, joy, emotion and so on. It’s a way to push out something overflowing inside of us, making organs balanciate themselves and return to their usual behavior.

But what about tears? What is the organ responsible for the fluid that mainly represents crying.

The answer is: LIVER.

It’s interesting to think that crying is nothing but “the act of shedding tears through the eyes”. And in Chinese Medicine, no other organ is capable of producing and expelling tears, but the Liver.

The liver controls the eyes, the ability to see, moisturizing of the eyes and the capacity of crying. In addition, it is also the only organ capable of flowing energy through all sides of the body, taking Qi and Blood on demand for each one of the organs and viscera so they can perfectly work.

When Liver’s blood is strong, the eyes get naturally moist, the patient sees well and has the capability of crying when emotions assume control.

When the patient suffers from a Yin and/or Blood Liver Deficiency, the eyes will become dry and malnourished, and may there be intention/will of crying, the patient won’t be able to make or shed tears. The feeling will be restrained, giving a weight sensation on the chest and angst, in some occasions even escalating to physical pain.

The Yin and/or Blood Liver Deficiency may happen due to emotional stress, overdoing of physical activities, bad eating habits, overworking without proper rest and huge blood loss as in surgery or voluminous menstruation. 

The Ascendance of Liver’s Yang, that happens especially due to anger and stress, can also lead to lack of tears, and the patient will suffer from dry eyes and a difficulty of crying.

So, to give the patient the capability of rebalancing their emotions through crying, we must tone Yin and/or Blood of the Liver or control Yang when necessary. For that matter I suggest the following points: LV8, BL17, GB39 (for Yin and Blood) and LV2 in order to control Yang.

Working thorax energy that might have become stagnant due to paucity of crying is also important. The CV17 point does that very well.

In auriculotherapy the Liver, Yang Liver and Lung points are also of extreme importance! Don’t forget to ask the patient to eat fresh food for the Wood element. Such aliments can be founded on the chart on the following link: https://www.facilitandoacupuntura.com.br/tabelas-de-alimentacao-terapeutica/

Hope this helps!

And let’s go cry! Be it for joy or sadness, letting your feelings flow out is always a good way to equilibrate ourselves!

A huge hug!

Profa. Fernanda Mara