4) emotions:

A very important feature of Chinesemedicine,is that the state of anInternal Organ affects emotions and/or mental state,conversely, emotions canaffect the state ofanInternal Organ, namely:

Liver is affected by anger

* Anger should be interpreted very broadly, to include positive anger that is a necessary attribute of the driving force for protection, activity and evolution, in general.
* Anger, however, also includeseveral allied emotional states such asresentment, unresolved physical and emotional stress, irritability, frustration, rage, hatred, indignation, animosity and bitterness together with any suppressed negative emotion.
* anger makes Qi stagnate and/or rise, thus, many of the signs and symptoms will manifest in the head, neck, and throat.
** These include:dizziness, tinnitus, neck stiffness, red blotches on the front part of the neck and a red face, sensation of blockage a/or constriction of the throatand obviously headache, which, depending on the severity of the emotional state, can grow into unbearable migraine.
* On the other hand, an unhealthy state of the Liver, caused bybad eating habits e.g. excessive consumption ofsour foods(since sour is the taste of the Liver),hot-energy foods: red meat, spices, alcohol, greasy foods: dairy and fried foods,can become an underlying cause of the negative emotions listed above.

Heartis affected byjoy.

* Joy should also be interpreted broadly.
* Joy, obviously, is an expression of healthy contentment.
* As a cause of disease joyis an excessive excitement and craving.
* This occurs when people live in a state of a continuous excessive excitement or mental and emotional stimulation (however pleasurable).
* ingratiating joyorinordinate cravingleads to anexcessive stimulation of the Heartand, in time, can lead to Heart-Fire or Heart Empty-Heatconditions which make the Heart larger, which, in turn, may lead to Heart-related symptoms and signs, these may deviate somewhat from the classical Heart patterns.
* main manifesta¬tions would includechest cramps, palpitations, over excitability, insomnia, restlessness, talking a lot, (since Heart controls the tongue)and a red tip of the tongue (which reflects Heart area).

Lung sare affected by sadness/worry.

* sadness includes the emotions of grief, regretand the emotion of letting goas when someone regrets a certain action or decision in the past and the Mind (Shen, which is governed by Heart) is constantly turned towards that time.
* This way sadness affects the Heart.
** Heart accumulates and dissolves Qiin general,in turn,NutritiveQiand Defensive Qi cannot circulate freely, leading to depletion of Qi overall.
* The Lungs govern all types of Qi.
** Sadness leads to deficiency of Lung-Qi and may manifest in a variety of symptoms, such as breathlessness, tiredness, a feeling of discomfort in the chest,sometimes a dry cough, weak voice, sighing, a pale complexion, depression or crying.
** In women, deficiency of Lung-Qi may lead to Blood deficiencyand amenorrhoea.
** Pulse will be weak of both Front positions (Heart and Lungs). In particular, the pulse has no 'wave' and does not flow smoothly towards the thumb.
* Worry knots Qi, which means that it causes stagna¬tion of Qi, and it affects both Lungs and Spleen.
** the Lungs are affected because when one is worried the breathing is shallow, and the Spleensince this. organ is responsible for thinking and ideas.
** Worry is the emotional counterpart of the Spleen's mental energy, which is responsible for concentration and memorization. When the Spleen is healthy we can concentrate and focus on the object of our study or work. The same type of mental energy, when disturbed by worry, leads to constantly thinking, brooding and worrying about certain events of life.

Spleen is affected by thinking, pensiveness.

* Pensiveness is very similar to worry in its character and effect.
* Pensiveness consists of brooding, constantly thinking about certain events or people (even though not worrying), nostalgic hankering after the past and generally thinking intensely about life rather than living. it. In extreme cases, pensiveness leads to obsessive thoughts.
* in a different sense, pensiveness also includes excessive mental work in the process of one's work or study.
* Pensiveness affects the Spleen and, like worry, it knots Qi.
* Pensiveness will therefore cause similar symptoms as outlined above for worry.
** In addition, pensivenesswill cause a slight epigastric discomfort and the other difference will be that the pulse on the right side will not only feel slightly tight, but will have no 'wave'.

Kidneys is affected by fear.

* Fear includes both a chronic state of fear and anxiety,and a sudden fright.
* Fear depletes Kidney-Qi and makes Qi descend.
* Examples of Qi descending are nocturnal enuresis in children and incontinence of urine or diarrhoea in adults following a sudden fright.
** In TCM, nocturnal enuresis is a common problem in children that is often caused by fear of a feeling of insecure due to some family situation.
* Situation of chronic anxiety and fear will have different effect on Qi depending on the state of the Heart.
* If the Heart is strong, it will cause Qi to descend; if the Heart is weak, it will cause Qi to rise in the form of Empty-Heat and cause palpitations, insomnia, restlessness, anxiety, dream-disturbed sleep, fidgetiness.
* In adults, however, fear and chronic anxiety often cause deficiency of Kidney-Yin and rising of Empty-Heat within the Heart, with a feeling of heat in the face, night sweating, palpitations and a dry mouth and throat. malar flush and a rapid pulse.