Spleen Functions
- Spleen rules transformation and transportation
- Spleen rules ascending pure
- Spleen controls the blood
- Spleen rules the flesh and four limbs;it opens into the mouth and its brilliance is manifested in the lips
In western physiology, the spleen is a large vascular lymphatic organ which acts as a reservoir and filter of blood. It also plays a role in making blood early on in life. In TCM, the spleen hasn’t been mentioned specifically about these functions, its main roles are in digestion, blood coagulation and fluid metabolism inside the body.
Spleen rules transformation and transportation
The spleen is the primary organ responsible for digestion and absorption; its main role is to transform food and drinks into nutrient essence, and then transport throughout the body. Although the digestion and absorption processes also rely on other organs to accomplish, but since the five zang organs are regarded as the cord units according to TCM holistic view, and so the spleen rules these abilities inside the body. The spleen’s transformation and transportation functions can be clarified according to the food and drinks processing in the body.- Transformation and transportation of nutrient essence
Once the ingested food and drinks get into the body, the stomach is responsible for "receiving" and "ripening", as the preliminary break down process, and then the food mixture passes down into the small intestine to separate into pure and impure forms, the spleen extracts pure nutrient essence from them and transport to the lung and heart for distributing throughout the body. The nutrient essence formed by the spleen becomes the material basis for the productions of fundamental substances and energy supply of life activities.
- Transformation and transportation of body fluids
The spleen plays a key role in body fluid metabolism that promotes fluid production, circulation and excretion. After liquids extracted as pure nutrient essence in the stomach and intestines, the spleen send it upwards to the lung and heart for dissemination and redistribution. Moreover, some will descend to the kidney and bladder to be excreted as urine. The spleen’s transformation and transportation functions are vital to life, as our nutrition and energy can only get from food and drinks. That is why TCM regards the spleen as the “acquired root of life” or the “source of qi and blood production.” The concept is highly valued and becomes an important guideline in TCM. For example, ancient physicians always stressed in protecting spleen and stomach and ensuring their smooth functioning, for the need of maintaining health, preventing disease, and improving clinical efficacy. In everyday life, we should not only pay attention to food nutrition, but should also know the proper ways of preparing food and eating that fit ourselves, so that the spleen and stomach are not overload. When sick, it is wised to follow certain food taboos according to individual condition, as well as prepare special healthy dishes or food remedies to facilitate recovery. Physicians will consider the two organs too during herbal selection, especially for those already with weakened spleen and stomach, they try to avoid prescribing herbs that are cool and cold in properties, difficult to digest and tend to promote bowel movements, as these herbs can harm the spleen and stomach easily.
If the transformation and transportation functions of spleen are harmonious and effective, there will be abundant nutrient essence for qi and blood production, and so normal physiological activities of body can be assured. For whatever reason that makes the spleen failing in the “ruling,” then it will result in disorders in nutrient essence supply or body fluid disturbances. For the former, individuals will experience poor appetite, abdominal distention (in particular after meals), and loose bowels; for the later, since individuals have internal phlegm-dampness accumulation, they are likely to experience general heaviness, greasy tongue coating and even limb puffiness. When the condition becomes chronic and persistent, that insufficient nutrient essence has transformed to meet the need for the production of fundamental substances, individuals will experience sallow complexion, skinny body, limb weakness, and dizziness. They are the common signs of deficiency of blood and qi.
Spleen rules ascending pure
The character of spleen qi movement is ascending and spreading. After transforming food into nutrient essence, the spleen distributes it to the upper body, especially to the heart and lung where it is further transformed into qi and blood for nourishment of the whole body. Internal qi movements are maintained in a coordinated manner, to ensure proper organ functioning. The spleen’s ruling in “ascending pure” is corresponding with the stomach’s ruling in “descending impure”, TCM simply interprets these coordinated qi movements in two organs as the whole process of digestive system. If the spleen’s “ascending pure” and the stomach’s “descending impure” work in harmony, then the digestion and absorption processes can proceed orderly, and a balance in the digestive system is created. The spleen also promotes a lifting effect to hold the internal organs and structures in proper places. This is explained that the muscles, ligaments or soft tissues for retaining and consolidating the organs and structures are relied on the nourishment of nutrient essence. If the spleen transforms sufficient nutrient essence and transports it efficiently throughout the body, then these supporting tissues are strong enough to create the lifting effects, that do not let the organs and structures out of their proper places.
Deficiency of spleen qi and inability to “ascending pure” can lead to two aspects of pathological changes. Firstly, inability to “ascending pure” means the spleen cannot send adequate nutrient essence to the head region, and thus there will be symptoms like dizziness, blurred vision, ear ringing, fatigue and general weakness. Secondly, the lifting effect is weakened and even worse to aggravate descending qi movement, and thus there will be signs like heavy sensation in the lower abdomen, frequent urge in passing stools, diarrhea, and organ prolapses. Deficiency of spleen qi that leads to the above also known as “sinking of spleen qi” in TCM, individuals usually accompany with qi deficiency symptoms, such as poor appetite, abdominal distention, fatigue, general weakness, breath shortness, feeble voice, a pale complexion, and weak pulse. When physicians design the remedies, besides selecting herbs to promote the spleen’s function in ascending pure, it is also necessary to add herbs for invigorating the spleen’s function in transformation and transportation. A classic formula named Tonify the Middle & Augment Qi Decoction is a representative remedy for this purpose.
Spleen controls the blood
This means the spleen controls and directs blood flowing. Not only does the spleen transforms food into nutrient essence for the production of blood, it also governs the movement of blood by keeping it flowing in its proper pathways in the blood vessels. Again, this spleen’s ruling is corresponding with the functions of qi, which keeps the blood flowing within the vessels and prevents it leaking out into the tissues. When the spleen works efficiently, there is adequate production of qi and blood, qi and blood can mutually promote each flowing properly. If the spleen is in disharmony, the blood will lose its direction and escape from its normal pathways, leading to bleeding tendencies. Pathologically, condition due to spleen failure in controlling blood is similar to qi failure in consolidating blood. However, bleeding conditions such as blood in stool, urinary bleeding, and heavy menses are down flowing tendencies, and also correspond to the spleen’s ruling in “ascending pure”, TCM claims that it is more related to a spleen problem. The kind of bleeding is usually in deficient and cold natures, which make the blood likely to appear a purplish dark color or thin texture. Individuals often accompany with other symptoms such as pale complexion, mental fatigue, loose bowels, a bulky and pale tongue, which are due to spleen qi deficiency.
Spleen rules the flesh and four limbs; it opens into the mouth and its brilliance is manifested in the lips
In TCM, the movements of the muscles and four limbs depend on the power of the spleen. When the spleen’s transformation and transportation functions are effectively, the limbs or muscles are full and strong because they are nourished by blood and qi constantly. If the spleen’s functions are weakened, however, the muscles become weak and flabby, and individuals may feel tired and weak too. Clinically, for patients with chronic conditions especially those have digestive problems and skinny appearance, physicians always consider invigorating the spleen to promote muscle building, and this can usually relieve the overall weakened and lead to more desirable results. The spleen affects our appetite and the sense of taste. The lips not only reflect the rise and fall of blood and qi inside the body, they also closely associates with the spleen’s functional state. If spleen function is harmonious, there will be a good appetite, the tongue can distinguish the five tastes (sweet, salty, sour, bitter and pungent), and the lips appear red and moist. If the spleen is abnormal, there will be changing in appetite and the sense of taste, and the lips will become pale too. A poor appetite and bland taste in mouth is usually associated with spleen deficiency. If there is a sense of sweet taste and feel sticky in mouth, then it may be a disharmony called spleen insufficiency with damp retention.
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