Gall Bladder Functions
Similar to western medicine, in TCM the gall bladder stores and secretes bile that produced by the liver. After we eat, through flowing and spreading actions of the liver, bile is secreted into the intestines where it aids the spleen and stomach to do digestion and absorption. Liver harmony is essential for the healthy functioning of gall bladder as well as spleen and stomach. If liver disharmony occurs, bile production and secretion will be affected, which can have a negative impact on other digestive functions. For example, liver qi stagnation can interrupt the secretion of bile, causing a distending pain in the chest or rid sides; this also affect the spleen and stomach, and so leads to lack of appetite particularly to greasy food, abdominal distention and loose bowels. In case if the liver’s flowing and spreading actions are hyperactive, causing upward counter-flow of liver qi or liver fire flaring up, bile flow will follow too, that makes individuals have a bitter taste in mouth and even vomiting yellowish bile juice. If bile cannot secretion normally, it may overflow to the skin and cause jaundice (yellowish tinge to the skin). If bile detained for too long and constantly boiled down by internal heat, gall stones may be formed. On the other hand, when bile secretion is disturbed for some reasons, it will in turn affect liver actions. Clinically, it is very common to see both liver and gall bladder are sick at the same time.
The gall bladder rules judgment, and is related to emotional activities, which often showed by a person’s decision making and bravery. If the gall bladder is weak, individuals will show silent, nervous, panic or dream-disturbed sleep. For some part of mental functions such as planning and strategic thinking, judgment, or decisive making, the gall bladder is closely cooperated with the liver, they work together to regulate mental or emotional activities. Therefore, some emotional problems such as nervous, panic attack or anxiety, TCM remedies are usually aimed at resuming liver and gall bladder harmony.
TCM regards the bile as a pure substance, so the gall bladder is different from other yang organs that receive digestive and waste products (impure form). For this reason, gall bladder is also considered as one of the extraordinary organs.
Click here to read more about the Gall Bladder Meridian.
