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digestive system
cholecystitis
psychospiritual approaches

metaphors and correlations

• Edema, hemorrhage, and necrosis found in 100 gallbladders removed from patients who had suffered from acute biliary colic or acute cholecystitis, is due to an angioneurotic reaction occurring in the bed of the arteria cystica during the attack. Stress is the provocative factor of an angioneurotic reaction, as compared with Quincke's angioneurotic edema and with Curling's ulcer. The formation of gallstones is a complication of a similar reaction taking place in the wall of the gallbladder. Mental stress or allergy was detected in 40 other patients with acute biliary colic or acute cholecystitis. (Locke, 1983, p. 150)
• It is notable that gallstones appear more often in women, whereas in men kidney stones are more frequent. The incidence of gallstones is significantly higher in married women with children than in unmarried women. Gallstones are 'fossilised bits of aggression', and occur in such women where the family structure turns into obligations and prevents them from letting their energy and their aggression flow naturally. In colic, they consequently make up for all the things that they have not had the courage to do. (Dethlefsen, p. 141)
• Related to obesity which is directly associated with anxiety of the family projected onto one child. (Harrison, p. 75)
• Inflammation: fear; inflamed thinking; seeing red; anger and frustration about conditions in one's life. (Hay, 1984, p. 170-1)

Chinese psychophysiology:
Liver ~ Gan is the home of the Hun (Ethereal Soul); it relates to decisiveness, control, and the principle of emergence; stores and cleanses the Xue (Blood); maintains smooth flow of Qi and Xue (Blood); controls the muscles, especially their contractility; and reflects emotional harmony and movement.
» Healthy expressions are kindness, spontaneity, and ease of movement.
» Liver Xu (Deficiency) signs include impotence; frigidity; pain in thighs, pelvic region, and throat; ready tendency to "the blahs" (Seem, p. 28); timidity; depression; irritability; vertigo; pruritus; dry skin and/or tendons; asthma; aching at the waist; hernia; and difficulty raising head up and down. Liver Yin Xu (Deficiency) predisposes to the Shi (Excess) conditions of Liver Wind, Liver Yang Rising, and Liver Fire Blazing.
» Liver Qi Stagnation reflects and accentuates emotional constraint as the Liver's function of facilitating smooth flow in the body is constricted. Stagnation is associated with frustration, irritability, tension, and feeling stuck. With time this pattern tends to produce a gloomy emotional state of constant resentment, repressed anger or depression, along with tightness in the chest, frequent sighing, abdominal tension or distension, and/or a feeling of a lump in the throat with difficulty in swallowing. (Maciocia, p. 216)
» Liver Shi (Excess)
signs include discontent; anger; pain in lumbar region and genitals (Seem, p. 28); muscular tension; excessive sex drive; insomnia; moodiness; excitability; genital diseases; red, tearing eyes; compulsive energy; and bitter taste in the mouth. Chronically suppressed anger can implode and give rise to Fire in the Liver and Gall Bladder with symptoms of irritability, bitter taste, headaches, etc.

Gall Bladder ~ Dan is the source of courage and initiative, and is responsible for decision-making as the bodily Minister of Justice; controls circulation of the nourishing and protecting energies [Ying Qi and Wei (Protective) Qi]; expresses itself through the sinews (ligaments and tendons); and opens into the eyes. Its channel purifies Yang energy in the body.
» Healthy expressions are kindness, decisiveness, control, and spirit of initiative.
» Gall Bladder Shi (Excess) signs include tiredness; sighing; irritability; bitter taste in the mouth in the morning; pain in all joints; edematous knees and legs (Seem, p. 29); tinnitus; lateral headache; heaviness in head and stomach; muscular spasms; and limbs slightly cold. Chronically suppressed anger can implode and give rise to Fire in the Liver and Gall Bladder.
» Anger, frustration, and resentment can cause Liver Qi Stagnation which, in turn, can produce Heat which affects the Gall Bladder.


therapies

affirmation:
(Inflammation)
• My thinking is peaceful, calm, and centered.
• I am willing to change all patterns of criticism.
• I love and approve of myself. (Hay, 1984, p. 170-1)

psychotherapy:
• Those who are prone to inflammations and infections are attempting to avoid conflicts. The following questions may be useful:
» What conflict in my life am I failing to see? hear? feel?
» What conflict am I dodging? What is my relationship to it?
» What conflict am I failing to admit to?
• Questions of interest for those suffering from a liver problem:
» In what areas have I lost my capacity for accurate assessment and evaluation?
» In what respects can I no longer distinguish between what is good for me and what is 'poisonous'?
» Where have I been taking things to excess? To what extent am I aiming too high (delusions of grandeur) and generally going beyond the limit?
» Am I lacking in confidence? decisiveness? (Dethlefsen, p. 108, 140)

process paradigm: (experientially oriented)
• What is the symptom preventing me from doing? What is the symptom making me do? (see process interview: digestive system, process interview: immune system)

related materia medica listings:
the shadow and physical symptoms
converting a symptom to a signal
affirmations: guidelines and precautions
process paradigm


footnotes

Reprinted from The Foundations of Chinese Medicine, Maciocia, Giovanni, 1989, by permission of the publisher Churchill Livingstone, a division of Elsevier Limited.