Fundamental Theory of TCM
Lao Yi Guo Du (劳逸过度): TCM Concept Guide
Work and rest are two activities indispensable to human existence. Normal work is helpful for the flow of qi and blood and strengthening the body. Necessary rest can eliminate fatigue and restore strength and vitality. Overwork and over-rest all lead to disease.
Overwork
Overwork covers three aspects: overstrain, overwork with the mind and excessive sexual activity.
Overstrain refers to protracted physical hard work, such as over physical work and over sports activity. Protracted physical hard work consumes great amount of qi and blood and causes disease if the energy and vitality are not supplemented and restored in time. Other activities, such as protracted standing, prolonged walking and speaking for a long time, also lead to overstrain.
Overwork with the mind refers to excessive contemplation that consumes heart-blood and causes asthenia disease. Overwork with the mind not only consumes heart-blood, but also impairs the spleen. So the symptoms caused by overwork with the mind are usually palpitation, amnesia, insomnia and dreaminess due to malnutrition of heart-spirit, often complicated by anorexia, abdominal distension and loose stool due to dysfunction of the spleen.
Normal sexual activity is helpful for the flow of qi and blood and the regulation of yin and yang. However excessive sexual activity consumes kidney-essence, weakens qi and blood and malnourishes the five zang-organs, leading to early senility with the symptoms of aching and weakness of the waist and knees, dizziness and tinnitus, dispiritedness, or impotence, seminal emission and premature ejaculation due to kidney deficiency.
Over-rest
Over-rest means lack of enough activity. Protracted lack of enough activity will lead to slow movement of qi and blood, hypofunction of the viscera, poor appetite, fatigue, dispiritedness, weakness of the four limbs or obesity, intolerance to work, palpitation, asthma.
Pathogenic characteristics of imbalance between work and rest
| Cause of disease | Overstrain- Overexertion | Overstrain- Mental overstrain | Overstrain- Sexual overstrain | Indulgence in easy life |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pathogenic characteristics | Consumption of qi impairment of the body | Impairment of the heart and spleen qi and blood | Consumption of essense and qi in the kidney | Unsmooth circulation of qi and blood with visceral dysfunction |
| Clinical manifestations | Asthenic qi reluctance to speak fatigue and tiredness dyspnea and sweating injury of tendons and bones | Palpations amnesia insomnia anorexia abdominal distention and loose stools | Aching and weakness in waist and knees vertigo tinnitus dispiritedness spermatorrhea prospermia | Reduced appetite abdominal distention heaviness of limbs muscular flaccidity puffiness |
Sources and further reading
We cite classical materia medica and modern reference works. This article is health education, not medical advice.
- Shennong Bencao Jing (The Divine Farmer's Materia Medica), Han dynasty.
- Bencao Gangmu (Compendium of Materia Medica), Li Shizhen, 1578.
- Chinese Pharmacopoeia, current edition — identity, quality and safety monographs.
- NCCIH and WHO reference material on traditional medicine safety.
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