Presentation
A 58-year-old patient came to the clinic deeply concerned about her heart. She had been experiencing pronounced irregularity in her heartbeat with frequent missed beats, accompanied by severe sweating that would drip from her hands and arms. Her family doctor had documented the irregularity on two prior EKG readings and expressed serious concerns about her wellbeing.
The symptoms were both physically debilitating and frightening. Beyond the disruption to daily life, she was carrying significant anxiety about what was happening — and what it might mean.
Diagnosis
The case presented as Heart Qi and Yang deficiency — a pattern in which the heart’s energy (Qi) and its warming aspect (Yang) have weakened to the point where the heart can no longer maintain a steady, well-paced rhythm. In TCM, the heart is responsible not only for circulation but for governing the body’s overall vitality and mental clarity. When its Qi and Yang are depleted, irregular rhythm, sweating (a hallmark of Yang failing to anchor the body’s fluids), and a sense of vulnerability often follow together.
Treatment
The treatment combined acupuncture and a customized Chinese herbal formula designed to rebuild Heart Qi and Yang from the ground up.
Acupuncture sessions targeted:
- RN-14 (Juque) — the front-mu point of the Heart, sitting directly above it, used to settle and strengthen heart function
- GB-25 (Jingmen), ST-25 (Tianshu), SP-16 (Fuai) — a constellation of abdominal points that work together to fortify the body’s overall Qi and support the heart’s connection to the rest of the system
Alongside the acupuncture, an herbal formula was prescribed specifically to tonify Heart Qi and Yang. The herbs work continuously between sessions to rebuild depleted energy reserves over time — an essential complement to in-clinic treatment for a deeper, constitutional case like this one.
Result
After a course of treatment, the patient returned to her family doctor for follow-up. In her own words:
“Laura — I saw my family doctor today. He listened to my heart and is sending me to a cardiologist to figure out what is going on. He listened and said he could not hear the problem that showed up twice previously on EKG. I told him I was having Chinese acupuncture and that you were working on my heart. He looked quite surprised and somewhat bemused, and raised his brows like it never occurred to him that it could help the heart. Never occurred to me either until I met you.”
The irregular rhythm her doctor had previously documented on two separate occasions was no longer audible. The severe sweating had resolved alongside it.
This reflects an individual patient experience, not clinical trial data.
Results vary from person to person depending on the condition, its severity, and how an individual responds to treatment. TCM and acupuncture are not a substitute for care from your physician or another regulated health professional. If you’re dealing with a serious or urgent symptom, please see a doctor first.