Essential Hypertension
Primary hypertension is a cardiovascular syndrome characterized primarily by elevated systemic arterial blood pressure. Hypertension often coexists with other cardiovascular risk factors, which may affect important organs such as the heart, brain, and kidneys and ultimately lead to organ dysfunction. Common symptoms include dizziness, headache, neck stiffness, a heavy-headed or unsteady feeling, palpitations, tinnitus, blurred vision, and nosebleeds.
TCM Pattern Differentiation and Medication Reference
| Common Symptoms
Clinical Description:
Dizziness and distending headache, facial flushing and red eyes, irritability, thirst with a preference for cold drinks, tinnitus, pain in the rib-side region, bitter taste in the mouth, red tongue, yellow coating, and a wiry, rapid pulse.
In Plain Language:
- You may feel dizzy, with a tight, distending headache.
- Your face may appear flushed and your eyes red or bloodshot, giving you a flushed, heated appearance.
- You may feel restless and become easily irritated or angry.
- You may feel notably thirsty and often want to drink water.
- You may prefer cold drinks, such as chilled water or beverages.
- You may hear a buzzing or ringing sound in your ears.
- You may have discomfort or pain along the sides of the ribs, together with a bitter taste in your mouth.
- Your tongue may look redder than usual.
- Your tongue coating may appear yellow.
- On pulse examination, the pulse may feel tense like a stretched string and faster than usual.
| Treatment Approach
Clinical Description:
Clear the Liver and drain Fire.
In Plain Language:
- In TCM, this approach aims to clear constrained heat in the Liver and reduce excessive internal Fire. As the pattern is brought into balance, discomforts such as irritability, pain or distension along the ribs, red eyes, a distending headache, bitter taste, and dry throat may gradually ease.
- By clearing heat, preserving fluids, and promoting the smooth flow of qi, this approach aims to ease headache, dizziness, poor sleep, vivid dreams, dry stools, and dark-yellow urine, helping support a calmer mood and more restful sleep.
| Related Products
The products below are provided for informational reference only and do not constitute medical advice or a prescription. Refer to the product packaging and instructions, and use under the guidance of a physician or pharmacist.
| Common Symptoms
Clinical Description:
A heavy, wrapped feeling in the head, oppression and fullness in the chest and epigastrium, vomiting of phlegm and saliva, heaviness of the limbs, reduced appetite and a sticky feeling in the mouth, pale tongue, greasy coating, and slippery pulse.
In Plain Language:
- Your head may feel heavy and distended, as if wrapped or weighed down, leaving you feeling unrefreshed.
- Your chest and upper abdomen may feel oppressed, full, or blocked.
- You may repeatedly feel nauseated or want to vomit, bringing up thick phlegm and saliva.
- Your limbs and body may feel heavy, tired, and weak, making movement feel cumbersome.
- You may have a poor appetite and eat little, with a sticky or greasy feeling in your mouth that puts you off food.
- Your tongue may look pale and less rosy than usual.
- Your tongue coating may look thick and greasy.
- On pulse examination, the pulse may feel smooth and slippery.
| Treatment Approach
Clinical Description:
Transform phlegm and dispel dampness; harmonize the Stomach and direct turbidness downward.
In Plain Language:
- In TCM, this approach aims to transform phlegm and dispel excess dampness, so that chest and epigastric oppression, excess phlegm, heaviness in the head, and fatigue may gradually ease.
- By harmonizing Stomach qi and directing turbidness downward, this approach aims to ease nausea, reflux, belching, poor appetite, abdominal distension, and a sticky feeling in the mouth.
| Related Products
The products below are provided for informational reference only and do not constitute medical advice or a prescription. Refer to the product packaging and instructions, and use under the guidance of a physician or pharmacist.
| Common Symptoms
Clinical Description:
Stabbing headache at a fixed location, worse at night; numbness in the hands and feet; dark, dull complexion; possibly bluish-purple lips or nails, or subcutaneous bruising; dark tongue, distended sublingual veins, and a wiry, choppy pulse.
In Plain Language:
- You may have sharp, stabbing head pain, like being pricked by a needle.
- The pain may remain in one specific location rather than moving around.
- The pain may become more noticeable and uncomfortable at night.
- Your hands and feet may feel numb, swollen, or less sensitive and responsive.
- Your complexion may look dark or dull, rather than rosy.
- Your lips and nails may appear bluish or purplish.
- Bruise-like bluish-purple marks may also appear under the skin.
- Your tongue may look dark and dull rather than bright or rosy.
- The veins beneath your tongue may look enlarged, twisted, and prominent.
- On pulse examination, the pulse may feel tense and rough or uneven.
- Your tongue may appear dark in both color and overall appearance.
| Treatment Approach
Clinical Description:
Promote blood circulation and resolve blood stasis.
In Plain Language:
- In TCM, this approach aims to promote blood circulation and resolve blood stasis, helping to disperse stagnation and gradually ease related discomfort such as fixed, stabbing pain, numbness, and coldness.
- By supporting blood flow and metabolism and promoting the generation of new blood, this approach aims to improve the movement of qi and blood and gradually ease swelling, bluish discoloration, a dull complexion, and restricted movement.
| Related Products
The products below are provided for informational reference only and do not constitute medical advice or a prescription. Refer to the product packaging and instructions, and use under the guidance of a physician or pharmacist.
| Common Symptoms
Clinical Description:
Dizziness, a heavy-headed or unsteady feeling, tinnitus, heat in the palms, soles, and chest, dry mouth and throat, soreness and weakness in the lower back and knees, night sweats, seminal emission, flushed cheeks, scanty dark-yellow urine, dry stools, red tongue with little coating, and a fine, rapid pulse.
In Plain Language:
- You may feel dizzy, with a spinning sensation or unsteadiness, especially when standing.
- Your head may feel heavy and tight, and your feet may feel light or unsteady when you walk, as if you might lose your footing.
- You may hear buzzing or ringing in your ears, which may be persistent or vary in intensity.
- Your palms, soles, and chest may feel hot, with inner restlessness that makes it difficult to settle down.
- Your mouth and throat may feel dry, and drinking may not relieve the dryness.
- Your lower back and knees may feel sore and weak, particularly after standing or walking for a long time.
- You may sweat while asleep and may experience seminal emission.
- Your cheeks may become flushed and warm in episodes.
- You may pass small amounts of dark-yellow urine.
- Your stools may be hard and dry, making bowel movements difficult and less frequent.
- Your tongue may look redder than usual.
- There may be very little coating on your tongue.
- On pulse examination, the pulse may feel fine and fast, with relatively weak beats.
| Treatment Approach
Clinical Description:
Pacify the Liver and anchor Yang; clear heat and extinguish Wind.
In Plain Language:
- In TCM, this approach aims to regulate Liver qi and anchor upward-surging Yang, which may help ease dizziness, a distending headache, red eyes, tinnitus, irritability, and facial flushing or heat.
- By clearing internal heat and calming Wind, this approach aims to ease symptoms such as trembling in the hands and feet, spasms, restlessness, and poor sleep with vivid dreams, supporting a calmer mood and more restful sleep.
| Related Products
The products below are provided for informational reference only and do not constitute medical advice or a prescription. Refer to the product packaging and instructions, and use under the guidance of a physician or pharmacist.
| Common Symptoms
Clinical Description:
Dizziness and headache, worse with exertion; soreness and weakness in the lower back and knees; tinnitus or hearing loss; forgetfulness; weakness in both legs; pale tongue and weak pulse.
In Plain Language:
- You may experience dizziness and headache, with a heavy or tight feeling in your head.
- These symptoms may become noticeably worse after exertion or physical effort.
- Your lower back and knees may often feel sore and weak, especially after standing or walking for a long time.
- You may hear ringing or buzzing in your ears and notice reduced hearing, making conversation more difficult.
- You may become more forgetful, including forgetting recent events or details.
- Your legs may feel weak, making it harder to walk or stand for long periods.
- Your tongue may look pale and less rosy than usual.
- On pulse examination, the pulse may feel weak and lack strength.
| Treatment Approach
Clinical Description:
Nourish the Liver and Kidneys; enrich essence and replenish marrow.
In Plain Language:
- In TCM, this approach aims to nourish the Liver and Kidneys and replenish yin fluids, which may help ease soreness and weakness in the lower back and knees, dizziness, tinnitus, dry eyes, and dry mouth.
- By enriching essence and replenishing marrow, this approach aims to ease forgetfulness, poor sleep, and low energy, supporting clearer thinking and more restful sleep.
| Related Products
The products below are provided for informational reference only and do not constitute medical advice or a prescription. Refer to the product packaging and instructions, and use under the guidance of a physician or pharmacist.
| Common Symptoms
Clinical Description:
Episodes of dizziness, worse with exertion; fatigue and weakness; shortness of breath and reluctance to speak; pale or sallow complexion; pale lips and nails; pale tongue and a fine pulse.
In Plain Language:
- You may have episodes of dizziness, sometimes with a sudden sensation that everything is spinning.
- Symptoms may become noticeably worse after exertion or physical effort.
- You may feel easily fatigued, drained, and low in energy.
- You may feel short of breath and reluctant to speak or talk at length.
- Your complexion may look pale or yellowish and lack a healthy rosy color.
- Your lips and nails may look paler than usual.
- Your tongue may look pale rather than red or bright.
- On pulse examination, the pulse may feel fine and weak, with little force.
| Treatment Approach
Clinical Description:
Tonify qi and nourish blood; regulate and nourish the Heart and Spleen.
In Plain Language:
- In TCM, this approach aims to support qi and nourish blood, which may help ease shortness of breath, fatigue, a pale complexion, dizziness, palpitations, and spontaneous sweating.
- By supporting the Heart and Spleen, promoting healthy digestive function, and calming the mind, this approach aims to address poor appetite, abdominal distension, reduced appetite, and poor sleep or forgetfulness, helping support energy and well-being.
| Related Products
The products below are provided for informational reference only and do not constitute medical advice or a prescription. Refer to the product packaging and instructions, and use under the guidance of a physician or pharmacist.
| Common Symptoms
Clinical Description:
Headache and dizziness associated with menstruation, irregular menstruation, tinnitus, irritability, heat in the palms and soles, facial flushing, lower abdominal distension and pain, pale tongue, and wiry, fine pulse.
In Plain Language:
- Your headache and dizziness may be related to your menstrual cycle and become more noticeable before or during your period.
- Your menstrual cycle may be irregular, with periods occurring earlier or later than expected.
- You may experience recurring buzzing or ringing in your ears.
- You may feel restless and become easily irritated or angry.
- Your palms and soles may feel hot or burning, with a general sensation of internal heat.
- Your face, especially your cheeks, may become flushed and feel warm in episodes.
- Your lower abdomen may feel distended and painful.
- Your tongue may look pale rather than rosy or bright.
- On pulse examination, the pulse may feel fine and tense, like a stretched string.
| Treatment Approach
Clinical Description:
Regulate and harmonize the Chong and Ren vessels.
In Plain Language:
- In TCM, this approach aims to regulate and nourish the Chong and Ren vessels and support a more regular flow of qi and blood. It may help ease irregular periods, unusually heavy or light menstrual flow, menstrual abdominal pain, and breast distension.
- By warming and nourishing the lower abdomen, supporting pelvic circulation, and promoting emotional balance and sleep, this approach aims to ease sensitivity to cold, abdominal chill, abnormal vaginal discharge, fatigue, and irritability.
| Related Products
The products below are provided for informational reference only and do not constitute medical advice or a prescription. Refer to the product packaging and instructions, and use under the guidance of a physician or pharmacist.
References
- Revision Committee of the Chinese Guidelines for the Prevention and Treatment of Hypertension. 2010 Chinese Guidelines for the Prevention and Treatment of Hypertension [M]. Beijing: People’s Medical Publishing House, 2010.
- Tian Ye, Chen Juan, Wang Haipeng, et al. Analysis of hypertension trends among adults in China, 1991–2009 [J]. Chinese Journal of Preventive Medicine, 2014, 15(20): 138–142.
- Li Liming, Rao Keqin, Kong Lingzhi, et al. The 2002 survey on nutrition and health status of Chinese residents [J]. Chinese Journal of Epidemiology, 2005, 26(7): 478–484.
- China Association of Chinese Medicine. Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Common Internal Medicine Conditions in Traditional Chinese Medicine [M]. China Press of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 2008.
- Zheng Xiaoying. Guiding Principles for Clinical Research on New Traditional Chinese Medicines [M]. Beijing: China Medical Science Press, 2002.