TCM pattern · Yin deficiency
Stomach Yin Deficiency
胃阴虚 Wei Yin Xu Stomach system
The Stomach has lost its moisture, usually after a fever, a long run of Stomach heat, or years of irregular eating. The mouth is dry but you do not want to drink much, there is no real appetite, a dull burning after meals, dry stools, and a tongue that has lost its coat in the middle.
A dry stomach is a dry riverbed. Food sits on it instead of floating through. The fix is to refill the river, not to push the food harder.
How to recognize Stomach Yin Deficiency
The signs that point most strongly to this pattern:
- Dry mouth and lips, with no wish to drink much
- No appetite, or hungry but unable to eat
- Dull burning or discomfort in the stomach after eating
- Dry stools, constipation
- A tongue with the coat peeled off in the middle
Also common
- Dry retching or hiccups
- Afternoon warmth
- Bleeding gums or loose teeth with a dry mouth
- Weight loss
- Feeling full quickly
- Tongue
- Red in the middle with the coat peeled or absent there, or a dry cracked surface.
- Pulse
- Thin and rapid.
Formulas for Stomach Yin Deficiency
Herbs that matter most for Stomach Yin Deficiency
- Mai Dong Mai Dong Ophiopogon Root Tuber Ophiopogon moistens the Stomach and the mouth.
- Bei Sha Shen Glehnia Root Glehnia moistens the Stomach and Lung.
- Yu Zhu Fragrant Solomonseal Rhizome Solomon's seal moistens without clogging the Spleen.
- Shi Hu Dendrobium Stem Dendrobium is the classic Stomach yin herb for a dry mouth and poor appetite.
- Sheng Di Huang Fresh Rehmannia Root Raw rehmannia cools and moistens.
- Bai Shao White Peony Root White peony eases the dull burning and nourishes yin.
How Stomach Yin Deficiency differs from its look-alikes
- Stomach Fire Stomach fire is hungry and thirsty for cold drinks with a thick yellow coat. Stomach yin deficiency has no appetite and a dry mouth that does not want to drink, with a peeled tongue. Fire often turns into yin deficiency once it has burned long enough.
- Spleen Qi Deficiency Spleen qi deficiency is tired, bloated, and loose-stooled with a pale tongue. Stomach yin deficiency is dry and warm with dry stools and a red peeled tongue.
What drains into Stomach Yin Deficiency
- A fever or hot illness that burned the Stomach fluids
- Years of Stomach fire from spicy food and alcohol
- Irregular eating, skipped meals, eating late
- Long worry that locks the Stomach
- Dry heating medicines taken for too long
Food and habits that help Stomach Yin Deficiency
- Small, regular, moist meals: congee, soups, steamed vegetables, pears, honey in warm water.
- Nothing spicy, fried, or alcoholic until the tongue coat returns.
- Eat sitting down and chew slowly. A dry Stomach cannot be rushed.
- Stop eating two hours before bed.
- Sip warm water through the day rather than gulping cold water.
What should change as Stomach Yin Deficiency improves
- The dry mouth and dry lips ease within two weeks.
- Appetite returns gently over a month.
- The bare patch on the tongue grows a thin coat back. That is the real sign the yin is refilling.
- Stools soften.
Conditions where Stomach Yin Deficiency shows up
Sources
- Maciocia, The Foundations of Chinese Medicine, 3rd edition Stomach yin deficiency.
- Bensky, Scheid, Ellis and Barolet, Chinese Herbal Medicine: Formulas and Strategies, 2nd edition Yi Wei Tang, Sha Shen Mai Dong Tang.
Important Note
A pattern is a picture, not a diagnosis. Most people carry two patterns at once, and the signs here are the classic ones, not a checklist. Use this page to recognize yourself, read a formula label with understanding, and ask a qualified practitioner a sharper question.