Reference no: EM133336197

A 62-year-old male presents with a chief complaint of "feeling under the weather." He explains that he has had a series of "colds" over the past few months and every time he finally starts to feel better, he seems to get sick again. His symptoms today consist of a runny nose, sneezing, and aversion to cold. His pulse is floating and tight; his tongue is unremarkable. As you're talking with your patient, you notice that he seems very sad. You gently ask him about this, and he shares that six months ago, he lost his wife of nearly 40 years to cancer. He says that he has good support from family and friends but has been having a really difficult time adjusting to life without her. Since losing his wife, he has felt very tired and always feels like his voice is weak and he is short of breath, which he had never noticed before.

1. Is this patient hot, cold, or both? Which signs and symptoms support this?

2. Is this pattern internal, external, or both? Which signs and symptoms support this?

3. Is this patient excess, deficient or both? Which signs and symptoms support this?

4. Which organ system(s) do you think are involved for this patient?

5. How would you diagnose this patient? (give a zang-fu diagnosis, such as Heart Blood Deficiency)

6. What would your treatment principle be? (this must match your diagnosis)

7. What is one lifestyle recommendation you would make for this patient?

8. Why is this patient's pulse floating (explain the pathomechanism)?