Hi. I noticed in Macciocia and other books that kidney yin deficiency is mostly discussed as an older person's pattern. How often is this pattern seen in young people? I know a teenager who has dry skin, cracked tongue (vertical crack in center around spleen and small horizontal cracks in the liver area, and has changeable coat, sometimes peeled in spots), constipation, and dizzy spells. Also mostly a Vata type constitution. So energetically dry but not necessarily hot, at least does not report feeling hot, if anything, maybe cold. It seems like a yin or blood deficiency to me but how to know what organ? Can it be kidney yin or liver blood deficiency? Thank you! Sonia

Andrew said: That is true, yin deficiency typically occurs over time and with age. The exception in a young person is usually in the case of a developmental disorder (jing deficiency). If you are seeing dry signs in a teen I would think poor hydration, blood deficiency, or fire excess drying out fluids. Based on your symptoms I would look at liver blood deficiency and consider that as an option. You have listed two possible liver signs: dizzy spells, horizontal cracks in the liver area. Also, the teen years are the time of the liver (look at the tree drawings on the five element wheel slide). If the teen is a girl and of menstrual age, is there menses light or absent? That would confirm. In general, nourishing blood overall without a specific organ in mind could help. Si Wu Tang is useful for general blood deficiency.

Thank you so much for clearing this up for me!