KNOW YOUR GALL BLADDER

The Gall Bladder occupies a special place among the Yang organs because it is the only
one that does not deal with food, drink and their waste products, but stores bile, which is a refined
product. Furthermore, it neither communicates with the exterior directly as all the other Yang
organs do (via the mouth, rectum or urethra) nor does it receive food nor transport nourishment,
as do the other Yang organs. In fact, because it stores a refined substance, the Gall Bladder
resembles a Yin organ.
On a psychological level, the Gall Bladder is said to influence the capacity of making
decisions.
Functions of the Gall Bladder

 It stores and excretes bile

 It controls judgment
 It controls sinews

Stores and Excretes Bile

The Gall Bladder receives bile from the Liver, which it stores ready to excrete when needed
during digestion. From this point of view, the function of the Gall Bladder is identical with that
of Western Medicine.

The Gall Bladder is the only Yang organ that stores a “clean” fluid such as bile, instead of “dirty”
substances such as food, drink and their wastes.

Excretion of bile by the Gall Bladder is an expression of the Liver’s role in ensuring the smooth
flow of Qi since the Liver provides the necessary Qi for bile secretion.

Under normal circumstances, the smooth flow of bile aids the Stomach and Spleen function of
digestion. In disease, when Liver-Qi is stagnant and the bile does not flow smoothly, both
Stomach and Spleen functions may be impaired. In particular, the Stomach ability to direct Qi
downwards will be impaired giving rise to nausea and belching.

Controls Judgment
While the Liver is said to control the ability of planning one’s life, theGall Bladder controls the
capacity to make decisions. The two functions have to be harmonized so that we can plan and
act accordingly.

Besides controlling decision making, the Gall Bladder is also said to give an individual courage
and initiative. For this reason, in Chinese, there are several expressions such as “big gall
bladder” meaning “courageous” and “small gall bladder” meaning “timid or fearful”.

This is an important function of the Gall Bladder on a psychological level. It controls the spirit
of initiative, the “drive” and the courage to take decisions and make changes. Although as we
have seen, the Kidneys also control the “drive” and vitality, the Gall Bladder gives us the
capacity to turn this drive and vitality into positive and decisive action. Thus a deficient Gall
Bladder will cause indecision, timidity and the affected person will be easily discouraged at the
slightest adversity.

The Gall Bladder provides the courage for the Mind, governed by the Heart, to carry out
decisions. This reflects the Mother-Child relationship existing between Gall Bladder and Heart
according to the 5 Elements. In cases of weak Mind from Heart deficiency, it is often necessary
to tonify the Gall Bladder to support the Heart.

Controls the Sinews

This function is almost identical to the Liver function of controlling sinews. The only slight
difference is that in so far as the Liver nourishes the sinews with its Blood, the Gall Bladder
provides Qi to the sinews to ensure their proper movement and agility. This explains why the
influential point for sinews, GB-34, is on the Gall Bladder channel.

Dreams:
The Gall Bladder has an influence on the quality and length of sleep, and if it is deficient, a
person will wake early in the morning and be unable to fall asleep again. The “Spiritual Axis”
says: “When the Gall Bladder is deficient one dreams of fights, trials and suicide”.

The Liver and Gall Bladder depend on each other to perform their respective functions. The
Gall Bladder function of storing and excreting bile depends on the Liver function of smooth flow
of Qi. Conversely, the Liver relies on Gall Bladder-Qi to aid its function of smooth flow of Qi.
On a psychological level, the Liver’s influence on the planning of our life is dependent on the
Gall Bladder capacity to help us make decisions.

The gall bladder is easily affected by humidity caused by impairment of the spleen function of
transformation & transportation. Initially the spleen becomes deficient and subsequently
affects gall bladder.

An excessive consumption of fatty and greasy foods causes humidity, which can lodge in the
gall bladder.

Deficiency of Qi in gall bladder affects courage & spirit of initiative. It causes timidity and lack
of courage.

When the person is courageous it is said that the gall bladder is big. When the person is
coward or timid it is said that the gall bladder is small.

External humidity and heat can cause humid heat in gall bladder.

Humid heat in gall bladder cause stones in gall bladder. The stones are an extreme form of
humidity. They are formed over a long period of time. Heat transforms phlegm into stone over
a long period.
Severe deficiency of blood may result in fear and lack of courage.

a) Heat in blood may result in anger

b) Blood & yin are the root of the ethereal soul. If blood is deficient. The ethereal soul suffers
and manifests with fear. If the fear is due to deficiency of blood, the fear is felt at the time of
night.
c) Excess energy in liver creates anger. (Stagnation of the Qi in liver isan excess condition.
Liver yang can only be in excess, never deficient.)

If the children are treated with step-motherly in their childhood, they develop deficiency in gall
bladder and they become timid.

Swelling in axilla indicates a lymphatic problem due to gall bladder.

Treatment: GB-21, GB-28, H-3 sedation.

Frequent desire to sigh or to take a deep breath is a problem of gall bladder

Treatment: GB-36, GB-40, GB-41, GB-43, BL-19

If there is excess of energy at the liver passage point i.e. LIV-5 and deficiency in the gall
bladder meridian, there will be painful erection or painful swelling of genitals.
Treatment: LIV-5 with reducing method.

If there is deficiency of energy at the liver passage point i.e. LIV-5, there will be itching in the
sex organs & other parts of body.
Treatment: LIV-3 sedate and GB-37 tonify.

If there is deficiency of energy at the passage point of the gall bladder meridian i.e. GB-37,
there will be emaciation of the lower limbs, limpness and weakness of legs, inability to get up.
Treatment: GB 40 sedate and LIV-5 tonify.

If there is excess of energy at the passage point of the gall bladder meridian i.e. GB-37, there
will be icy feet & legs.
Treatment: GB 37 sedate.

Dark rings around eyes indicates excess heat in gall bladder.

Treatment: GB-36, GB-40, GB-41, GB-43, BL-19
Migraine with nausea & vomiting may be caused by gall bladder hotness. This hotness is due
to the deficiency of yin of gall bladder.
Treatment: GB-36, GB-40, GB-41, GB-43, BL-19

Coldness or numbness or impaired circulation of blood in the extremities, particularly of feet

may be due to hotness of gall bladder or excess of gall bladder.
Treatment: GB-36, GB-40, GB- 41, GB-43, BL-19 with reducing method.

Skin eruptions and redness is caused by hotness of gall bladder.If redness is more it can be
caused by liver fire and if redness is less it can be caused by hotness due to yin deficiency of
gall bladder.
Treatment: GB-36, GB-40, GB-41, GB-43, BL-19 with reducing method.

Pain & humming noise in ears may be due to hotness in gall bladder.
Treatment: GB-36, GB-40, GB-41, GB-43, BL-19 sedate if acute or tonify if chronic.

Breaking of sleep during midnight is due to deficiency of gall bladder.

Treatment: GB-40 tonify.

Humid heat in gall bladder and liver causes Jaundice. Deficiency of spleen causes humidity.
Liver Qi stagnation causes heat, humidity & heat together causes Jaundice.

Scoliosis or bent spine can be caused by gall bladder dysfunction.

Treatment: GB-20, GB-39

If a person has a habit of excessive cleanliness, it indicates dysfunction of gall bladder.