NBCE ACUPUNCTURE COMPREHENSIVE EXAM UPDATED
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS RATED A+
✔✔Heart and Lung Qi Deficiency - ✔✔slight shortness of breath, slight cough, weak
voice, dislike speaking, bright-white complexion, propensity to catch colds, tiredness,
palpitations, shortness of breath on exertion, depression, spontaneous sweating,
sighing, pale tongue, empty pulse
✔✔All phlegm patterns of the lungs include - ✔✔cough with expectorartion of sputum
✔✔Spleen Function - ✔✔governs transformation and transportation, controls the
ascending Qi, controls blood, controls the muscles and 4 limbs, opens into the mouth,
manifests in the lips, controls saliva, controls the raising of Qi, hoses the intellect,
affected by pensiveness
✔✔Spleen Pathologies involve - ✔✔tiredness, digestive disorders, dull-yellow
complexion, abdominal distension
✔✔The spleen likes this type of food - ✔✔warm, dry
✔✔Most common cause of chronic tiredness - ✔✔Spleen Qi Deficiency
✔✔Spleen Qi Deficiency - ✔✔poor appetite, slight abdominal distension after eating,
tiredness, lassitude, desire to lay down, pale complexion, weakness of limbs, loose
stools, pale tongue, empty pulse
✔✔Spleen Yang deficiency - ✔✔poor appetite, slight abdominal distension after eating,
tiredness, lassitude, desire to lay down curled up, pale complexion, weakness of the
limbs, loose stools, feeling cold, cold limbs, edema, pale and wet tongue, deep-weak
pulse
✔✔The main cause of organ prolapse - ✔✔Spleen Qi Sinking
✔✔Spleen Qi Sinking - ✔✔poor appetite, slight abdominal distension after eating,
tiredness, lassitude, pale complexion, weakness of limbs, loose stools, depression,
tendency to obesity, a bearing down sensation in abdomen, prolapse of
stomach/uterus/anus/bladder, frequent/urgent urination, menorrhagia, pale tongue,
weak pulse
✔✔Spleen not controlling blood - ✔✔poor appetite, slight abdominal distension after
eating, tiredness, lassitude, pale-sallow complexion, weakness of the limbs, loose
stools, depression, blood spots under the skin, blood in the urine/stools, excessive
uterine bleeding, pale tongue, weak-fine pulse
,✔✔Spleen-Blood deficiency - ✔✔poor appetite, slight abdominal distension after eating,
tiredness, lassitude, dull pale complexion, weakness of limbs, loose stools, depression,
thin body, scanty periods, amenhhorhea, insomnia, pale-thin and slightly dry tongue,
choppy-fine pulse
✔✔Cold Dampness invading the Spleen - ✔✔poor appetite, feeling of fullness in the
epigastrium/abdomen, feeling of cold in epigastrium that improves with heating, feeling
of heaviness, sweetish taste/no taste, no thirst, loose stools, lassitude, tiredness,
nausea, edema, dull-white complexion, excessive white vaginal discharge, pale tongue
with white sticky coat, slippery-slow pulse
✔✔Damp Heat Invading the Spleen - ✔✔feeling of fullness in the epigastrium/abdomen
with pain, poor appetite, feeling of heaviness, thirst w/o desire to drink, nausea,
vomiting, loose stools that stink, burning sensation in anus, feeling of heat, scanty dark
urine, low grade fever, dull headache, dull-yellow complexion like tangerine peel, yellow
sclera, oily sweat, bitter taste, itchy skin, sweating that does not relieve fever, red
tongue with sticky yellow coating, slippery-rapid pulse
✔✔Spleen and Heart Blood Deficiency - ✔✔palpitations, dizziness, insomnia, poor
memory, anxiety, propensity to be startled, dull-pale complexion, pale lips, tiredness,
weak muscles, loose stools, poor appetite, scanty periods, pale and thin tongue,
choppy-fine pulse
✔✔Spleen and Lung Qi deficiency - ✔✔poor appetite, slight abdominal distension after
eating, tiredness, lassitude, pale complexion, weakness of limbs, loose stools, tendency
to obesity, slight shortness of breath, slight cough, weak voice, spontaneous daytime
sweating, dislike speaking, propensity to catch colds, dislike of cold, pale tongue, empty
pulse- especially on right side
✔✔Spleen and Liver Blood Deficiency - ✔✔poor appetite, slight abdominal distension
after eating, tiredness, lassitude, dull-pale complexion, weakness of limbs, loose stools,
thin body, scanty periods, amenhhorhea, insomnia, dizziness, numbness of limbs,
blurred vision, floaters in eyes, diminished night vision, pale lips, muscular weakness,
cramps, withered and brittle nails, dry hair and skin, slight depression, a feeling of
aimlessness, pale tongue especially on the sides, dry-choppy-fine pulse
✔✔Obstruction of the Spleen by Dampness with Stagnation of Liver Qi - ✔✔feeling of
oppression/fullness of epigastrium, nausea, no appetite, loose stools, feeling of
heaviness, dry mouth w/o desire to drink, sallow complexion, hypochondrial pain, bitter
taste, sticky taste, epigastric and hypochondrial distension, irritability, thick yellow
tongue coating, slippery-wiry pulse
✔✔With the Spleen these symptoms are paramount - ✔✔Digestive
,✔✔Function of Kidney - ✔✔Store essence,govern birth gbrowth reproduction and
development, produce marrow, fill up the brain, control bones, govern water, control the
recpetion of Qi, open in to the ears, manifest in the head hair, control spittle, control the
2 lower orofaces, house will power, controls the gate of life
✔✔The simeltaneous deficiency of Kidney Ying and Yang is common in - ✔✔women
over 45
✔✔Kidney Pathologies - ✔✔bachache, tendency to obesity in Kidney Yang deficiency,
tendency to thinness in Kidney Yin deficiency, tendency bto depression, sexual issues,
exhaustion
✔✔Kidney Yang Deficiency - ✔✔Lower Backaches, cold and weak knees, sensation of
cold in LB, feeling cold, weak legs, bright-white complexion, tiredness, lassitude,
abundant clear urination, urination at night, apathy, edema of the legs, infertility, loose
stools, depression, impotence, premature ejaculation, low sperm count, decreased
libido, pale and wet tongue, deep-weak pulse
✔✔Kidney Yin Deficiency - ✔✔dizziness, tinnitus, vertigo, poor memory, hardness of
hearing, night sweating, dry mouth and throat at night, lower back ache, ache in bones,
nocturnal emissions, constipation, dark scanty urine, infertility, premature ejaculation,
tiredness, lassitude, depression, slight anxiety, normal tongue w/o coating, floating-
empty pulse
✔✔Kidney Qi not Firm - ✔✔soreness and weakness of the LB, weak knees, clear
frequent urination, weak-stream urination, abundant urination, dribbling after urination,
incontinence of urine, enuresis, urination at night, nocturnal emissions w/o dreams,
premature ejaculation, blood in sperms, tiredness, feelin g of cold, cold lims, prolapse of
uterus, chronic white vag discharge, dragging down feeling in lower abdomen, recurrent
miscarriage, pale tongue, deep weak pulse especially in rear position
✔✔Kidney failing to Receive Qi - ✔✔shortness of breath on exertion, rapid and weak
breathing, difficulty in haling, chronic cough, asthma, spontaneous sweating, cold limbs,
swelling of the face, thin body, mental listlessness, clear urination during asthma ttack,
lower back ache, dizziness, tinnitus, pale tongue, deep-weak-tight pulse
✔✔Kidney Essence Deficiency in children - ✔✔poor bone development, late closure of
fontenelle, deafness, mental dullness and retardation
✔✔Kidney Essence Deficiency in adults - ✔✔softening of the bones, weakness of
knees and legs, poor memory, loose teeth, falling hair or premasture graying, weakness
of sexual activity, lower back ache, infertility, sterility, primary amenhhorhea, dizziness,
tinnitus, deafness, blurred vision, absent mindedness, decreased mental sharpness,
tongue - no coat if Yin deficient pale if yang deficient, floating-empty or leather pulse
, ✔✔Kidney Yang deficiency, water overflowing - ✔✔edema in LE, cold feeling in LE and
back, fullness/distension of abdomen, sore LB, feeling cold, scanty clear urination,
tongue pale swollen with wet white coating, pulse deep weak slow
Water overflowing to heart: above plus palpitations
Water overflowing to lungs: above plus cough with watery frothy sputum, asthma,
breathlessness on exertion
✔✔Kidney Yin Deficiency - Empty Heat Blazing - ✔✔malar flush, mental restlessness,
insomnia, night sweating, low grade fever, afternoon fever, five palm heat, feeling of
heat in pm, scanty dark urine, blood in urine, dry throat at night, thirst with desire to
drink in small sips, dizziness, tinnitus, hardness of hearing, lower back ache, n octurnal
emmisions with dreams, excessive sexual desire, dry stools, tongue red, c racked with a
red tip w/o coat, pulse floating empty rapid
✔✔Kidney and Liver Yin Deficiency - ✔✔dizziness, tinnitus, hardness of hearing, lower
backache, dull occipital/vertical headache, insomnia, numbness or tingling, dry eyes,
blurred vision, dry throat, dry hair and skin, brittle nails, dry vag, night sweating, dry
stools, nocturnal emissions, scanty menstration, amenhorhea, delayed cycle, infertility,
normal tongue w/o coating, pulse floating empty
✔✔Kidneys and Heart not harmonized - ✔✔palpitations, mental restlessness, insomnia,
anxiety, poor memory, dizziness, tinnitus, hard of hearing, lower back ache, nocturnal
emissions with dreams, feeling of heat in pm, dry throat at night, thirst with desire to
drink in small sips,night sweating, five palm heat, scanty dark urine, dry stools, red
tongue with redder tip and no coat also heart crack, pulse floating empty rapid in rear
and overflowing in front position
✔✔Kidney and Lung Yin Deficiency - ✔✔dry cough which is worse in the pm, dry
throat/mouth, thin body, breathlessness on exertion, lower backache, night sweating,
dizziness, tinnitus, hardness of hearing, scanty urination, normal tonguw w/o coat, pulse
floating-empty
✔✔Kidney and Spleen Yang Deficiency - ✔✔LB ache, cold and weak knees, cold back,
feeling cold, weak legs, bright white complexion, impotence, premature ejaculation, low
sperm count, cold and thin sperm, decreased libido, tiredness, lassitude, abundant clear
urine, urination at night, apathy, edema of LE, infertility, loose stools, depression, poor
appetite, slight abdominal distension, desire to lay down, early morning diahrhea, pale
wet tongue, pulse deep-weak
✔✔Function of the stomach - ✔✔Controls receiving, controls the rotting and ripening of
food, controls the transportation of food essences, controls the descending of Qi, is the
origin of fluids
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS RATED A+
✔✔Heart and Lung Qi Deficiency - ✔✔slight shortness of breath, slight cough, weak
voice, dislike speaking, bright-white complexion, propensity to catch colds, tiredness,
palpitations, shortness of breath on exertion, depression, spontaneous sweating,
sighing, pale tongue, empty pulse
✔✔All phlegm patterns of the lungs include - ✔✔cough with expectorartion of sputum
✔✔Spleen Function - ✔✔governs transformation and transportation, controls the
ascending Qi, controls blood, controls the muscles and 4 limbs, opens into the mouth,
manifests in the lips, controls saliva, controls the raising of Qi, hoses the intellect,
affected by pensiveness
✔✔Spleen Pathologies involve - ✔✔tiredness, digestive disorders, dull-yellow
complexion, abdominal distension
✔✔The spleen likes this type of food - ✔✔warm, dry
✔✔Most common cause of chronic tiredness - ✔✔Spleen Qi Deficiency
✔✔Spleen Qi Deficiency - ✔✔poor appetite, slight abdominal distension after eating,
tiredness, lassitude, desire to lay down, pale complexion, weakness of limbs, loose
stools, pale tongue, empty pulse
✔✔Spleen Yang deficiency - ✔✔poor appetite, slight abdominal distension after eating,
tiredness, lassitude, desire to lay down curled up, pale complexion, weakness of the
limbs, loose stools, feeling cold, cold limbs, edema, pale and wet tongue, deep-weak
pulse
✔✔The main cause of organ prolapse - ✔✔Spleen Qi Sinking
✔✔Spleen Qi Sinking - ✔✔poor appetite, slight abdominal distension after eating,
tiredness, lassitude, pale complexion, weakness of limbs, loose stools, depression,
tendency to obesity, a bearing down sensation in abdomen, prolapse of
stomach/uterus/anus/bladder, frequent/urgent urination, menorrhagia, pale tongue,
weak pulse
✔✔Spleen not controlling blood - ✔✔poor appetite, slight abdominal distension after
eating, tiredness, lassitude, pale-sallow complexion, weakness of the limbs, loose
stools, depression, blood spots under the skin, blood in the urine/stools, excessive
uterine bleeding, pale tongue, weak-fine pulse
,✔✔Spleen-Blood deficiency - ✔✔poor appetite, slight abdominal distension after eating,
tiredness, lassitude, dull pale complexion, weakness of limbs, loose stools, depression,
thin body, scanty periods, amenhhorhea, insomnia, pale-thin and slightly dry tongue,
choppy-fine pulse
✔✔Cold Dampness invading the Spleen - ✔✔poor appetite, feeling of fullness in the
epigastrium/abdomen, feeling of cold in epigastrium that improves with heating, feeling
of heaviness, sweetish taste/no taste, no thirst, loose stools, lassitude, tiredness,
nausea, edema, dull-white complexion, excessive white vaginal discharge, pale tongue
with white sticky coat, slippery-slow pulse
✔✔Damp Heat Invading the Spleen - ✔✔feeling of fullness in the epigastrium/abdomen
with pain, poor appetite, feeling of heaviness, thirst w/o desire to drink, nausea,
vomiting, loose stools that stink, burning sensation in anus, feeling of heat, scanty dark
urine, low grade fever, dull headache, dull-yellow complexion like tangerine peel, yellow
sclera, oily sweat, bitter taste, itchy skin, sweating that does not relieve fever, red
tongue with sticky yellow coating, slippery-rapid pulse
✔✔Spleen and Heart Blood Deficiency - ✔✔palpitations, dizziness, insomnia, poor
memory, anxiety, propensity to be startled, dull-pale complexion, pale lips, tiredness,
weak muscles, loose stools, poor appetite, scanty periods, pale and thin tongue,
choppy-fine pulse
✔✔Spleen and Lung Qi deficiency - ✔✔poor appetite, slight abdominal distension after
eating, tiredness, lassitude, pale complexion, weakness of limbs, loose stools, tendency
to obesity, slight shortness of breath, slight cough, weak voice, spontaneous daytime
sweating, dislike speaking, propensity to catch colds, dislike of cold, pale tongue, empty
pulse- especially on right side
✔✔Spleen and Liver Blood Deficiency - ✔✔poor appetite, slight abdominal distension
after eating, tiredness, lassitude, dull-pale complexion, weakness of limbs, loose stools,
thin body, scanty periods, amenhhorhea, insomnia, dizziness, numbness of limbs,
blurred vision, floaters in eyes, diminished night vision, pale lips, muscular weakness,
cramps, withered and brittle nails, dry hair and skin, slight depression, a feeling of
aimlessness, pale tongue especially on the sides, dry-choppy-fine pulse
✔✔Obstruction of the Spleen by Dampness with Stagnation of Liver Qi - ✔✔feeling of
oppression/fullness of epigastrium, nausea, no appetite, loose stools, feeling of
heaviness, dry mouth w/o desire to drink, sallow complexion, hypochondrial pain, bitter
taste, sticky taste, epigastric and hypochondrial distension, irritability, thick yellow
tongue coating, slippery-wiry pulse
✔✔With the Spleen these symptoms are paramount - ✔✔Digestive
,✔✔Function of Kidney - ✔✔Store essence,govern birth gbrowth reproduction and
development, produce marrow, fill up the brain, control bones, govern water, control the
recpetion of Qi, open in to the ears, manifest in the head hair, control spittle, control the
2 lower orofaces, house will power, controls the gate of life
✔✔The simeltaneous deficiency of Kidney Ying and Yang is common in - ✔✔women
over 45
✔✔Kidney Pathologies - ✔✔bachache, tendency to obesity in Kidney Yang deficiency,
tendency to thinness in Kidney Yin deficiency, tendency bto depression, sexual issues,
exhaustion
✔✔Kidney Yang Deficiency - ✔✔Lower Backaches, cold and weak knees, sensation of
cold in LB, feeling cold, weak legs, bright-white complexion, tiredness, lassitude,
abundant clear urination, urination at night, apathy, edema of the legs, infertility, loose
stools, depression, impotence, premature ejaculation, low sperm count, decreased
libido, pale and wet tongue, deep-weak pulse
✔✔Kidney Yin Deficiency - ✔✔dizziness, tinnitus, vertigo, poor memory, hardness of
hearing, night sweating, dry mouth and throat at night, lower back ache, ache in bones,
nocturnal emissions, constipation, dark scanty urine, infertility, premature ejaculation,
tiredness, lassitude, depression, slight anxiety, normal tongue w/o coating, floating-
empty pulse
✔✔Kidney Qi not Firm - ✔✔soreness and weakness of the LB, weak knees, clear
frequent urination, weak-stream urination, abundant urination, dribbling after urination,
incontinence of urine, enuresis, urination at night, nocturnal emissions w/o dreams,
premature ejaculation, blood in sperms, tiredness, feelin g of cold, cold lims, prolapse of
uterus, chronic white vag discharge, dragging down feeling in lower abdomen, recurrent
miscarriage, pale tongue, deep weak pulse especially in rear position
✔✔Kidney failing to Receive Qi - ✔✔shortness of breath on exertion, rapid and weak
breathing, difficulty in haling, chronic cough, asthma, spontaneous sweating, cold limbs,
swelling of the face, thin body, mental listlessness, clear urination during asthma ttack,
lower back ache, dizziness, tinnitus, pale tongue, deep-weak-tight pulse
✔✔Kidney Essence Deficiency in children - ✔✔poor bone development, late closure of
fontenelle, deafness, mental dullness and retardation
✔✔Kidney Essence Deficiency in adults - ✔✔softening of the bones, weakness of
knees and legs, poor memory, loose teeth, falling hair or premasture graying, weakness
of sexual activity, lower back ache, infertility, sterility, primary amenhhorhea, dizziness,
tinnitus, deafness, blurred vision, absent mindedness, decreased mental sharpness,
tongue - no coat if Yin deficient pale if yang deficient, floating-empty or leather pulse
, ✔✔Kidney Yang deficiency, water overflowing - ✔✔edema in LE, cold feeling in LE and
back, fullness/distension of abdomen, sore LB, feeling cold, scanty clear urination,
tongue pale swollen with wet white coating, pulse deep weak slow
Water overflowing to heart: above plus palpitations
Water overflowing to lungs: above plus cough with watery frothy sputum, asthma,
breathlessness on exertion
✔✔Kidney Yin Deficiency - Empty Heat Blazing - ✔✔malar flush, mental restlessness,
insomnia, night sweating, low grade fever, afternoon fever, five palm heat, feeling of
heat in pm, scanty dark urine, blood in urine, dry throat at night, thirst with desire to
drink in small sips, dizziness, tinnitus, hardness of hearing, lower back ache, n octurnal
emmisions with dreams, excessive sexual desire, dry stools, tongue red, c racked with a
red tip w/o coat, pulse floating empty rapid
✔✔Kidney and Liver Yin Deficiency - ✔✔dizziness, tinnitus, hardness of hearing, lower
backache, dull occipital/vertical headache, insomnia, numbness or tingling, dry eyes,
blurred vision, dry throat, dry hair and skin, brittle nails, dry vag, night sweating, dry
stools, nocturnal emissions, scanty menstration, amenhorhea, delayed cycle, infertility,
normal tongue w/o coating, pulse floating empty
✔✔Kidneys and Heart not harmonized - ✔✔palpitations, mental restlessness, insomnia,
anxiety, poor memory, dizziness, tinnitus, hard of hearing, lower back ache, nocturnal
emissions with dreams, feeling of heat in pm, dry throat at night, thirst with desire to
drink in small sips,night sweating, five palm heat, scanty dark urine, dry stools, red
tongue with redder tip and no coat also heart crack, pulse floating empty rapid in rear
and overflowing in front position
✔✔Kidney and Lung Yin Deficiency - ✔✔dry cough which is worse in the pm, dry
throat/mouth, thin body, breathlessness on exertion, lower backache, night sweating,
dizziness, tinnitus, hardness of hearing, scanty urination, normal tonguw w/o coat, pulse
floating-empty
✔✔Kidney and Spleen Yang Deficiency - ✔✔LB ache, cold and weak knees, cold back,
feeling cold, weak legs, bright white complexion, impotence, premature ejaculation, low
sperm count, cold and thin sperm, decreased libido, tiredness, lassitude, abundant clear
urine, urination at night, apathy, edema of LE, infertility, loose stools, depression, poor
appetite, slight abdominal distension, desire to lay down, early morning diahrhea, pale
wet tongue, pulse deep-weak
✔✔Function of the stomach - ✔✔Controls receiving, controls the rotting and ripening of
food, controls the transportation of food essences, controls the descending of Qi, is the
origin of fluids
