Translating Donguibogam's concept of liver qi stagnation into the language of modern medicine clearly explains how vulnerable our liver is to stress and how psychological distress manifests as physical symptoms. This is deeply related to the complex interactions of the gut-brain-liver axis.
Chronic stress leads to autonomic nervous system imbalance in our body. In particular, it overactivates the sympathetic nerve and promotes the secretion of the stress hormone cortisol. These changes hinder blood circulation, induce hypofunction of digestive organs, and directly affect the liver as well. The liver is our body's detoxification plant and the core organ for metabolism regulation; when blood flow volume decreases or inflammatory reactions are activated due to stress, liver function can decline.
Flank pain is a representative example of a physical symptom caused by this autonomic nervous system imbalance. Stress can tense the respiratory muscles, including the diaphragm, and stiffen the small muscles between the ribs, known as the intercostal muscles. Even without actual inflammation or tissue damage, this leads to myofascial pain, producing a stiff or aching sensation in the flank. In addition, stress alters the motility of the gastrointestinal tract and increases visceral hypersensitivity, which can cause a sensation of stuffiness near the flanks, much like feeling bloated or having dyspepsia.
Furthermore, stress adversely affects the gut microbiota environment, or the microbiome, which in turn raises intestinal permeability, allowing inflammatory substances to enter the bloodstream. These absorbed substances travel to the liver, overloading it and promoting inflammatory reactions. The brain, gut, and liver form a vast network that constantly communicates and influences each other's status through the nervous system, endocrine system, and immune system. In other words, modern medicine is scientifically proving that mental stress does not simply end in the head, but can inflict physical pain throughout the entire body, including the liver.
