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The sinews of the human body follow the meridians and collaterals to emerge on the surface. When the internal blood and qi are deficient, and the exterior is attacked by wind, cold, dampness, or heat pathogens, pathology occurs. Thus, cold causes contraction and shortening; heat causes relaxation and expansion; wind causes tension and rigidity; dampness causes swelling and flaccidity. When these four pathogens combine, one should follow the conventional understanding. Wind disperses qi, so there is sweating without aversion to cold, termed Rou Jing (Soft Spasm); Cold congeals blood, so there is no sweating with aversion to cold, termed Gang Jing (Rigid Spasm). Heat consumes qi, leading to flaccidity; Dampness overflows in the blood vessels, leading to weakness. The classics state that large sinews become soft and short, while small sinews become relaxed and long; soft and short leads to cramping, while relaxed and long leads to atrophy. These are all caused by the failure to dispel damp-heat. Tracing the etiology, it mostly stems from blood loss, where sinews lack nourishment, allowing pathogens to invade. Therefore, excessive sweating or purging in Taiyang disease (Exterior Syndrome), patients with sores, and postpartum women are prone to this condition, which can be generally understood from these scenarios. Their pulses are typically deep, hidden, wiry, and tight. If the Yang aspect is relaxed and the Yin aspect is tense, convulsions and cramps occur; if the Yin aspect is relaxed and the Yang aspect is tense, opisthotonos and rigidity occur. These two presentations differ and must be distinguished.

Patients present with fever in the body but cold feet, stiffness and tension in the head and neck, aversion to cold, occasional fever in the head and redness of the face, redness of the eye vessels, isolated head tremor, sudden lockjaw, and opisthotonos (backward arching of the back). Differentiating between Gang Jing and Rou Jing based on the presence or absence of aversion to cold and sweating indicates Wind-Cold pathogenesis; a deep and fine pulse indicates Dampness. If wind invades an unhealed wound, it is called Po Shang Feng (Broken Wind/Tetanus); if dampness invades, it is called Po Shang Shi (Broken Dampness). Both are extremely dangerous and difficult to endure if the cause is unknown in an emergency. After the pus drains from abscesses or scrofula, one must be especially cautious. Excessive sweating in postpartum women or qi reversal due to anger can also cause this disease. Each has its specific treatment methods.

Treatment for Rou Jing (Soft Spasm): Body stiffness, limb cramping and discomfort, pulse appearing deep and slow, spontaneous sweating.
Gualou Gen (Trichosanthes Radix) (2 liang), Guixin (Cinnamomi Cortex), Baishao Yao (Paeoniae Radix Alba) (each 3 liang), Gancao (Licorice Root, honey-fried) (2 liang).
Grind the above into a coarse powder. Take 4 qian per dose, add 1.5 cups of water, 5 slices of ginger, and 2 dates. Decoct until 0.7 cup remains, strain, and take warm. If sweating is not thorough, after a short while, drink hot porridge to induce sweating.