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The Foot-Taiyang Bladder Meridian is the head of all meridians, acting as a hub with connections in all directions; thus, it is prone to transmission. The meridian originates at the inner canthus of the eye, descends from the head through the posterior neck, connects with the Fengfu (GV16) acupoint, runs along the back of the body, and terminates at the little toe. Its symptoms include headache, stiff neck, stiffness of the waist and spine, nausea, limb rigidity and pain, joint pain, fever, and aversion to cold. These are marked diseases of the exterior syndrome. If the pulse is floating, tight, and forceful, with no sweating, it indicates an exterior excess syndrome caused by cold damaging the Ying (Nutritive) Blood; Ma Huang Tang (Ephedra Decoction) should be used to induce sweating and release the exterior. If the pulse is floating, slow, and weak, with sweating, it indicates an exterior deficiency syndrome caused by wind damaging the Wei (Defensive) Qi; Gui Zhi Tang (Cinnamon Twig Decoction) should be used to consolidate the exterior and dispel pathogens. If there is body pain, severe heat, irritability, and a floating-tight pulse, this is wind-strike presenting with cold-pulse characteristics. If there is no body pain, mild heat, no irritability, and a floating-slow pulse, this is cold-strike presenting with wind-pulse characteristics. In both cases, Da Qing Long Tang (Major Blue Green Dragon Decoction) should be used to induce sweating. A quiet pulse indicates no transmission; a restless and vigorous pulse indicates impending transmission. If the pulse is floating, accompanied by fever, irritability, thirst, and dysuria, this represents the transmission of Taiyang disease to its interior organ (Bladder); Wu Ling San (Five-Ingredient Powder with Poria) should be used to promote urination. If urination is normal, diuresis must not be induced, lest it draw pathogens inward, leading to Heat Binding in the Bladder. Purging must also be avoided, lest exterior pathogens enter the interior due to deficiency, resulting in Pi Man (Glomus fullness), Jie Xiong (Chest Binding), or Xie Re Xia Li (Collateral Heat Diarrhea). Even when sweating is indicated, it should not be excessive, lest it lead to Yang Collapse, muscle twitching, and tendon tremors. Therefore, Ma Huang is contraindicated for those with sweat, and Gui Zhi is contraindicated for those without sweat. Those who already have sweat should not undergo further sweating; excessive sweating leads to dysuria.

The Foot-Yangming Stomach Meridian represents the convergence of two Yangs, with the Fu organ situated in the Central Earth, serving as the destination for all things. The meridian originates at the side of the nose, intersects at the root of the nose, connects with the eyes, and circulates along the face, running down the anterior aspect of the body, and terminating at the big toe. Its symptoms include eye pain, dry nose, insomnia, forehead pain, slight body heat, and aversion to cold, with a洪 (Surging) and long pulse. This is a marked disease of Yangming, suitable for Ge Gen Tang (Kudzu Decoction) to resolve the muscles. If there is high fever, thirst with desire to drink, sweating, aversion to heat, and a洪-numerous pulse, this is a fundamental disease of Yangming, suitable for Bai Hu Tang (White Tiger Decoction) to clear heat. If there is tidal fever, spontaneous sweating, delirium, thirst, aversion to cold is absent but aversion to heat is present, patients throw off clothes and blankets, wave hands and kick feet, exhibit yellow complexion, mania, and constipation/urinary retention, or experience alternating cold and warmth in the extremities, abdominal distension, hardness, pain, panting, and a沉-numerous pulse, this is a typical Yangming Fu organ disease. Tiao Wei Cheng Qi Tang (Regulate the Stomach and Direct Downward Bowel-Regulating Decoction) should be used to purge. For those with spontaneous sweating, diuresis must not be induced, lest fluids and essence become depleted.