头眩之症,多主于痰,中风之渐也。有因寒痰、湿痰、热痰、风痰;有因气虚挟
痰;有因血虚挟痰。夫寒痰湿痰作眩,或因外感寒湿,或因内伤生冷;热痰风痰作眩,
或因外感风暑,或因内动七情;气虚眩晕,或因脾虚,不进饮食,或因胃弱呕吐泄泻,
血虚眩晕,男子每因吐血下血,女子每因崩中产后。夫头痛头眩者,乃病之标,必治其
病之本而痛方已。如产后眩晕,只补其血,脾虚眩晕,只补其气,即所谓治其病之本
也。《原病式》曰∶静顺清谧,水之德也。动乱劳扰,火之用也。脑者,地之所生,故
藏阴于目,肾水至阴所主,二者,喜静谧而恶动扰,静谧则清明内持,动扰则掉摇散
乱,故脑转目眩也。《经》曰∶诸风掉眩,皆属肝木。此症乃痰在上,火在下,火炎上
而动其痰,眩言其黑,晕言其转,虽曰无痰不能作眩,亦本于气血虚,而后痰火因之,
风以感入于脑,故助痰火,而作眩晕,诚因上实下虚所致。所谓下虚者,血与气也。所
谓上实者,痰火泛上也。急则治痰火,缓则补元气。又或因七情郁而生痰,痰因火动,
随气上厥,此七情致虚而眩晕也。淫欲过度,肾家不能纳气归元,使诸气逆奔而上,
此气虚而眩晕也。吐衄崩漏,肝家不能收摄荣气,故使诸血失道妄行,此血虚眩晕也。
详其脉候,而分其端,因其端而治其本,病无不愈。总之,犹树木根本不固,而枝叶为
之动摇,纵有外触,亦气血两虚,而痰浊不降也。
眩晕不可当者,以大黄酒炒为末,茶汤调下,此治痰火有余之症也。昔有一妇,患
赤白带年余,头眩坐立不得,睡之则安,专治带疾,带愈,其眩亦安,此以证治气血不
足者也。如头面喜暖,手按则晕定者,此阳虚也,宜补其阳。如面红耳热,遇烦晕甚
者,此阴虚也,宜滋其阴。
The symptom of dizziness (Xuanxuan) is mostly caused by phlegm and serves as a precursor to stroke (Zhongfeng). It may be due to cold-phlegm, damp-phlegm, heat-phlegm, or wind-phlegm; it may also result from qi-deficiency with accompanying phlegm, or blood-deficiency with accompanying phlegm. Dizziness caused by cold-phlegm and damp-phlegm may stem from external contraction of cold-dampness or internal injury from raw and cold foods. Dizziness caused by heat-phlegm and wind-phlegm may arise from external contraction of wind-heat or internal agitation of the Seven Emotions (Qingzhi: joy, anger, worry, thought, sadness, fear, fright). Dizziness due to qi-deficiency may result from spleen-deficiency leading to poor appetite, or stomach-weakness causing vomiting and diarrhea. Dizziness due to blood-deficiency often occurs in men due to hematemesis or hematochezia, and in women due metrorrhagia (Bengzhong) or postpartum hemorrhage. Headache and dizziness are merely the branches (symptoms) of the disease; one must treat the root cause for the pain to cease. For instance, postpartum dizziness requires only blood tonification, while spleen-deficiency dizziness requires only qi tonification; this is what is meant by treating the root of the disease. The *Yuan Bing Shi* states: "Tranquility and clarity are the virtue of Water; turmoil and disturbance are the function of Fire." The brain is generated by Earth-Qi and thus stores Yin within the eyes. Kidney-Water, governed by Supreme Yin, shares this preference for tranquility and aversion to disturbance. Tranquility maintains inner clarity, while disturbance causes shaking and scattering, leading to vertigo (naozhuan) and visual dizziness (muxuan). The *Classic* states: "All wind-induced tremors and dizziness belong to Liver-Wood." This condition involves phlegm in the Upper Jiao and fire in the Lower Jiao; the flaming fire agitates the phlegm. "Xuan" refers to darkness/blackness before the eyes, while "Yun" refers to spinning sensation. Although it is said that "no phlegm, no dizziness," the root lies in qi and blood deficiency, which allows phlegm-fire to arise. Wind enters the brain, assisting phlegm-fire to induce dizziness, truly resulting from excess above and deficiency below. The "deficiency below" refers to deficient blood and qi; the "excess above" refers to floating phlegm-fire. In acute cases, treat phlegm-fire; in chronic cases, tonify Yuan Qi. Furthermore, stagnation of the Seven Emotions generates phlegm, which moves with fire and ascends with Qi, causing dizziness due to emotional-induced deficiency. Excessive sexual activity prevents the Kidneys from grasping Qi and returning it to its origin, causing all Qi to rush upward, leading to dizziness due to qi-deficiency. Hematemesis, epistaxis, and metrorrhagia indicate the Liver's failure to control Ying-Qi, causing blood to flow recklessly out of its channels, leading to dizziness due to blood-deficiency. By carefully examining pulse signs and distinguishing the etiology, and treating the root according to the etiology, the disease will surely be cured. In summary, it is like a tree with an unstable root, causing branches and leaves to shake; even without external touch, it is due to dual deficiency of qi and blood, with turbid phlegm failing to descend.
For severe, unbearable dizziness, use Rhubarb (Dahuang) stir-fried with wine, ground into powder, and taken with tea water; this treats conditions of excessive phlegm-fire. There was once a woman who suffered from red-and-white leukorrhea for over a year, experiencing such severe dizziness that she could not sit or stand, finding relief only when sleeping. Treating the leukorrhea specifically cured the discharge, and subsequently, the dizziness resolved; this illustrates treating qi and blood insufficiency through syndrome differentiation. If the head and face prefer warmth and pressure alleviates dizziness, this indicates Yang-deficiency, requiring Yang tonification. If the face is red and ears feel hot, with dizziness worsening under stress, this indicates Yin-deficiency, requiring Yin nourishment.