邻村窦××，年过三旬，于孟冬得腿疼证。
病因 禀赋素弱，下焦常畏寒凉，一日因出门寝于寒凉屋中，且铺盖甚薄，晨起遂病腿疼。
证候 初疼时犹不甚剧，数延医服药无效，后因食猪头肉其疼陡然加剧，两腿不能任地，夜则
疼不能寐，其脉左右皆弦细无力，两尺尤甚，至数稍迟。
诊断 此证因下焦相火虚衰，是以易为寒侵，而细审其脉，实更兼气虚不能充体，即不能达于
四肢以运化药力，是以所服之药纵对证亦不易见效也。此当助其相火祛其外寒，而更加补益
气分之药，使气分壮旺自能营运药力以胜病也。
处方 野党参（六钱） 当归（五钱） 怀牛膝（五钱） 胡桃仁（五钱）
乌附子（四钱） 补骨脂（三钱炒捣） 滴乳香（三钱炒） 明没药（三钱不炒） 威灵仙（钱半）
共煎汤一大盅，温服。
复诊 将药连服五剂，腿之疼稍觉轻而仍不能任地，脉象较前似稍有力。问其心中服此热药多
剂后仍不觉热，因思其疼在于两腿，当用性热质重之品，方能引诸药之力下行以达病所。
处方 野党参（五钱） 怀牛膝（五钱） 胡桃仁（五钱） 乌附子（四钱）
白术（三钱炒） 补骨脂（三钱炒捣） 滴乳香（三钱炒） 明没药（三钱不炒） 生硫黄（一钱研细）
药共九味，将前八味煎汤一大盅，送服硫黄末五分，至煎渣再服时，又送服所余五分。
效果 将药连服八剂，腿疼大见轻减，可扶杖行步，脉象已调和无病，心中微觉发热，俾停服
汤药，每日用生怀山药细末七八钱许，煮作茶汤，送服青娥丸三钱，或一次或两次皆可，
后服至月余，两腿分毫不疼，步履如常人矣。
或问 猪肉原为寻常服食之物，何以因食猪头肉而腿疼加剧乎？
答曰∶猪肉原有苦寒有毒之说，曾见于各家本草。究之，其肉非苦寒，亦非有毒，而猪头之肉实
具有咸寒开破之性，是以善通大便燥结，其咸寒与开破皆与腿之虚寒作疼者不宜也，此所以
食猪头肉后而腿之疼加剧也。
Neighbor Dou XX, aged over thirty, contracted leg pain in early winter.
Etiology: His constitution was inherently weak, with the Lower Jiao (the area of the Kidneys and Bladder) often sensitive to cold and chill. One day, after going out and sleeping in a cold, damp room with very thin bedding, he developed leg pain upon waking in the morning.
Symptoms: Initially, the pain was not severe. After several days of consulting doctors and taking medicine without effect, eating pig head meat caused the pain to suddenly intensify. He could not bear the weight on his legs, and the night pain prevented sleep. His pulse was wiry, fine, and powerless on both left and right sides, particularly at the Chi position (reflecting Kidney Qi), with a slightly slow rate.
Diagnosis: This condition arises from the deficiency and decline of Ministerial Fire (the vital fire sustaining life activities) in the Lower Jiao, making it susceptible to cold invasion. A careful examination of the pulse reveals an accompanying deficiency of Qi that fails to nourish the body; specifically, righteous Qi cannot reach the limbs to transform and transport medicinal efficacy. Therefore, even if the prescribed medicine is symptomatic, it may not show immediate results. Treatment should assist Ministerial Fire to dispel external cold, while additionally supplementing the Qi aspect. Once the Qi becomes robust, it will naturally facilitate the transport of medicinal power to overcome the disease.
Prescription: Wild Codonopsis Root (Liuqian / 6 qian), Danggui (Wuqian / 5 qian), Huai Niuxi (Wuqian / 5 qian), Walnut Kernel (Wuqian / 5 qian), Wuzhizi (Sizhuan / 4 qian), Buguzhi (Sanqian chao dao / 3 qian, stir-fried and crushed), Diluxiang (Sanqian chao / 3 qian, stir-fried), Ming Moyao (Sanqian bu chao / 3 qian, not stir-fried), Weilingxian (Qianban / 1.5 qian).
Decoct together into one large bowl of soup, take warm.
Follow-up Visit: After taking five doses consecutively, the leg pain felt slightly lighter, but he still could not bear weight. The pulse seemed slightly stronger than before. Upon asking, he reported no sensation of heat despite taking multiple doses of hot-natured medicines. Considering the pain is located in the legs, it is necessary to use substances that are hot in nature and heavy in quality to guide the power of the other herbs downward to reach the affected area.
Prescription: Wild Codonopsis Root (Wuqian / 5 qian), Huai Niuxi (Wuqian / 5 qian), Walnut Kernel (Wuqian / 5 qian), Wuzhizi (Sizhuan / 4 qian), Baizhu (Sanqian chao / 3 qian, stir-fried), Buguzhi (Sanqian chao dao / 3 qian, stir-fried and crushed), Diluxiang (Sanqian chao / 3 qian, stir-fried), Ming Moyao (Sanqian bu chao / 3 qian, not stir-fried), Sheng Liuhuang (Yiqian yan xi / 1 qian, finely ground).
There are nine ingredients in total. Decoct the first eight into one large bowl of soup, and take with half a qian of Liuhuang powder. When decocting the dregs for the second dose, take with the remaining half a qian of Liuhuang powder.
Outcome: After taking eight doses consecutively, the leg pain decreased significantly, allowing him to walk with a cane. The pulse became harmonious and free of disease signs, and he felt a slight warmth in the chest. He was then instructed to stop taking the decoction. Instead, he used about seven or eight qian of raw Huai Shanyao powder daily, boiled as a tea, taken with three qian of Qing'e Wan, either once or twice a day. After continuing this for over a month, his legs were completely pain-free, and his gait returned to normal.
Interrogation: Pork is ordinarily a common food item. Why did eating pig head meat exacerbate the leg pain?
Response: There are traditional claims in various Materia Medica that pork is bitter, cold, and toxic. However, in reality, pork is neither bitter-cold nor toxic. Pig head meat, however, possesses salty-cold and dispersing-breaking properties, which effectively unblocks dry fecal impaction. These salty-cold and dispersing-breaking characteristics are incompatible with the deficiency-cold pain of the legs, which explains why the pain intensified after consuming pig head meat.