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(When using medicine), advance or retreat according to the condition, apply it with intent, and over time, its efficacy will naturally be achieved.

1. Deficiency transforming into consumptive disease is due to secondary pathogenic invasion; Yang deficiency leading to external cold damages the Lung Meridian (Lung Channel); Yin deficiency leading to internal heat begins damage from the Kidney; improper diet and overexertion form pathology starting from the Spleen. Lung damage manifests as aversion to cold in skin and hair, and cough; Heart damage manifests as blood deficiency and stagnation of menstruation; Spleen damage manifests as reduced appetite, emaciation, and diarrhea; Liver damage manifests as hypochondriac pain and reluctance to move. Kidney damage manifests as bone萎 (osteomalacia/weakness) and inability to stand for long periods, afternoon fever, night sweats, and bone-steaming sensation; if the disease progresses from the lower Jiao (Kidney) to the point where hair falls out, death ensues; if it progresses from the upper Jiao (Lung) to the point of bone weakness preventing rising, it ends fatally. Unresolved fear injures Jing (Essence); fright and excessive thinking injure Shen (Spirit); unbounded joy injures Po (Corporeal Soul); sorrow moving within injures Hun (Ethereal Soul); endless worry injures Yi (Intellect); unceasing anger injures Zhi (Will); overexertion injures Qi (Vital Energy), ultimately leading to extreme depletion of Qi, Blood, Bone, Flesh, Sinew, and Essence.

[Note] "Deficiency" refers to the insufficiency of Yin-Yang, Qi-Blood, Ying-Wei (Nutritive and Defensive Qi), Spirit, Marrow, and Body Fluids. "Damage" refers to the wasting of the outer Five Tissues (Skin, Vessels, Flesh, Sinews, Bones) and the inner Five Zang Organs (Lung, Heart, Spleen, Liver, Kidney). "Becoming Consumptive Disease" means that prolonged deficiency and damage, lingering without cure, result in the Five Consumptions, Seven Injuries, and Six Extremes. "Secondary Invasion" means that in a person with insufficiency, if Yang deficiency is compounded by external cold, damage starts from the Skin and Lung; if Yin deficiency generates internal heat, damage starts from the Marrow and Kidney; if internal injury results from diet and overexertion, damage starts from the Muscle and Spleen. These are the causes of deficiency becoming consumptive disease. However, there are five types of syndromes: First, damage to skin causing hair loss, chills, and cough is Lung Consumption. Second, damage to vessels causing blood deficiency, pallor in men, and amenorrhea in women is Heart Consumption. Third, damage causing reduced intake, emaciation, and loose stools is Spleen Consumption. Fourth, damage causing hypochondriac pain radiating to the chest, flaccid sinews, and inability to walk is Liver Consumption. Fifth, damage causing bone weakness, inability to stand long, afternoon fever, night sweats, and bone-steaming is Kidney Consumption. If damage originates from the lower Kidney and progresses to hair loss, death occurs. If damage originates from the upper Lung and progresses to bone weakness preventing getting out of bed, it ends fatally. If damage originates from the Spleen, whether progressing to hair loss or bone weakness preventing rising, both lead to death.

Deficiency constitutes the Seven Injuries: First, unresolved fear injures Essence; Essence injury leads to sore and weak bones, cold extremities, and spontaneous seminal emission. Since the Five Zang store Essence, they must not be injured; injury leads to loss of control and Yin deficiency, Yin deficiency leads to Qi deficiency, and Qi deficiency leads to death. Second, fright and thinking injure Spirit; Spirit injury leads to fear and self-loss, sunken eyes, muscle wasting, brittle hair, and sallow complexion, dying in Winter. Third, unbounded joy injures Po; Po injury leads to mania, disregard for others, dry skin, brittle hair, and sallow complexion, dying in Summer. Fourth, sorrow injuring the interior injures Hun; Hun injury leads to madness and lack of clarity, moral deviation, retraction of genitals, contracted sinews, immobility of the hypochondriac bones, brittle hair, and sallow complexion, dying in Autumn. Fifth, endless worry injures Yi; Yi injury leads to confusion, immobility of the four limbs, brittle hair, and sallow complexion, dying in Spring. Sixth, unceasing anger injures Zhi; Zhi injury leads to forgetfulness, inability to bend or extend the waist and spine, brittle hair, and sallow complexion, dying in Late Summer. Seventh, overexertion injures Qi; Qi injury leads to hyperactive Fire; Strong Fire consumes Qi, resulting in lack of movement energy, panting, fatigue, sweating, and leakage of Qi internally and externally, leading to daily consumption of Qi and eventual death.

Deficiency constitutes the Six Extremes: First, frequent muscle cramps and pain in the fingernails and toenails is Extreme Sinew. Second, loose teeth, pain in hands and feet, and inability to stand long is Extreme Bone. Third, pallor and hair loss is Extreme Blood. Fourth, sensation of insects crawling on the body, emaciation, and dark dryness is Extreme Flesh. Fifth, shortness of breath, weakness, lack of luster, severe thinness, dull eyes, instability when standing, itching, and sores upon scratching is Extreme Essence. Sixth, distension and fullness in the chest and hypochondrium, frequent desire to rage, shortness of breath, and inability to speak is Extreme Qi.

[Commentary] Previous authors' classification of the Seven Injuries seems somewhat arbitrary. This has been corrected based on the Huangdi Neijing (The Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon) to facilitate understanding for future students.