痹者,风寒暑湿之气,中于脏腑之谓也。入腑则病浅易治,入脏则病深难治。有风、寒、
湿、热、气及筋、骨、血、肉、气之别。大凡风寒暑湿之邪,入于心者,名曰血痹;入脾者
名肉痹;入肝者名筋痹;入肺者名气痹;入肾者名骨痹,感病则一,其治乃异。痹者闭也,
五脏六腑,感于邪气,乱于真气,闭而不仁也。又痹病或痛痒,或淋或急,或缓而不能收持,
或拳而不能舒张,或行立艰难,或言语謇涩,或半身不遂,或四肢拳缩,或口眼偏斜,或手
足欹侧,或行步而不言语,或不能行步,或左偏枯,或右壅滞,或上不通于下,或下不通于
上,或左右手疼痛,或即疾而即死,或感邪而未亡,或喘满而不寐,或昏昧而不醒。种种诸
证,出于痹也。
气痹者,愁思喜怒过则气结于上。久而不消则伤肺,伤肺则生气渐衰,而邪气愈胜。留
于上则胸腹痹而不能食,注于下则脚肿重而不能行,攻于左则左不遂,冲于右则右不仁,贯
于舌则不能言,遗于肠则不能溺,壅而不散则痛,流而不聚则麻,真经既损,难以医治。邪
气不胜,易为痊愈。其脉右手寸口沉而迟涩者是也。宜节忧思以养气,慎怒以全真,最为良
矣。
血痹者,饮食过多,怀热大盛,或寒折于经络,或湿犯于营卫,因而血搏,遂成其咎。
故使血不能荣外,气不能养内,内外已失,渐渐消削。左先枯则右不能举,右先枯则左不能
伸,上先枯则上不能制下,下先枯则下不能克上。中先枯则下不能通疏,百证千状,皆失血
也。其脉左手寸口脉结而不能流利,或断绝者是也。
Bi syndrome refers to the invasion of Wind, Cold, Summer-heat, and Dampness pathogens into the Zang and Fu organs. When pathogens enter the Fu organs, the disease is superficial and easy to treat; when they enter the Zang organs, the disease is deep and difficult to treat. There are distinctions among Wind Bi, Cold Bi, Damp Bi, Heat Bi, Qi Bi, as well as Tendon Bi, Bone Bi, Blood Bi, and Flesh Bi. Generally speaking, when Wind, Cold, Summer-heat, and Dampness pathogens invade the Heart, it is called Blood Bi (Xue Bi); when they invade the Spleen, it is called Flesh Bi (Rou Bi); when they invade the Liver, it is called Tendon Bi (Jin Bi); when they invade the Lung, it is called Qi Bi (Qi Bi); and when they invade the Kidney, it is called Bone Bi (Gu Bi). Although the pathogenic factors received are the same, the treatment methods differ. The term "Bi" implies obstruction. When the Five Zang and Six Fu organs are affected by pathogenic factors, the True Qi becomes disordered, leading to obstruction and loss of sensation. Furthermore, symptoms of Bi syndrome may include pain or itching, strangury or spasm, flaccidity with inability to hold, curling with inability to extend, difficulty in walking or standing, slurred speech, hemiplegia, curling of the four limbs, deviation of the mouth and eyes, tilting of hands and feet, ability to walk but not speak, inability to walk, left-sided atrophy, right-sided stagnation, upper parts unable to communicate with lower parts, lower parts unable to communicate with upper parts, pain in either hand, rapid onset leading to death, survival despite pathogenic invasion, panting and fullness with insomnia, or stupor and unconsciousness. All these various manifestations originate from Bi syndrome.
Qi Bi occurs when excessive sorrow, worry, joy, or anger causes Qi stagnation in the upper body. If unresolved for a long time, it damages the Lung; damage to the Lung leads to a gradual decline in the generation of Qi, allowing pathogenic factors to become more dominant. If pathogens remain in the upper part, it causes Bi obstruction in the chest and abdomen, resulting in anorexia; if it flows downward, it causes swelling and heaviness in the legs, making walking impossible; if it attacks the left side, it causes paralysis on the left; if it rushes to the right, it causes numbness on the right; if it penetrates the tongue, it causes aphasia; if it lingers in the intestines, it causes urinary retention; if Qi is obstructed and fails to disperse, it causes pain; if Qi flows without gathering, it causes numbness. Once the True Meridians are damaged, it is difficult to treat. However, if pathogenic factors do not overpower the healthy Qi, recovery is likely. The pulse characteristic of Qi Bi is a deep, slow, and choppy pulse at the Cun Kou position on the right hand. It is advisable to regulate sorrow and worry to nourish Qi, and be cautious with anger to preserve True Qi, which is the best approach.
Blood Bi results from overeating, excessive internal heat, cold damaging the meridians, or dampness invading the Ying and Wei levels, causing blood stasis and accumulation. Consequently, blood fails to nourish the exterior, and Qi fails to nourish the interior. With both interior and exterior losing nourishment, the body gradually emaciates. If the left side becomes atrophic first, the right side cannot lift; if the right side becomes atrophic first, the left side cannot extend; if the upper part becomes atrophic first, it cannot control the lower part; if the lower part becomes atrophic first, it cannot support the upper part. If the middle part becomes atrophic first, the lower part cannot drain and unblock. Hundreds of symptoms arise from blood deficiency. The pulse characteristic of Blood Bi is a knotted (Jie) pulse that is not smooth, or even absent, at the Cun Kou position on the left hand.