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Menstruation is obstructed and does not flow. After a long time, blood coagulates internally, forming masses that transform into Xuejia (blood masses in the abdomen). It may also present as Xuezhen (abdominal accumulations). Blood and water-dampness combine, causing obstruction and blockage. Spleen-Stomach deficiency leads to edema. The reason for this is that the Spleen corresponds to the muscles of the body and symbolizes Earth in the Five Elements. Earth controls Water. When blood and water-dampness have combined, if Spleen Qi is weak, it cannot control and eliminate the water-dampness, leading to the overflow and diffusion of water-qi, which infiltrates the muscle tissue, resulting in swelling and fullness. Observing this condition, is it appropriate to use harsh purgative or attacking agents?

Women often have stubborn and rigid dispositions, unable to relax and resolve emotional constraints. They are frequently injured by the Seven Emotions (joy, anger, worry, thought, sadness, fear, fright), leading to pain throughout the body, or swelling and pain in the limbs and joints, or qi stagnation causing chest fullness, or phlegm nodules blocking the throat, making swallowing difficult or expectoration impossible, or excessive phlegm-fluids causing rapid breathing and asthma, or vomiting and nausea. In severe cases, there is extreme thirst, irritability, and a sensation of impending collapse. Postpartum women often suffer from these symptoms. It is suitable to administer Siqi Tang (Four-Seven Decoction) to first regulate stagnant qi, followed by blood-nourishing herbs. If white turbid urine results from excessive thinking and worry, this medicine can be used to swallow Qingzhou Baiwanzi (Qingzhou White Pills). Repeatedly...

Women suffering from Relapse Fever (Re Lao), a chronic consumptive disease characterized by deficient heat, arise from congested heat in the Heart and Lungs, damaging Qi and Blood. Disharmony of Qi and Blood leads to congestion and stagnation in the Zang-Fu organs, with internal accumulation of heat-toxins that cannot be vented or circulated. Symptoms include mental restlessness and irritability, red cheeks and headache, dry eyes and blurred vision, high fever in the four limbs, incessant thirst and irritability, sores on the mouth and tongue, mental dullness, lethargy with poor sleep, loss of appetite, body aches, occasional palpitations, night sweats, and gradual emaciation of the skin and flesh. Hence, it is named Relapse Fever.

Spontaneous sweating accompanied by scanty urine should not be treated with diuretics. Since spontaneous sweating has occurred, body fluids are lost externally, leading naturally to reduced urine output. If diuretics are forced, Ying and Wei Qi will become depleted, failing to control Fire, thereby worsening irritability and heat. One should wait for the heat to subside and sweating to cease, after which urination will normalize. This syndrome involves the Yangming Channel; diuresis is strictly contraindicated.

For lower bleeding (hematochezia or hematuria) unresponsive to cooling-blood herbs, the cause must be deficiency of Middle Qi failing to contain blood. Only herbs that tonify the Middle and raise Yang can cure it. Cold-cold agents must be strictly avoided. For intestinal dysentery (Chang Pi) presenting with pus and blood due to damp-heat food retention, bitter-cold agents are suitable for internal drainage and clearing. A wiry, absent, or choppy pulse indicates a difficult prognosis, while a slippery, large, and gentle pulse indicates an easy prognosis.