产后腹满闷,呕吐不定者,因败血散于脾胃,脾受之则不能运化精微而成腹胀,胃受之
则不
能纳受水谷而生吐逆(此言虽泥于败血,而方中加参立斋纯于补气,似近于偏,临症似宜斟
酌)。若以寻常治胀止吐之药治之,病与药不相干,更伤正气,疾愈难治,但服抵圣汤则愈
。
赤芍 半夏 泽兰 橘红 人参(各一钱) 炙甘草(五分) 生姜(三片)
水煎服。
产后口干痞闷者,因食面太早(为食面者之戒,南人甚少于饮食,皆能致痰,不必拘于
一面
也),不能消化,积聚于胃脘,上熏胸中,是以口干燥渴,心下痞闷,或产母内积忧烦,外
伤燥热,饮食肥甘,亦使口干痞闷,当随其所因调之可也,慎不可下。
四肢浮肿,败血乘虚停积,循经流入四肢,留淫日深,腐坏如水,故令面黄浮肿,不可
遽投
甘遂大戟等药,以导其水。夫产后必虚,又以药虚之,是谓重虚,多致夭枉。殊不知浮肿不
一,有自怀妊肿至产后不退者,亦有产后失于将理,外感风寒暑湿,内则喜怒忧惊,血与气
搏,留滞经络,不得宣越,故虚肿轻浮,是邪客于气,气肿也。若皮肤如熟李状,则变为水
。气肿者发汗即愈,水肿者利小便乃瘥也。
按∶产后浮肿,气分血分不可不辨(气分者先肿而后经断,血分先经断而后水肿)。然亦
审其
所因脉症以治之。如寒水侮土,宜养脾。肺气虚浮肿,宜益脾胃。水气浮肿,宜补中益气。
丹溪云∶产后浮肿,宜大补气血为主,少佐苍术、茯苓,使水自利。
After childbirth, if the abdomen is full and stifling with irregular vomiting, it is due to *Bai Xue* (stasis blood) scattering into the Spleen and Stomach. When the Spleen is affected, it cannot transform and transport fine nutrients, resulting in abdominal distension; when the Stomach is affected, it cannot receive and digest food and fluids, leading to vomiting and reflux. (Although this explanation adheres strictly to stasis blood as the cause, the prescription adds Ginseng and Atractylodes macrocephala to purely tonify healthy Qi, which seems somewhat biased; clinical application should be judicious). If ordinary medicines for treating distension and stopping vomiting are used, the medicine will not address the pathology, further damaging healthy Qi, making the disease harder to cure. However, taking Di Sheng Tang will lead to recovery.
Red Peony Root (*Chi Shao*), Pinellia Tuber (*Ban Xia*), Landolphia Vine (*Ze Lan*), Tangerine Peel (*Ju Hong*), Ginseng Root (*Ren Shen*) (each 1 qian), Roasted Licorice Root (*Zhi Gan Cao*) (0.5 qian), Fresh Ginger (*Sheng Jiang*) (3 slices).
Decoct in water and take orally.
If postpartum dryness of the mouth and chest/epigastric stifling occur, it is because noodles were consumed too early (this serves as a warning for those consuming noodles; people in the South rarely consume noodles in their diet, yet can still generate phlegm-dampness, so one should not rigidly adhere only to noodle consumption). The food cannot be digested, accumulates in the epigastrium, and steams upward into the chest, causing dry mouth and thirst, and stifling sensation below the heart. Alternatively, if the mother has internal accumulation of worry and vexation, external injury from dry-heat pathogens, or consumes rich and sweet foods, these also cause dry mouth and stifling. One should regulate according to the specific cause. Caution: do not use purgative methods.
Edema of the four limbs occurs when stasis blood, taking advantage of deficiency, stagnates and accumulates, flowing along the meridians into the limbs. Lingeringly infiltrating over days and months, it corrupts and transforms into fluid-like substance, causing yellowish complexion and edema. Do not hastily administer harsh water-draining drugs such as Kansui Root (*Gan Sui*) or Kytotheca Root (*Da Ji*) to guide out the water. Since the postpartum state is inherently deficient, using drugs to further deplete it constitutes "double deficiency," often leading to premature death. It is unknown that edema varies: some swelling begins during pregnancy and does not resolve after childbirth; others result from poor postpartum care, where external invasion of Wind-Cold, Summer-Heat, and Dampness, combined with internal emotional disturbances (anger, joy, worry, fright), causes Qi and Blood to contend and stagnate in the collaterals, unable to diffuse and ascend. This results in deficiency-type, light, and floating edema, known as Qi Edema, where pathogenic factors reside in the Qi level. If the skin resembles that of a ripe plum, it transforms into Water Edema. Qi Edema resolves through sweating; Water Edema resolves through promoting urination.
Note: In postpartum edema, the differentiation between Qi-level and Blood-level pathology must not be neglected (Qi-level: edema appears first, followed by cessation of menstruation; Blood-level: menstruation ceases first, followed by edema). However, treatment must be based on careful examination of etiology, pulse, and symptoms. For example, when Cold-Water insults Earth (Kidney Water insulting Spleen Earth), nourishing the Spleen is appropriate. For edema due to Lung Qi deficiency, benefiting the Spleen and Stomach is indicated. For Water-Qi edema, tonifying Middle Jiao and augmenting Qi is suitable. Zhu Danxi stated: For postpartum edema, the primary approach should be greatly tonifying Qi and Blood, with minor additions of Atractylodes Rhizome (*Cang Zhu*) and Poria (*Fu Ling*), allowing water to drain naturally.