产后伤寒,不可轻易发汗。产时有伤力发热,有去血过多发热,有恶露不去发热,
有三日蒸乳发热,有早起劳动,饮食停滞发热,状类伤寒,要在仔细详辨,切不可孟浪
发汗,犹覆水难收也。产后大血空虚,汗之重则亡阳,轻则筋惕肉 ,或郁冒昏迷,或
搐溺便秘,变症百出。凡有发热,多因血虚,阳无所根据,浮散于外而为热,宜于四物
为君去川穹、生地换熟地,加软苗柴胡、人参、炮姜最效。盖炮姜辛热而兼苦咸,以火
而治火,收其浮热,且能引血药入血分,气药入气分,更能去恶生新,有阳生阴长之
道,以热治热,深合《内经》之旨,正气得力外邪自散矣。
养癸曰∶如胎前原有阴虚火症,产后去血过多,必大发热烦躁汗出等症,若根据前
法,大补气血,其证必甚,当用逍遥散以清肝火,养肝血,因去血既多,肝虚血燥之
故,不可泥于气血两虚,此以阴虚发热立论,当以脉候参详。
薛立斋曰∶新产妇人,阴血暴亡、阳无所附,而外热也,宜四物加炮姜,补阴以配
阳。若误服寒凉克削之剂,而外热者,此为寒气格阳于外也,宜四君子加姜、桂,不
应,急加附子。若肌肤发热,面赤大渴引饮者,此血脱发燥也,当归补血汤,又日∶产
后虚烦发热,乃阳随阴散,气血俱虚,故恶寒发热,若误作火证,投以凉剂,祸在反掌。
After childbirth, when contracting a cold (Shanghan), one must not lightly employ sweating methods. Fever during delivery may arise from excessive physical exertion, from excessive blood loss, from lochia stasis, from milk engorgement on the third day, or from early labor and food stagnation; these conditions resemble Shanghan, but require careful differentiation. One must never rashly induce sweating, as the consequences are irreversible like spilt water. Postpartum, the great blood is empty; heavy sweating leads to Yang collapse, while light sweating may cause muscle twitching, convulsions, dizziness with fainting, or convulsions, urinary difficulty, and constipation, leading to myriad complications. Generally, fever is often due to blood deficiency, where Yang has no foundation and floats outward, manifesting as heat. It is advisable to use Siwu Tang (Four Substances Decoction) as the principal formula, removing Chuanxiong Rhizoma (Chuanxiong) and Rehmanniae Radix Recens (Shengdi Huang), replacing them with Rehmanniae Radix Preparata (Shu Di Huang), and adding soft-stemmed Bupleuri Radix (Chaihu), Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma (Renshen), and prepared Zingiberis Rhizoma (Paojiang). This is most effective. Prepared Zingiberis Rhizoma is pungent and hot, with bitter and salty properties; it treats fire with fire, consolidates floating heat, guides blood-invigorating herbs into the blood level and qi-regulating herbs into the qi level, eliminates evil and generates newness, following the principle of "Yang generating Yin." Treating heat with heat deeply aligns with the teachings of the *Neijing* (Classic of Internal Medicine); when righteous Qi is strengthened, external pathogens disperse naturally.
Yang Gui stated: If there were originally Yin deficiency with fire hyperactivity before pregnancy, and postpartum excessive blood loss occurs, symptoms such as high fever, irritability, and sweating will inevitably appear. If one follows the previous method of heavily tonifying Qi and Blood, the condition will worsen. Instead, Xiaoyao San (Free and Easy Wanderer Powder) should be used to clear Liver fire and nourish Liver blood. Due to excessive blood loss, Liver deficiency and blood dryness result. One must not rigidly adhere to the theory of dual Qi and Blood deficiency. This argument is based on Yin deficiency fever and requires detailed analysis through pulse diagnosis.
Xue Lizhai stated: In newly delivered women, sudden loss of Yin blood leaves Yang without attachment, causing external heat. Siwu Tang (Four Substances Decoction) with added Paojiang (Prepared Zingiberis Rhizoma) is suitable to tonify Yin to harmonize Yang. If cold and draining formulas are mistakenly taken, resulting in external heat, this indicates Cold rejecting Yang to the exterior. Sijunzi Tang (Four Gentlemen Decoction) with Shengjiang (Fresh Zingiberis Rhizoma) and Rougui (Cinnamomi Cortex) is appropriate; if ineffective, Fuzi (Aconiti Lateralis Radix Preparata) should be urgently added. If skin feels hot, face is red, and there is extreme thirst with desire to drink, this is blood depletion causing dryness; Danggui Buxue Tang (Danggui Tonifies the Blood Decoction) is indicated. He also stated: Postpartum vexatious fever results from Yang scattering with Yin, leaving both Qi and Blood deficient, hence aversion to cold and fever. If mistakenly treated as a Fire syndrome and administered cooling agents, disaster will strike instantly.