男劳已详心法内,女损阴血传风消;或因病后素禀弱,经闭咳嗽血风劳。
【注】男子虚劳治法,已详于《杂病心法要诀·虚劳门》内。女子之劳多因损其阴血,
或因病后伤其阴血,或原素禀阴血不足。然必见阴亏骨蒸,血枯经闭,咳嗽日久不已之
证,始名曰劳。若不咳嗽,则谓之虚,不可谓之劳也。风消者,古劳证名也。女子曰血
风劳者,盖以《内经》曰劳风发于肺下,是谓虚病之人感受风邪,则肺受之,故始病必
先咳嗽也;若不先解风邪而即补者,未有不因久嗽不已而成劳者也,故曰血风劳也。
妇人七七天癸竭,不断无疾血有余;已断复来审其故,邪病相干随证医。
【注】妇人七七四十九岁时,天癸竭,地道不通,当月水不下。若月水不断,不见他
证,乃血有余,不可用药止之。若已断,或一年或三五年复来者,当审其有故无故,是
何邪所干,随证医治也。
室女经来复不来,若无所苦不为灾,必是避年未充足,若见虚形命可哀。
【注】室女年幼,气血尚未充足,有经来数月复又不来者,若无他证所苦,则不得谓
之灾疾,必是避年或气血未充。若兼见虚损形状,则为室女血枯经闭童劳,多属难治,故
曰命可哀也。
师尼室寡异乎治,不与寻常妇女同。诊其脉弦出寸口,知其心志不遂情。调经若不先识此,错杂病状
岂能明。和肝理脾开郁气,清心随证可收功。
【注】师,道姑也。尼,女僧也。室,未适夫之女也。寡,少而亡夫之妇也。异乎治
者,谓不与寻常妇女同其治也。如诊其脉弦出寸口,则知其心志不遂,情志之为病也。凡
欲调妇女一切经病,若不先识此因,则不能明情志错杂难名之病状也。治此证者,当以
和肝理脾、开郁清心,随证施治,自可收功也。
Male *Xu Lao* (Deficiency Consumption) has been detailed in the *Xin Fa* (Essential Methods), while female damage (*Nü Sun*) involving Yin and Blood transforms into *Feng Xiao* (Wind Wasting, a type of consumption characterized by emaciation); or it may arise from post-illness constitution being inherently weak, presenting as amenorrhea, chronic cough, and *Xue Feng Lao* (Blood-Wind Consumption).
[Note] The treatment methods for male *Xu Lao* have been detailed in the "Deficiency Consumption Section" of *Za Bing Xin Fa Yao Jue*. Female consumption often results from damage to Yin and Blood, either due to illness injuring Yin and Blood, or inherent deficiency of Yin and Blood from birth. However, only when symptoms such as Yin deficiency with bone-steaming fever, blood exhaustion with amenorrhea, and persistent chronic cough are present, is it termed "Lao" (Consumption). If there is no cough, it is termed "Xu" (Deficiency), not "Lao". *Feng Xiao* is an ancient name for a type of consumption. Females are termed "Xue Feng Lao" because the *Nei Jing* states: "Lao Wind originates below the lungs," meaning that when a person with deficiency contracts wind pathogen, the Lungs are affected first, thus initially presenting with cough; if one does not first resolve the wind pathogen but proceeds directly to tonification, it is inevitable that chronic cough will evolve into consumption, hence the term "Xue Feng Lao".
At age forty-nine (seven sevens), women's Tian Gui (substance promoting reproductive maturity) exhausts, and the Earthly Path (menstrual flow) ceases; this is normal, and menstruation should stop. If menstruation continues without other symptoms, it indicates excess blood, and medication should not be used to forcibly stop it. If menstruation has ceased and then returns after one year or three to five years, one must examine whether there is a cause or none, identify which pathogen is interfering, and treat according to the specific symptoms.
For unmarried girls, if menstruation starts and then stops again, provided there is no discomfort, it is not considered a calamity or disease; this is likely "Bi Nian" (avoidance year, where menstruation occurs once a year) due to insufficient Qi and Blood. If signs of wasting and deficiency appear, it constitutes "Tong Lao" (Juvenile Consumption) with blood exhaustion and amenorrhea in unmarried girls, which is mostly difficult to treat, hence it is said that their fate is pitiable.
The treatment for nuns, widows, and secluded women differs and should not be treated identically to ordinary women. If the pulse is wiry and extends beyond the cun position at the wrist, it indicates unfulfilled aspirations and emotional distress causing illness. When regulating menstruation, if this etiology is not recognized first, how can one clarify the complex and indistinct symptom patterns? Treatment should focus on harmonizing the Liver, regulating the Spleen, opening up stagnant Qi, and clearing the Heart, adjusting according to symptoms to achieve success.
[Note] "Shi" refers to Daoist nuns. "Ni" refers to Buddhist nuns. "Shi" refers to unmarried women. "Gua" refers to young widows. "Yi Hu Zhi" means the treatment differs from ordinary women. For instance, finding a wiry pulse extending beyond the cun position indicates unfulfilled will, signifying an illness caused by emotional factors. To regulate all menstrual disorders in women, one must first recognize this cause to understand these complex, emotion-induced conditions. Treating this syndrome requires harmonizing the Liver and Spleen, resolving depression, and clearing the Heart, applying treatments based on specific symptoms, which will naturally yield results.