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There are six types of sweating conditions that are considered untreatable: First, sweating accompanied by severe asthma (wheezing/shortness of breath) is untreatable. Second, sweating accompanied by pulse disappearance (pulselessness) is untreatable. Third, sweating accompanied by severe body pain is untreatable. Fourth, sweating so profuse that the hair becomes moist up to the vertex is untreatable. Fifth, sweating resembling oil is untreatable. Sixth, sweating resembling pearls (bead-like droplets) is untreatable. In any case where these signs appear, medication should not be administered recklessly.

First type: Spontaneous sweating or night sweats in Yang syndromes. If the pulse and symptoms indicate the presence of Fire pathogen, or if there is nocturnal fever with irritability and thirst, or hot stools with a preference for cold drinks, these all indicate Excess of Yang and Deficiency of Yin. The first choice is Danggui Liuhuang Tang (Angelica Hexapartite Decoction), and Baoyin Jian (Preserve Yin Decoction) is also excellent. If there is slight Fire in the Yin aspect but not severe, Yiyin Jian (One Yin Decoction) or Jiajian Yiyin Jian (Modified One Yin Decoction) should be used. If the cause is unsettled Heart Fire leading to irritability and sweating, Zhusha Anshen Wan (Cinnabar Calming the Spirit Pill), Tianwang Buxin Dan (Emperor of Heaven Tonifying the Heart Pill), or Shengmai San (Generate Pulse Powder) should be used. For cases not originally due to Yin Deficiency, but rather due to internal Fire steaming causing Blood Heat and excessive sweating, Zhengqi Tang (Righteous Qi Decoction), Huangqin Shaoyao Tang (Scutellaria and Peony Decoction), or Qinghua Yin (Clearing Transformation Decoction) should be used.

Second type: Spontaneous sweating or night sweats in Yin syndromes. If observation shows no Fire pathogen internally and no Fire pulse, it is a Qi Deficiency Yin syndrome. Cold medicines must not be used recklessly to damage Yang Qi. If it is merely Qi Deficiency without significant decline of Fire, Sanyin Jian (Three Yin Decoction), Shen Gui Tang (Ginseng and Angelica Decoction), or Renshen Jianzhong Tang (Ginsense Replenishing the Middle Decoction) should be used. For night sweats during sleep without Fire, Shenling San (Ginseng and Poria Powder) or Dushen Tang (Single Ginseng Decoction) should be used. If both Qi and Yang are deficient, Shenfu Tang (Ginseng and Aconite Decoction) or Da Jianzhong Tang (Great Replenishing the Middle Decoction) should be used. For severe Qi Deficiency and declining Fire, Dabu Yuan Jian (Great Tonifying the Origin Decoction) or Liuwei Huiyang Yin (Six-Ingredient Restoring Yang Infusion) should be used.

Third type: Unsecured Wei Qi (Defensive Qi) and loose Couli (pores/skin texture) leading to easy sweating belong to the category of Yin syndromes. Huangqi Liuyi Tang (Astragalus Six-One Decoction), Yupingfeng San (Jade Windscreen Powder), or Fuzi Tang (Aconite Decoction) should be used.

Fourth type: Various diseases treated incorrectly, such as inducing sweating when not indicated, or sweating excessively when indicated, result in sweating-induced loss of Yang Qi. This also belongs to Yin syndromes. One must assess the degree of deficiency. For mild deficiency, Sanyin Jian, Wuyin Jian (Five Yin Decoction), or Dushen Tang should be used; for severe deficiency, only Dabu Yuan Jian or Liuwei Huiyang Yin will suffice.

Fifth type: Dampness invading the Spleen can also cause sweating. Symptoms include heavy and fatigued body, slow and large pulse, and a voice sounding as if coming from an urn, which mostly indicates Dampness syndrome. If Heat-Dampness is predominant, removing the Fire will naturally clear the Dampness, using the methods for Yang syndromes mentioned above. If Cold-Dampness is predominant, assisting the Fire (Yang) will naturally recede the Dampness, using the methods for Yin syndromes mentioned above. Alternatively, Yupingfeng San, Sijunzi Tang (Four Gentlemen Decoction), or Wujunzi Jian (Five Gentlemen Decoction) can be used to strengthen Spleen Earth Qi; once Dampness is removed, sweating will cease.

Sixth type: Herbs for stopping sweating, such as Mahuang Gen (Ephedrae Radix), Fuxiaomai (Floating Wheat), Wumei (Mume Fructus), Bei Wuwei Zi (Schisandrae Chinensis Fructus), Xiaoheidou (Black Soybean), Longgu (Os Draconis), and Muli (Concha Ostreae), can be selected as appropriate. It is said that Huangqi (Astragali Radix) increases its efficacy when combined with Fangfeng (Saposhnikoviae Radix). It is also said that Guigui (Cinnamomi Cortex) is best at consolidating the exterior. Additionally, for excessive sweating that cannot be controlled, quickly grind Wubeizi (Galla Chinensis) into powder, mix with saliva, fill into the umbilicus, and bind tightly with a cloth; it will stop overnight. Alternatively, use Hemashouwu (Polygoni Multiflori Radix Praeparata) powder filled into the umbilicus and bound, which also stops sweating.

Seventh type: Night sweats in children are common. Physicians like Dongyuan (Li Gao) stated they need not be treated because the child's Blood and Qi are not yet sufficient. However, excessive sweating ultimately indicates Qi aspect deficiency. When I see children with severe sweating, I administer approximately one qian of Renshen (Ginseng Radix) decocted in water, which stops the sweating that very night. I fear that future physical strength may depend on this, so tonification is indispensable.

Eighth type: Post-illness excessive sweating, whether from Shanghan (Cold Damage) or Nueji (Malaria). For external Cold pathogens, if heat subsides after sweating but sweating does not stop immediately, this is because the exterior pathogen has just resolved, and the Couli and Wei Qi are still open and leaking. This sweating is normal; even if it lasts several days or ten days, it is harmless. Once Wei Qi gradually solidifies, sweating will stop naturally, requiring no worry. For other miscellaneous diseases, where sweating is not due to the resolution of an external pathogen, spontaneous or night sweats are inappropriate and must be treated.