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Dizziness and palpitations, white tongue coating with abundant phlegm; taking Atractylodis Rhizoma (Cangzhu) regularly has been effective. Recently, due to mental confusion resembling dementia, previous treatments focused on Phlegm-Fire, using clearing and moistening agents along with heavy sedatives, resulting in Yin excess suppressing Yang, thereby causing pathological changes. However, to dispel the Yin fog, the method must involve unblocking Yang, akin to the sun shining brightly in the sky, after which the Yin fog dissipates. It is proposed to administer Linggui Zhugan Decoction (Poria, Cinnamon Twig, Atractodes Rhizome, and Licorice Decoction) modified by Zhang Zhongjing.
Linggui Zhugan Decoction added with Polygalae Radix (Yuanzhi).

Yuanyuan notes: This approach originates from Yu Jia Yan's *Yuyi Cao*. Incompetent physicians, seeing mental confusion resembling dementia, treat it as Phlegm-Fire without considering that the Heart governs the Yang Spirit (Shen), while Phlegm is a Yin pathogen. The Yin pathogen suppresses Yang Qi, obscuring and reversing the clarity of the mind. The *Huangdi Neijing* states: "Excess Yang leads to mania; excess Yin leads to melancholia." The conditions of Mania (Kuang) and Melancholia (Dian) should not be treated indiscriminately. Modern physicians, upon seeing disordered consciousness, often attribute it to Phlegm-Fire, simply because they have not studied the *Huangdi Neijing*.

Ren Yuan says: Liver Wind with Phlegm-Fire is a precursor to stroke-like syndromes (Lei Zhong). Therefore, it is placed after Stroke. The reason Liver generates Wind is that insufficient Kidney Water fails to nourish, causing Liver Wood to become dry and generate Fire; when Fire is excessive, Wind arises. Spleen deficiency fails to transform dietary essence, generating turbid Phlegm. This Phlegm is stirred by Wind-Yang, leading to excess above and deficiency below. Mild cases present with dizziness, tremors, rising Qi, and vomiting; severe cases present with manic or melancholic states, fainting, and collapse, similar to Stroke. The treatment methods in this case mostly involve extinguishing Wind-Yang in the upper body and nourishing Kidney Water in the lower body. For abundant phlegm, resolving phlegm is primary; for significant deficiency, nourishing Yin is primary. Deficiency with cold warrants warming; deficiency with heat warrants cooling. There are also cases of root deficiency with branch excess, where Phlegm-Fire is excessive above; here, one must first purge fire and resolve phlegm, waiting for the branch pathogens to recede before addressing the root. Although the manifestations belong to the Liver and Gallbladder, the disease root lies entirely in the Spleen and Kidney. The growth of Wood depends on soil cultivation and water irrigation. If the soil is rich and water sufficient, with appropriate moisture balance, even strong winds may shake the branches but will not uproot the tree. Only when the soil is barren and water deficient does the root expose and dry out, wilting even without wind, let alone shaking in the wind! Moreover, if Spleen Earth is deficient, Lung Metal loses its support; deficient Lung Metal cannot control Liver Wood, and rising Fire burns Lung Metal. The nature of the General (Liver) cannot be directly suppressed; rather, one should use salty, bitter, sweet, and cool herbs, assisted by slightly sour and pungent herbs. As stated in the classics: "When Fire invades internally, treat with salty-cold, assist with sweet-bitter, astringe with sour, and disperse with bitter." "When Wind invades internally, treat with pungent-cool, assist with sweet-bitter, soothe with sweet, and disperse with pungent." Salty, bitter, sour, and sweet flavors nourish Yin and purge Fire, using softness to supplement hardness. Although Pungent flavor is Yang, it can unblock and disperse, assisting Lung Metal to control Liver Wood.