Library

Excessive sexual activity, carrying heavy loads while traveling long distances, and exposure to rain, snow, and cold lead to the invasion of cold-dampness pathogens taking advantage of deficiency. Generally, when wind, cold, summer-heat, and dampness invade the Yang meridians, the disease is located externally; symptoms mostly occur at the lateral malleolus and dorsum of the foot, and should be treated with dispersing methods for recovery. When these pathogens invade the Yin meridians, the disease is located internally; symptoms mostly occur at the medial malleolus and the inner aspect, and should be treated with warming and draining methods, after which external manifestations will naturally resolve. Among external manifestations, spontaneous sweating with wandering pain indicates dominance of Wind (Feng); absence of sweating with painful stiffness and spasms indicates dominance of Cold (Han); swelling, fullness, and heaviness indicate dominance of Dampness (Shi); irritability, thirst, fever, and rigidity indicate dominance of Summer-heat (Shu). If all four pathogens are present simultaneously, one must deduce which pathogen is predominant. Numbness is caused by Wind, pain by Heat, and swelling by Dampness. Dominance of Cold results in a sensation like insects crawling (a feeling within the skin resembling insects moving), while dominance of Heat results in flaccidity and laxity. This is because the six Foot meridians can all cause this disease, whereas the six Hand meridians do not participate in causing it. For Cold, use warming methods; for Heat, use cooling methods; for diseases in the Exterior, use dispersing methods; for diseases in the Interior, use purgative methods. In cases of severe deficiency and lack of Qi, administer tonic decoctions intermittently, applying them according to the cold or heat nature of the disease, without being rigid or dogmatic. Individuals who are dark-skinned and thin are easy to treat, whereas those who are obese with red or white complexions are difficult to cure. Dark-skinned individuals tolerate wind and dampness, while those with red or white complexions do not tolerate wind and cold. Thin individuals have firm flesh, while obese individuals have soft flesh. Medication should be differentiated based on excess/deficiency, cold/heat, and exterior/interior. For example, Huangbai (Phellodendri Cortex) and Cangzhu (Atractylodis Rhizoma) are essential herbs for damp-heat conditions. Fangji (Stephaniae Tetrandrae Radix) and Duhuo (Angelicae Pubescentis Radix) are used to treat severe damp-heat swelling from the waist down to the feet. Mugua (Chaenomelis Fructus) is selected for its ability to enter the Liver meridian and reach the sinews. Chiling (Poria Cocos with Red Mycelium) and Mutong (Akebiae Caulis) promote diuresis and drain dampness. Rougui (Cinnamomi Cortex), Wu……