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The body's Qi and Blood have deficiencies and excesses, and the onset of sores and ulcers has degrees of severity. The methods of treatment include purging (attacking) and tonifying. Yuan Rong stated: If a person has abundant and stagnant Qi and Blood, with Ying and Wei (Defensive and Nutritive Qi) full but obstructed from flowing freely, leading to stagnation, putrefaction, and the formation of an abscess, one should employ purging methods to drain the excessive heat pathogen. If a person has poor appetite and food intake, with depleted spirit and weakened constitution, where Ying and Wei are scanty and stagnant, and cold pathogens congeal to form an abscess, one should employ tonifying methods to support their deficient and frail Qi. Danxi stated: For un-ulcerated sores (swollen ulcers), if both interior and exterior present deficiency signs, the primary treatment should be tonification and supplementation combined with promoting circulation and dispersing stagnation. Generally, the principle of using herbs is like holding a balance scale; one must examine the severity of the disease, whether the pathogen is stored in the exterior or interior, whether the sore toxin is swollen or ulcerated, and whether the Healthy Qi (Yuan Qi) is deficient or excess. If the etiology is not thoroughly investigated and treatment is administered rashly, it will result in "reinforcing excess and depleting deficiency," making the disaster of the Seven Evil syndromes unavoidable. Practitioners must exercise caution.

I have often seen cases where treating cold with heat causes the cold to intensify, and treating heat with cold causes the heat to flare up further. Why is this? Suppose heart excess generates heat; one should benefit the Kidney. When Kidney Water nourishes sufficiently, the heat will naturally dissipate. Suppose Kidney deficiency generates cold; one should tonify the Heart. When Heart Fire descends, the cold will naturally recede. This is what is referred to as "when cooling fails to resolve heat, seek it in Yin; when heating fails to resolve cold, seek it in Yang." Furthermore, there are principles such as "using heat for cold conditions and cold for heat conditions," which hinge on understanding the underlying logic. It is also said that mild conditions are treated by opposing them (contrary treatment), while severe conditions are treated by following them (concordant treatment). Essentially, when treating cold with hot herbs, cool herbs should be used to guide them; when treating heat with cold herbs, warm herbs should be used to lead them. This aims to harmonize the properties of the medicines. Among these, there are standard treatments (Zheng) and flexible adaptations (Quan). Because diseases vary in severity, opposing the nature of mild conditions is the standard orthodox approach. Following the nature of severe conditions is the flexible adaptation.

Zhang Zhongjing stated: In treating Cold Damage (Shanghan), there are three methods: sweating (diaphoresis), vomiting (emesis), and purging (catharsis). Li Dongyuan stated: In treating sores and ulcers, there are three methods: dredging and unblocking, supporting the interior to expel toxins, and harmonizing Ying and Wei. If applied appropriately, serious illnesses will be cured. Suppose a sore is swollen, hard, numb, and stifling, accompanied by irritability, fever, constipation, and a deep, forceful pulse; this indicates the pathogen is in the interior, and one should first dredge the interior and use purgation. If the sore is red, swollen, and painful, with normal bowel movements and urination, and a floating, surging pulse; this indicates the pathogen is in the exterior, and one should first support the interior and use diaphoresis. Yuan Rong stated: If Ying and Wei are full but obstructed, forming an abscess, purging should be used to drain excessive heat; if Ying and Wei are weak and stagnant, forming an abscess, tonification should be used to support deficient Qi. Li Dongyuan further stated: Even if a patient with a sore has a red face and latent heat, one must not attack the interior; attacking a deficient interior will cause diarrhea. Zhang Zhongjing also stated: Patients with sores who experience body pain should not undergo diaphoresis; inducing sweat may lead to spasms (Jing syndrome). If practitioners fail to examine carefully and recklessly use sweating or purging methods, they will cause damage to Qi and Blood, allowing the toxin to sink inward. Young and strong individuals may struggle to ulcerate and heal, while the old and weak often die.