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Linctus Pain (Painful Urination)

The syndrome of Linctus Pain (painful urination) is currently often treated with formulas such as Bazheng San (Eight-Positive Powder) and Liqing Tang (Clearing-Clearing Decoction). However, some cases are effective while others are not. This is because the penis has two orifices: the Jing Qiao (Semen Orifice) and the Niao Qiao (Urine Orifice). If the pathology lies in the Niao Qiao due to damp-heat obstructing and closing the bladder, then administering the aforementioned medicines is appropriate. However, if the pathology lies in the Jing Qiao due to sexual fatigue and forced retention of semen, resulting in有形 (有形 refers to tangible/physical) turbid waste blocking the tunnels, merely advancing clearing and draining remedies is of no benefit. Ye Tianshi discussed this syndrome in great detail, stating that there was an ancient formula called Huzhang San (Polygonum cuspidatum Powder), but people in recent times do not recognize this herb. For treatment, one should squeeze the juice from the root of Achyranthes bidentata (Duniu Xi, 杜牛膝) for one cup, mix in a small amount of Moschus (Shexiang, 麝香), and take it after steaming in hot water. Furthermore, follow the method of Zhu Nanyang, using herbs such as Aconitum coreanum (Liangtoujian, 两头尖), Melia azedarach (Chuanlianzi, 川楝子), Allium tuberosum (Jiubai, 韭白), and Angelica sinensis caulis (Guiwei, 归尾). Cao suffered from this syndrome, and I cured him by imitating the previous methods. Subsequently, treating several other patients yielded similar results, so I recorded this together.

Mrs. Wang suffered from generalized Bi Syndrome (Obstruction Syndrome) pain. The physician diagnosed it as Wind pathogen, keeping her bedridden for over a month, leading to limb spasms and dizziness. Upon seeing her, I said: "This is Bi Syndrome. Although external ailments of the body shell generally do not pose a fatal risk, prolonged illness causing insomnia and poor appetite leads to exhaustion of spirit and form. Rapidly addressing the root cause can still sustain life. If one treats only the symptoms without addressing the root, it will be perilous." Therefore, I prescribed Shiquan Dabu Tang (Ten Complete Great Tonifying Decoction), adding Gouqi (Lycium Fruit), Duzhong (Eucommia Bark), and Cervus Cornu Gelatinum (Lujiaojiao, 鹿角胶). After two doses, there was no response, and the public doubted this approach. I said: "When the condition is slow, treat the disease; when urgent, preserve life. Now the condition is so deteriorated that without this method, rescue is impossible. Moreover, tonifying deficiency differs from attacking excess; it requires dozens of doses to show efficacy." After ten more days of administration, the whole body became swollen. The crowd claimed this was a worsening of the disease. I said, "Do not worry. When wind and cold pathogens invade the human body, those with robust qi flow recover easily, while those with deficient qi allow the pathogen to settle and cause disease. The root cause here is insufficient Ying Qi (Nutritive Qi), allowing the pathogen to sink inward. Now, taking tonifying agents helps push the pathogen outward, which is a favorable sign." I continued to order adherence to the prescription. Eventually, the pain ceased, the swelling subsided, and she recovered. This record serves as a warning against the indiscriminate use of drying wind-dispelling drugs in treating Bi Syndrome.

In the Guihai year of the Jiaqing reign, due to summer heat, I slept on stone ground at night and caught cold. After autumn arrived, my arm hurt, unable to flex or extend. Initially, I took decoctions to warm the meridians and disperse pathogens, but they were ineffective. External application of plasters also failed. Considering that diseases between the sinews and bones are difficult for medicinal power to reach, I recalled an ancient method of warm washing. Daily washing with medicinal water did not alleviate the pain.偶然ly reading Han Shi Yi Tong (Han's Medical Insights), I found: "For those suffering from Wei-Bi (Atrophy and Obstruction) diseases, lying next to the embrace of a vigorous young man's yin region for a long time allows vital qi to harmonize and permeate, causing pathogenic qi to dissipate secretly." I tried imitating this method, having my wife warmly embrace my painful arm at night. After a few days, I recovered. Consulting Gui Tian Lu (Records from the Fields), it states: "Human qi can powder rhinoceros horn, thereby treating Bi." Indeed, this is appropriate.