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When the Small Intestine is diseased, there is pain in the lower abdomen, pain in the lumbar spine radiating to the testicles, frequent urgency and distress, and heat in front of the ears. If the cold is severe, there is heat only on the shoulder, and heat between the little finger and the ring finger of the hand. If the pulse is sunken, this is its sign.

Pain in the lower abdomen radiating to the testicles and connecting to the lumbar spine, with qi rushing upward to the heart, indicates pathogenic factors in the Small Intestine. The pathogen connects to the spermatic cord, belongs to the spine, penetrates the Liver and Lungs, and links with the Heart system. When qi is excessive, there is reversal (Jue), rushing upward to attack the Stomach and Intestines, disturbing the Liver and Lungs, dispersing into the Bladder membrane (Huang), and knotting at the umbilicus (or Qi). Therefore, treatment should take the Yuan-Source point of the Huang to dissipate it, puncture the Foot-Taiyin Splein channel to tonify it, take the Foot-Jueyin Liver channel to descend it, take Juxia (Lower He-Sea of Large Intestine) to eliminate it, and massage the channels it passes through to regulate them.

If the Small Intestine has cold, the person feels heaviness in the lower body and passes pus and blood; if there is heat, hemorrhoids will inevitably occur.

If there is retained food in the Small Intestine, fever often occurs in the evening and stops by the next morning.

If the Small Intestine is distended, there is distension in the lower abdomen radiating to the abdomen with pain.

If rebellious qi lodges in the Small Intestine, one dreams of gathering in city streets.

The Hand-Taiyang channel originates at the tip of the little finger, follows the lateral side of the hand, ascends to the wrist, emerges from the malleolus, goes straight up along the lower edge of the arm bone, emerges between the two bones on the medial side of the elbow, ascends along the posterior-lateral edge of the upper arm, emerges from the shoulder joint, winds around the scapula, crosses the shoulders, enters the supraclavicular fossa (Quepen), descends toward the axilla, connects with the Heart, follows the pharynx, pierces the diaphragm, reaches the Stomach, and belongs to the Small Intestine. Its branch arises from the supraclavicular fossa, follows the neck to the cheek, reaches the outer canthus, and returns to enter the ear. Another branch separates from the cheek, ascends to the infraorbital region, reaches the nose, arrives at the inner canthus, and obliquely connects with the zygomatic bone. When this channel is disturbed, it causes sore throat, swelling of the jaw, inability to look back, shoulder pain as if being pulled out, and neck pain as if broken. This channel primarily governs diseases generated by fluids, including deafness, yellow eyes, swelling of the cheeks and jaw, and pain along the posterior-lateral aspect of the neck, shoulder, upper arm, elbow, and forearm. In excess, the Renying (Carotid) pulse is more than twice as large as the Cunkou (Radial) pulse; in deficiency, the Renying pulse is smaller than the Cunkou pulse.

When Spleen qi is deficient, the four limbs cannot be used, and the five Zang organs are unsettled; when excess, there is abdominal distension and difficulty in urination and defecation.

When Spleen qi is deficient, one dreams of insufficient food and drink; during its ruling season, one dreams of building walls and roofs. When Spleen qi is excessive, one dreams of singing and music, heavy body, and inability to lift hands and feet.

When rebellious qi lodges in the Spleen, one dreams of hills, large marshes, ruined houses, wind, and rain.

Disease in the Spleen improves during the day, worsens at dawn, stabilizes at noon, and is quiet in the late afternoon.

If disease starts in the Spleen, there is obstruction and blockage, body pain, and heaviness; after one day it transmits to the Stomach causing abdominal distension; after two days it transmits to the Kidney causing lower abdominal, lumbar, and spinal pain, and calf pain; after three days it transmits to the Bladder causing back tendon pain and urinary retention; if not resolved in ten days, death ensues. In winter, death occurs at Rending time; in summer, at Yanshi time. If the Spleen pulse is firm and long, and the complexion is yellow, one suffers from shortness of breath. If soft and scattered, with lusterless color, one suffers from foot edema resembling water accumulation. If the Spleen pulse is soft upon deep pressure and weak upon superficial pressure, one suffers from abdominal distension, fullness and vexation, heat in the Stomach, anorexia, indigestion, difficult defecation, and bi-syndrome in the four limbs with occasional numbness, caused by sexual indiscretion. Menstruation may cease or come frequently. When a yellow pulse arrives, large and empty, with accumulated qi in the abdomen and rebellious qi, it is named Jue Shan (Rebellious Hernia), following the same pattern in women. It results from rapid movement of the four limbs with sweat exposed to wind.

At the Cunkou position, a string-like (Xian) and slippery (Hua) pulse indicates pain and excess respectively. Pain implies tension, excess implies swelling; their interaction leads to chest and hypochondriac tension and urgency. At the Duyang position, a floating (Fu) and choppy (Se) pulse indicates weak Stomach qi and declining Spleen qi. Their interaction leads to breathing difficulties, indicating loss of Spleen regulation.

At the Cunkou position, a double-tight pulse indicates inward penetration, qi failing to exit, interior syndrome without exterior signs, and epigastric stiffness and fullness. At the Duyang position, a minute (Wei) and choppy (Se) pulse indicates absence of Stomach qi and injury to the Spleen. Cold in the diaphragm treated incorrectly with purgatives leads to unresolved cold accumulation, weak Stomach qi, injured Spleen, stagnation of grain qi, and belching after eating. Cold in the chest and diaphragm with upper deficiency and lower excess, and blocked grain qi, constitutes constipation.

At the Cunkou position, a slow (Huan) and delayed (Chi) pulse indicates Yang qi growing and Yin qi promoting Ying qi. Harmonious Ying and Wei, balanced Gang and Rou, and connected Sanjiao result in strong qi. At the Duyang position, a slippery (Hua) and tight (Jin) pulse indicates excess Stomach qi and injured Spleen qi. Indigestion after eating indicates Spleen dysfunction; ability to eat without abdominal fullness indicates excess Stomach qi. Abdominal fullness with inability to eat and epigastric hunger sensation indicates stagnant Stomach qi and deficient Heart qi. Fullness after eating indicates Spleen dysfunction. Wind-strike of the Spleen presents with mild fever, appearance like drunkenness, abdominal vexation and heaviness, loose skin and flesh, and shortness of breath. Injury to the Spleen from blows, falls, post-prandial/coital activity, or sweating exposed to wind damages Spleen qi, separating Yin and Yang. Prognosis is determined by observing the pulse over three parts. Weak Spleen qi causes dysentery with white mucus, intestinal filth, hard stool, inability to defecate, and continuous sweating, named Spleen Deficiency. Five fluids may discharge: green, yellow, red, white, black. Flatness under the nose indicates Stomach disease; slight redness indicates abscess; slight blackness indicates heat; blueness indicates cold; whiteness is untreatable. Black lips indicate prior Stomach disease; slight dryness with thirst is treatable; no thirst is untreatable. Everted navel indicates Spleen exhaustion. Spleen distension causes hiccups, limb tension, and body heaviness preventing clothing. Spleen Water disease presents with abdominal enlargement, limb heaviness, lack of fluids, shortness of breath, and difficult urination. At the Duyang position, a floating and choppy pulse indicates strong Stomach qi and frequent urination due to Spleen constraint (Pi Yue), resulting in hard stool despite patent urination and lack of thirst. After illness resolves, evening vexation from forced feeding indicates weak Spleen-Stomach qi unable to digest; reducing food intake cures it. Spleen accumulation named Pi Qi is located in the epigastrium, covering an area like a plate. Chronic cases lead to limb paralysis, jaundice, and failure of food to nourish flesh. Acquired in Winter Ren-Gui days because Liver disease transmits to Spleen, which should transmit to Kidney; but Kidney is prosperous in Winter and rejects pathogen, so Spleen tries to return to Liver, which refuses, causing accumulation. Spleen disease presents with yellow complexion, indigestion, abdominal distension, body heaviness, joint pain, and difficult defecation. A slightly slow and long pulse indicates treatability. Treat with Pingwei Pill, Xiepi Pill, Zhuyu Pill, Fuzi Decoction. Spring: puncture Yinbai (SP1) with draining method; Winter: Yinlingquan (SP9) draining; Summer: Dadu (SP2) tonifying; Late Summer: Gongsun (SP4) tonifying; Autumn: Shangqiu (SP5) tonifying. Moxibustion: Zhangmen (LR13) 50 moxa cones; Back 11th vertebra 100 moxa cones. Spleen disease causes body heaviness, hunger pangs, foot weakness/paralysis (Suwen: frequent hunger, muscle flaccidity, foot non-use), twitching while walking, and foot pain. Deficiency causes abdominal distension, borborygmus, loose stools, and indigestion. Treat Foot-Taiyin, Foot-Yangming, Foot-Shaoyin blood points.

Pathogen in Spleen and Stomach causes muscle pain. Excess Yang and deficient Yin cause internal heat and frequent hunger; deficient Yang and excess Yin cause internal cold, borborygmus, and abdominal pain; excess or deficiency of both Yin and Yang causes alternating cold and heat. Regulate Zusanli (ST36). The Foot-Taiyin channel originates at the tip of the great toe, follows the medial white flesh margin, passes behind the metatarsophalangeal joint, ascends anterior to the medial malleolus, follows the medial tibia, crosses anterior to Foot-Jueyin, ascends along the anterior-medial knee and thigh, enters the abdomen, belongs to the Spleen, connects with the Stomach, ascends through the diaphragm, clamps the pharynx, connects to the root of the tongue, and spreads under the tongue. Its branch arises from the Stomach, ascends through the diaphragm, and pours into the Heart. Disturbance causes stiff tongue root, vomiting after eating, epigastric pain, abdominal distension, frequent belching, relief after defecation or passing gas, and whole-body heaviness. It governs Spleen-generated diseases: tongue root pain, immobility, anorexia, vexation, urgent epigastric pain, cold malaria, loose stools, masses, diarrhea, urinary retention, jaundice, preference for lying down, inability to eat meat, blue lips, rigidity, pain in the medial thigh/knee, and non-use of the great toe. Excess: Cunkou pulse is three times larger than Renying; Deficiency: Cunkou is smaller than Renying. The collateral named Gongsun (SP4), one cun posterior to the metatarsophalangeal joint, connects with Foot-Yangming. Its branch enters and connects with the intestines and stomach. Rebellious qi ascending causes Huoluan (Cholera-like syndrome). Excess causes cutting abdominal pain; deficiency causes tympanites. Treat the collateral.

Spleen disease presents with yellow complexion, bluish body, incontinence, staring gaze, retracted lips, blue nails, vomiting of food, body heaviness, joint pain, and limb paralysis. Pulse should be floating-large and slow; if wiry-tight instead, and color blue instead of yellow, it is Wood overcoming Earth, a major reversal, fatal.