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Facial pain is generally attributed to Fire. This is because the face is the convergence point of all Yang meridians, and Fire belongs to the Yang category. The Heart is the root of life and the source of spiritual transformation, its luster manifesting on the face, and the Heart governs Ministerial Fire (Jun Huo). Sudden onset of pain often indicates excess syndromes, while chronic pain often indicates deficiency syndromes. For conditions located high, suppression methods should be used; for stagnation, unblocking methods should be employed. For blood heat, cool the blood; for Qi deficiency, tonify Qi. One cannot rely solely on bitter-cold herbs to purge Fire.

Scholar Xu (Xu Shuwei) once treated an official titled Jianzheng who suffered from pain between the nose and cheek, sometimes accompanied by numbness and insensitivity, persisting for several years. Suddenly, one day, the pain extended to the lips, Jiache acupoint (ST6), and hairline, making it impossible to open the mouth or speak, and interfering with eating and drinking. The skin in the affected area felt as if coated with paste, and touch caused pain. This was due to Wind-Toxin invading the Foot-Yangming Meridian and transmitting into the collaterals, causing blood stasis and obstruction, thus resulting in this syndrome. Others prescribed formulas such as Paifeng Tang (Wind-Expelling Decoction), Xiao Xuming Tang (Minor Continuation of Life Decoction), and Toudan Dan (Body-Penetrating Pill), but none were effective. A decoction of Xijiao Shengma Tang (Rhinoceros Horn and Cimicifuga Decoction) was prepared and gifted to him, leading to recovery within a few days. The Foot-Yangming Meridian belongs to the Stomach. The Classics state: "The Intestines and Stomach are like a market." It also states: "The Yangming meridian has abundant Blood and Qi." The Stomach accepts all kinds of fishy, fatty, and pungent flavors, just as a market contains everything. Because toxins accumulate in the Stomach from the rotting and ripening of food, this formula uses Rhinoceros Horn (Xijiao) as the chief herb to resolve dietary toxins. The Yangming meridian circles the lips, flanks the tongue, originates at the nose, converges in the middle of the nose, follows along Jiache, ascends anterior to the ear, passes through Kerenren (ST7), follows the hairline to the head. The current ailment involves this single meridian. Therefore, Cimicifuga (Shengma) is used as an assistant herb. The remaining herbs clear Wind-Heat. Cimicifuga and Scutellaria (Huangqin) specifically enter the Stomach meridian.

Another case involved an elderly woman over seventy years old, who suffered from Jiache pain for many years. Severe attacks occurred whenever excessive speech injured Qi or insomnia injured Shen (Spirit). During severe attacks, the pain extended upward to the head and downward to the throat interior and gums, feeling like needle pricks or fire burning, intolerable to touch. Her mouth could not open, and speech and diet ceased. She felt flashes of light like lightning, and her saliva was thick and sticky, unbroken like silk. Symptoms worsened with fatigue and hunger, and improved slightly with rest and food, indicating a deficiency syndrome. Initially, Qingwei San (Stomach-Clearing Powder), Xijiao Shengma Tang, Ren Shen Baihu Tang (Ginseng White Tiger Decoction), and Qianghuo Shengshi Tang (Notopterygium and Drynaria Decoction) added with Huangqin, Gancao, and Jiegeng were ineffective. Later, a formula containing Ginseng, [missing character], Atractylodes (Baizhu), Ligusticum (Chuanxiong), Angelica Sinensis (Danggui), Cimicifuga, Bupleurum (Chaihu), Gancao, and Jiegeng was used, slightly supplemented with Huangqin, Gardenia (Zhizi), Forsythia (Lianqiao), and Arctium (Niubangzi), taken on an empty stomach. Additionally, Jiangan Ganlu Yin (Modified Sweet Dew Drink) was taken after meals. Gradually, she stabilized. However, the elderly patient had an irritable nature and could not remain idle; fatigue and excessive speech occurred occasionally, preventing the removal of the root cause. Nevertheless, attacks became less frequent and less severe than in previous years.

Scholar Xu’s nephew suffered from depression due to the loss of his son and repeatedly consumed Deer Antler Glue (Lujiaojiao) and other fertility-promoting medicines, often taking them after meals or before bed. This accumulated into Stomach Heat, leading to facial pain similar to the elderly woman's condition. He took Qingwei San and Ganlu Yin, but the excessive use of Gypsum (Shigao) led to deficiency symptoms. Subsequently, he took tonics like Ginseng and Astragalus (Huangqi) excessively, which re-triggered Fire symptoms. His student, Shi Sheng, prescribed Yueju Wan (Yueju Pill) added with Gardenia, Forsythia, Fritillaria (Beimu), and Tangerine Peel (Juhong) to resolve the depression, after which the condition began to improve. Various medical texts lack a dedicated section on facial pain; this is now supplemented. These three cases are recorded in detail to illustrate that medication should not be applied rigidly, and these three cases do not exhaustively cover all aspects of the disease.