黄帝问曰∶有口苦取阳陵泉,口苦者病名为何?何以得之?岐伯对曰∶病名曰胆瘅。
夫胆者,中精之腑(《素问》无此句),肝者中之将也,取决于胆,咽为之使。此人者,数
谋虑不决,胆(《素问》下有虚字)气上溢而口为之苦。治之以胆募俞,在阴阳十二官相使
中。
善怒而欲食,言益少,刺足太阴。怒而多言,刺足少阴(《太素》作少阳)。短气心痹,
悲怒逆气,怒,狂易,鱼际主之。心痛善悲,厥逆,悬心如饥之状,心淡淡而惊,大陵及间
使
,面尽热,渴,行间主之。脾虚令人病寒不乐,好太息,商丘主之。色苍苍然,太息,如
将死状,振寒搜白,便难,中封主之。心如悬,哀而乱,善恐,嗌内肿,心惕惕恐,如人将
捕之,多HT 出,喘,少气,吸吸不足以息,然谷主之。惊,善悲不乐,如堕坠,汗不出,面
尘黑,病饮不欲食,照海主之。胆眩寒厥,手臂痛,善惊忘言,面赤泣出,腋门主之。
大惊乳痛,梁丘主之。
邪在心,则病心痛,善悲,时眩仆,视有余不足而调其俞。胆病者,善太息,口苦,
呕宿水(《灵枢》作宿汁),心下淡淡,善恐,如人将捕之,嗌中 然,数咳唾,
候在足少阳之本末,亦视其脉之陷下者灸之;其寒热者,取阳陵泉。邪在胆,逆在胃,胆液
泄则口苦,胃气逆则呕苦汁,故曰呕胆,取三里以下。胃逆,则刺足少阳血络以闭胆逆,调
其虚实以去其邪。
Yellow Emperor asked: When treating bitter taste in the mouth, Yanglingquan (GB34) is selected. What is the name of this disease? How does it arise? Qibo replied: The disease is named Dan Fan (Gallbladder Heat).
The Gallbladder is the Fu-organ that stores essence and juice (this sentence is absent in *Suwen*). The Liver is the General, whose decisions depend on the Gallbladder; the pharynx serves as its conduit. This type of person often deliberates extensively but fails to make decisions, causing Qi of the Gallbladder to overflow upward, resulting in a bitter taste in the mouth. Treatment should involve the Front-Mu and Back-Shu points of the Gallbladder, which follows the principles of mutual regulation among the twelve Zang-Fu organs.
Those who are prone to anger yet desire food, while speaking less and less, should be treated by needling the Foot-Taiyin Spleen Meridian. Those who are angry and talk excessively should be treated by needling the Foot-Shaoyin Kidney Meridian (*Taisu* reads Foot-Shaoyang Gallbladder Meridian). For shortness of breath and Heart Bi pain, with sorrow and anger causing rebellious Qi, anger, and manic changes, Yuji (LU10) is the primary point. For Heart pain accompanied by frequent sadness, cold extremities, a sensation of emptiness in the heart like hunger, a calm yet startled state of mind, Da ling (PC7) and Jianshi (PC5) are indicated. For full-face heat and thirst, Xingjian (LR2) is indicated. For Spleen deficiency causing aversion to cold, unhappiness, and frequent sighing, Shangqiu (SP5) is indicated. For a pale-green complexion, frequent sighing, a dying appearance, chills and tremors, and difficult defecation, Zhongfeng (LR4) is indicated. For a sensation of the heart hanging suspended, sorrowful confusion, frequent fear, swelling inside the throat, palpitations of fear as if being hunted, excessive sweating, asthma, shortness of breath, and insufficient inspiration, Ran gu (KI2) is indicated. For fright, frequent sadness and unhappiness, a sensation of falling, absence of sweat, a dusty black facial complexion, Phlegm-Fluid retention with loss of appetite, Zhaohai (KI6) is indicated. For Gallbladder disorders causing vertigo and cold reversal in the limbs, arm pain, frequent fright, forgetfulness, disordered speech, red face, and weeping, Yimen (GB23) is indicated.
For sudden great fright causing breast pain, Liangqiu (ST34) is indicated.
When pathogenic factors invade the Heart, Heart pain occurs, along with frequent sadness and occasional fainting. One should assess excess or deficiency and regulate the Shu points accordingly. Patients with Gallbladder diseases often sigh frequently, have a bitter taste in the mouth, vomit overnight fluids (*Lingshu* reads overnight juices), experience palpitations in the epigastrium, feel frequent fear as if being hunted, suffer from dryness in the throat, and cough up saliva frequently. The pathological signs manifest at the root and branch of the Foot-Shaoyang Gallbladder Meridian; one should also moxa areas where the vessels appear sunken. If there are alternating chills and fever, Yanglingquan (GB34) is selected. When pathogens reside in the Gallbladder and rebellion occurs in the Stomach, leakage of Gallbladder fluid causes bitterness in the mouth; rebellious Stomach Qi causes vomiting of bitter juices, hence termed "vomiting of the Gallbladder." Zusanli (ST36) is selected to direct the Qi downward. If Stomach Qi rebels, blood collaterals of the Foot-Shaoyang Gallbladder Meridian are needled to arrest the rebellious Gallbladder Qi, and their excess or deficiency is regulated to eliminate the pathogen.