治肝虚腿疼,左部脉微弱者。
萸肉(一两,去净核) 知母(六钱) 生明乳香(三钱) 生明没药(三钱) 当归(三钱) 丹参(三钱)
服药数剂后,左脉仍不起者,可加续断三钱,或更加生黄 三钱,以助气分亦可。觉凉者,可减知母。
脾虚可令人腿疼,前方已详其理,深于医学人大抵皆能知之。至肝虚可令人腿疼,方书罕言,即深于医学
者,亦恒不知。曾治一人,年三十许,当大怒之后,渐觉腿疼,日甚一日,两月后,卧床不能转侧。医者因其
得之恼怒之余,皆用舒肝理气之药,病转加剧。后愚诊视,其左脉甚微弱,自言凡疼甚之处皆热。因恍悟《内
经》谓“过怒则伤肝”,所谓伤肝者,乃伤肝经之气血,非必郁肝经之气血也,气血伤,则虚弱随之,故其脉
象如斯也。其所以腿疼且觉热者,因肝主疏泄,中藏相火(相火生于命门寄于肝胆),肝虚不能疏泄,相火即
不能逍遥流行于周身,以致郁于经络之间,与气血凝滞,而作热作疼,所以热剧之处,疼亦剧也。为制此汤,
以萸肉补肝,以知母泻热,更以当归、乳香诸流通血气之药佐之,连服十剂,热愈疼止,步履如常。
安东友人刘××,年五十许。其左臂常觉发热,且有酸软之意。医者屡次投以凉剂,发热如故,转觉脾胃
消化力减少。后愚诊之,右脉和平如常,左脉微弱,较差于右脉一倍。询其心中,不觉凉热。知其肝木之气虚
弱,不能条畅敷荣,其中所寄之相火,郁于左臂之经络,而作热也。遂治以曲直汤,加生黄 八钱,佐萸肉以
壮旺肝气,赤芍药三钱,佐当归、丹参诸药以流通经络,服两剂,左脉即见起,又服十剂全愈。
奉天王××,年四十余,两胁下连腿作疼,其疼剧之时,有如锥刺,且尿道艰涩,滴沥不能成溜,每小便
一次,须多半点钟,其脉亦右部如常,左部微弱。亦投以曲直汤,加生黄 八钱,续断三钱,一剂其疼减半,
小便亦觉顺利。再诊之,左脉较前有力。又按原方略为加减,连服二十余剂,胁与腿之疼皆愈,小便亦通利如
常。盖两胁为肝之部位,肝气壮旺上达,自不下郁而作
疼。至其小便亦通利者,因肾为二便之关,肝气既旺,自能为肾行气也(古方书有肝行肾之气之语)。
治疗肝虚引起的腿疼,且左手脉象微弱者。
山茱萸(一两,去净果核) 知母(六钱) 生明乳香(三钱) 生明没药(三钱) 当归(三钱) 丹参(三钱)
服用几剂后,如果左脉仍然不起,可以加续断三钱,或者再加生黄芪三钱,以辅助气分也可以。服药后感觉发凉的,可以减少知母的用量。
脾虚会导致腿疼,前面的方子已经详细说明了原理,深谙医学的人大抵都知道。至于肝虚导致腿疼,医书中很少提及,即使是深谙医学的人,也常常不知道。曾治疗一个人,三十岁左右,在大怒之后,逐渐觉得腿疼,一天比一天严重,两个月后,卧床不能翻身转动。医生因为他是在恼怒之后得的病,都用疏肝理气的药物,病情反而加剧。后来我诊治,他的左脉非常微弱,自己说凡是疼痛厉害的地方都发热。于是恍然大悟《内经》所说的“大怒则伤肝”,所谓伤肝,是伤了肝经的气血,不一定是郁滞了肝经的气血,气血受伤,随之而来的是虚弱,所以脉象如此。之所以腿疼并且觉得热,是因为肝主疏泄,中藏相火(相火生于命门,寄居于肝胆),肝虚不能疏泄,相火就不能逍遥流行于全身,以致郁结在经络之间,与气血凝滞,从而产生热和疼痛,所以热剧烈的地方,疼痛也剧烈。为此配制这个汤,用山茱萸补肝,用知母泻热,再用当归、乳香等流通气血的药物辅助,连续服用十剂,热退痛止,行走如常。
安东的朋友刘某某,五十岁左右。他的左臂经常觉得发热,且有酸软的感觉。医生屡次给他投用凉性药剂,发热依旧,反而觉得脾胃消化力减少。后来我诊治他,右脉平和如常,左脉微弱,比右脉弱一倍。询问他心里,不觉得凉也不觉得热。知道他是肝木之气虚弱,不能条达舒畅地敷布荣养,其中寄居的相火,郁结在左臂的经络,而产生热。于是用曲直汤治疗,加生黄芪八钱,辅助山茱萸以壮旺肝气,赤芍药三钱,辅助当归、丹参等药物以流通经络,服用两剂,左脉就开始显现起来,又服用十剂完全痊愈。
奉天的王某某,四十多岁,两胁下连着腿一起疼痛,疼痛剧烈的时候,像锥子刺一样,而且尿道艰涩,滴沥不能成流,每次小便一次,需要多半个小时,他的脉也是右部如常,左部微弱。也投用曲直汤,加生黄芪八钱,续断三钱,一剂后疼痛减半,小便也觉得顺利。再次诊治,左脉比以前有力。又按照原方稍微加减,连续服用二十多剂,胁部和腿部的疼痛都好了,小便也通利如常。大概两胁是肝的部位,肝气壮旺上达,自然就不会下郁而作痛。至于他的小便也通利,是因为肾是二便的关口,肝气既然旺盛,自然能为肾行气(古方书有肝行肾之气的说法)。
Treating leg pain caused by Liver deficiency, where the left pulse is weak and faint.
Corni Fructus (Shanzhuyu, 山茱萸) (30 g, pits removed completely), Anemarrhenae Rhizoma (Zhimu, 知母) (18 g), Raw Resina Incensi (Ruxiang, 乳香) (9 g), Raw Resina Olibani (Moyao, 没药) (9 g), Angelicae Sinensis Radix (Danggui, 当归) (9 g), Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma (Danshen, 丹参) (9 g).
After taking several doses, if the left pulse remains unarisen, add Dipsaci Radix (Xuduan, 续断) 9 g, or additionally add Astragali Radix (Huangqi, 黄芪) 9 g to assist the Qi level. If the patient feels cold, reduce the dosage of Anemarrhenae Rhizoma (Zhimu, 知母).
Spleen deficiency can cause leg pain; the principle has been detailed in the previous formula, which most experts in medicine generally know. However, that Liver deficiency can cause leg pain is rarely mentioned in medical books, and even those deeply versed in medicine often do not know this. I once treated a person, about thirty years old, who gradually felt leg pain after a fit of great anger, worsening day by day. After two months, he was bedridden and unable to turn over. The physicians, attributing his condition to post-anger stagnation, used herbs for soothing the Liver and regulating Qi, but the condition worsened. Later, I examined him: his left pulse was very weak and faint. He stated that areas with severe pain felt hot. I then suddenly realized the statement in the *Neijing* ("Great anger injures the Liver"). The so-called "injuring the Liver" refers to injuring the Qi and Blood of the Liver channel, not necessarily stagnating them. When Qi and Blood are injured, weakness follows, hence the pulse appearance. The reason for the leg pain and sensation of heat is that the Liver governs free flow (Shuxie), and contains Ministerial Fire (Xianghuo, Ministerial Fire originates from the Gate of Vitality and resides in the Liver and Gallbladder). Due to Liver deficiency, free flow is impaired, so Ministerial Fire cannot circulate freely throughout the body. It becomes stagnant between the collaterals, condensing with Qi and Blood, thereby generating heat and pain. Thus, where heat is intense, pain is also intense. For this, I formulated this decoction: using Corni Fructus (Shanzhuyu, 山茱萸) to tonify the Liver, Anemarrhenae Rhizoma (Zhimu, 知母) to clear heat, assisted by herbs like Angelicae Sinensis Radix (Danggui, 当归) and Raw Resina Incensi (Ruxiang, 乳9) to promote the circulation of Qi and Blood. After ten consecutive doses, the heat subsided, pain ceased, and walking returned to normal.
A friend of mine from Andong, Mr. Liu, was about fifty years old. His left arm often felt hot and sore/weak. Physicians repeatedly prescribed cooling agents, but the heat persisted, and his Spleen and Stomach digestive power decreased. Upon my examination, the right pulse was peaceful and normal, while the left pulse was weak, half as strong as the right. Inquiry revealed no sensation of cold or heat in his chest. I determined that his Liver Wood Qi was deficient, unable to flow smoothly and nourish properly. Consequently, the resident Ministerial Fire stagnated in the collaterals of the left arm, causing heat. I treated him with Quzhi Tang, adding Astragali Radix (Huangqi, 黄芪) 24 g to assist Corni Fructus (Shanzhuyu, 山茱萸) in strengthening Liver Qi, and Paeoniae Radix Rubra (Chishaoyao, 赤芍药) 9 g to assist Angelicae Sinensis Radix (Danggui, 当归) and Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma (Danshen, 丹参) in promoting collateral circulation. After two doses, the left pulse began to rise; after ten more doses, he was fully recovered.
Mr. Wang from Fengtian, over forty years old, suffered from pain extending from both hypochondriac regions down to the legs. During severe episodes, the pain felt like needle pricks. Urination was difficult and dribbling, unable to form a stream; each urination took over half an hour. His pulse was normal on the right side but weak and faint on the left. I administered Quzhi Tang, adding Astragali Radix (Huangqi, 黄芪) 24 g and Dipsaci Radix (Xuduan, 续断) 9 g. After one dose, pain halved, and urination became smoother. On re-examination, the left pulse was stronger than before. Adjusting the original formula slightly, he continued for over twenty doses. Pain in the hypochondrium and legs resolved, and urination became smooth and normal. The hypochondriac region is the domain of the Liver; when Liver Qi is robust and ascends, it does not stagnate downward to cause pain. Regarding the normalization of urination: the Kidney acts as the gate for both solid and liquid excreta. Since Liver Qi is now vigorous, it naturally assists the Kidney in moving Qi (as ancient texts state: "The Liver moves the Qi of the Kidney").