气短促不足以息虚甚气不能应呼吸
平人无寒热短气不足以息者实也中焦有碍或痰火
吸而微数其病在中焦实也当下之即愈中实吸不得入还出复入故微数也虚者不治实则可下
中虚吸不尽入而微数者肝肾欲绝在上焦者其吸促在下焦者其吸远此皆难治呼吸动摇振振者不
治病在上焦气宜通下病在下焦气宜达上上下交通病斯愈矣今上焦者吸促而不能通下下焦者吸
远而不能达上上下不交通病岂易治乎动摇振振气不载形也
凡诊病必先问所看何人或男或女或老或幼或童仆或婢外家次问得病之日受病之源及饮食胃
气如何便利如何曾服何药日间何如夜间何如或寐或寤有无胀闷痛处
问病不答必耳聋即当询之是素聋否不则病久或汗下过伤虚聋
问而懒言答唯点头者是中气虚
昏愦不知人问是暴厥抑是久病
妇女僵厥多是中气亦须问其曾大怒否
妇女当问其月水如何寡妇气血凝滞两尺多滑不可误断为胎室女同
心腹胀痛问是旧病新病
问其所欲何味所嗜何物或纵酒或斋素喜酸者则知肝虚喜甘脾虚他味准此
头身臂膊作痛必问曾病恶疮否临病必审形志或形劳志苦或抑郁伤中故贵脱势眷恋于心虽
不中
常富后贫悲忧内结名曰失精谓精神丧失
二者皮焦筋屈痿痹为挛以其外耗于卫内夺于营良工诊之必知病情再问饮食起居暴乐暴苦
始乐后苦暴怒伤阴暴喜伤阳形体毁沮精华日脱邪气内并邪乘虚而袭
呼吸短促、气息不足以维持正常呼吸，这是极度虚弱的表现，气力无法响应呼吸的需求。
普通人没有发热或恶寒的症状，却出现呼吸短促、气息不足的情况，这属于实证。通常是因为中焦（脾胃区域）有阻碍，或者存在痰火阻滞。
如果吸气轻微且频率较快，病位在中焦，属于实证，应当使用攻下法治疗，即可痊愈。这是因为中焦实邪阻滞，导致吸气不能深入，呼出后又再次吸入，所以呼吸显得轻微而急促。如果是虚证，则难以治愈；如果是实证，则可以通过攻下法治疗。
如果中焦虚弱，吸气不能完全深入且频率轻微加快，这是肝肾之气即将衰竭的表现。病在上焦的，表现为吸气短促；病在下焦的，表现为吸气深长遥远。这些情况都属于难治之症。如果患者在呼吸时身体动摇震颤，说明正气无法承载形体，病情更为危重。
病位在上焦的，气机应当通畅；病位在下焦的，气机应当通达向上。只有上下气机交通，疾病才能痊愈。如今上焦吸气短促而不能向下通降，下焦吸气深长而不能向上达济，上下气机不交通，疾病怎么容易治愈呢？身体动摇震颤，是因为气不能承载形体。
大凡诊治疾病，必须先询问患者是谁，是男是女，是老是幼，是童仆还是婢女，或是外家亲属。其次询问发病的时间、致病的根源，以及饮食和胃气的状况，大小便是否正常，曾经服用过什么药物，白天和晚上的症状有何不同，睡眠状态如何，是否有胀闷疼痛的部位。
如果询问病情患者不回答，必定是耳聋，此时应当询问其是原本就聋，还是因病日久或汗法、下法过度使用导致的气虚性耳聋。
询问时懒于说话，仅点头应答的，这是中气虚弱。
妇女出现僵直厥逆，多因中气受损，也必须询问其是否曾大怒。
妇女必须询问月经情况。寡妇气血凝滞，两尺脉多滑，不可误断为怀孕。处女同理。
心腹胀痛，需询问是旧病复发还是新发疾病。
询问患者想吃什么味道、喜欢吃什么食物。如果纵酒或吃素，喜食酸味则知肝虚，喜食甘味则知脾虚，其他口味以此类推。
头、身、手臂疼痛，必须询问是否曾患恶疮。面对病人必须审察其形体与情志：或者是形体劳损、情志痛苦，或者是抑郁伤及中焦，或者是贵脱势（地位丧失）、眷恋于心虽未直接致病但影响身心；或者是 formerly 富后贫，悲忧内结，名为“失精”，即精神丧失。这两种情况导致皮焦筋屈、痿痹挛缩，因为外耗卫气，内夺营血。高明的医生诊察时，必定了解病情，再问饮食起居。突然的快乐或痛苦，先乐后苦，暴怒伤阴，暴喜伤阳，形体毁败沮丧，精华日渐脱落，邪气乘虚而入并内侵。
Shortness of breath and insufficient respiration indicate extreme deficiency (Xu), where Qi lacks the strength to respond to respiratory demands.
In a healthy person without fever or aversion to cold, shortness of breath and insufficient respiration indicate excess (Shi). This is often due to obstruction in the Middle Jiao (Middle Burner) or the presence of Phlegm-Fire.
If inhalation is slightly rapid, the disease is located in the Middle Jiao and is an excess pattern; it should be treated with purgation (Xia Fa), leading to recovery. This occurs because middle-jiao excess obstructs deep inhalation, causing exhalation followed by immediate re-inhalation, resulting in slight but rapid breathing. If it is a deficiency pattern, it is difficult to treat; if it is an excess pattern, it can be treated with purgation.
If the Middle Jiao is deficient, inhalation fails to reach its depth and is slightly rapid, indicating that Liver-Kidney Qi is nearing exhaustion. When the disease is in the Upper Jiao, inhalation is short and hurried; when in the Lower Jiao, inhalation is deep and distant. These are all difficult-to-treat conditions. If the patient trembles during respiration, it indicates that Qi cannot support the body form.
For diseases in the Upper Jiao, Qi flow should be unobstructed; for diseases in the Lower Jiao, Qi flow should ascend. Only when Upper and Lower Jiao Qi communicate can the disease be cured. Currently, the Upper Jiao has short, hurried inhalation that cannot descend, and the Lower Jiao has deep, distant inhalation that cannot ascend. Without this communication, how can the disease be easily cured? Trembling indicates that Qi fails to bear the body.
Generally, when diagnosing illness, one must first ask who the patient is: male or female, old or young, child servant or maid, or relative. Secondly, ask about the onset date, etiology, dietary habits, Stomach Qi status, bowel/bladder function, previous medications, day vs. night symptom variations, sleep patterns, and any areas of distension, fullness, or pain.
If the patient does not answer, they are likely deaf; inquire whether they were congenitally deaf or if hearing loss resulted from prolonged illness or excessive sweating/purging causing Qi deficiency.
If the patient is reluctant to speak and only nods, it indicates Spleen-Stomach Qi deficiency (Zhong Qi Xu).
If the patient is confused and unaware, determine if it is sudden Jue syndrome (Fainting/Coma) or chronic illness.
Women presenting with rigidity and fainting often suffer from Middle Qi damage; inquire if they experienced severe anger.
Women must be asked about their menstruation. Widows have stagnant Qi and Blood, often showing slippery pulses at the Chi position; do not misdiagnose this as pregnancy. Virgins are similar.
For epigastric and abdominal distension and pain, determine if it is a recurrence of an old disease or a new onset.
Ask about taste preferences and food cravings. Lovers of alcohol or vegetarian diets, those preferring sour tastes indicate Liver deficiency; those preferring sweet tastes indicate Spleen deficiency. Other tastes follow this logic.
For pain in the head, body, or arms, inquire about history of malignant sores. Examine the patient's physique and mental state: physical labor with mental distress, depression injuring the Middle Jiao, loss of status causing lingering attachment, or former wealth turned to poverty causing sorrow and grief internalized, termed "Loss of Jing" (Spirit/Essence depletion). These lead to dry skin, contracted sinews, flaccidity, bi-syndrome, and spasms, due to external consumption of Wei Qi (Defensive Qi) and internal depletion of Ying Qi (Nutritive Qi). Skilled physicians must understand the condition, then inquire about diet and lifestyle. Sudden joy or suffering, joy turning to suffering, sudden anger injuring Yin, sudden joy injuring Yang, physical deterioration, daily loss of essence, and pathogenic factors invading due to deficiency.