Zhao, suffered from warm disease. The [previous] physician prescribed Cinnamon Twig Decoction (gui zhi tang), which led to a subjective sensation of heat, thirst, and labored breathing. He then prescribed [Minor] Bupleurum Decoction (xiao chai hu tang) which made the heat especially worse and  For the past six or seven she had increased wheezing and cough, repeatedly vomited up phlegm drool and had been unable to lie down. Her physician then said that her disease had become very severe and that he lacked the…

Chen, a 76 year old, had suffered from colon cancer 15 years previously. Consequently, part of his colon was removed and had remained healthy ever since. Recently, he had not moved his bowels for an entire week and he had developed a palpable mass in his lower abdomen on the side of the surgery. Chen went to several hospitals for further examination, where all [of his medical council] recommended surgery and noted that the prognosis was poor. Although Chen requested…

Qì and Blood Depletion – Liver and Kidney insufficiency mistaken for wind-cold-damp painful obstruction. Misuse of the Fire Spirit Current. [Patient] Xu was a 59 year old woman who is chronically exposed to water- damp while working. After many years she developed joint-bone limp aching pain that sometimes was mild and sometimes was serious. After retirement it progressively worsened year after year. She sought out many treatments from the hospital, but with no results. Someone recommended her an empirical formula…

Original Case by: Yue Mei-Zhong (1900-1982) 岳美中 Spleen and Stomach Yang Deficiency (Chronic Hepatitis) (Thanks Greg for this instructive case!) Bai, male, 39. January 24, 1964, initial consultation, in-patient department. Patient had suffered from chronic hepatitis for six years with intermittent bilateral flank pain, abdominal distention and bloating, anorexia, frequent belching, borborygmus, flatulence, and loose stools one to two times per day or once every-other day. Previously, he had been admitted to the hospital five successive times and undergone hepato-protective…

Phlegm obstructing the channels and collaterals mistaken for wind-cold-damp painful obstruction. Wang, a 30 year old woman peasant, on Oct. 2, 1976 came into a hospital in Zhu Ma Dian for treatment. She presented with fatigue, achiness, and numbness / tingling in both her lower limbs. She was diagnosed with “rheumatism”.  As a result she was given Phenyl Butazone and antibiotics, which had no effect. Afterwards she received treatment in a TCM hospital in Wu Han for more than a…

This is the 3rd case in a series about Xu Shu-Wei. 3. Twitching of tendons and muscles: Original case from: Xu Shu-Wei’s Case number 17 A townsperson named Jing made a living in the country village by twisting fibres into rope (“sheng”), and so was known as Jing Sheng Zi — “Roper Jing”. Her son was almost thirty years old when he became ill, showing a slight sweat, weak pulse, and aversion to wind. The doctor mistakenly gave him Ma…

Yīn and blood insufficiency mistakenly diagnosed as cold-damp painful obstruction pattern. Liao was a 62 year old man who was hospitalized because of left buttock and left lower limb pain that had been going on for 3 months. He presented with left buttock and left posterior thigh muscular pain, fatigued spirit and lack of strength, poor food intake, bland / lack of taste in the mouth that was slightly dry, dry stools, facial color was dark and stagnant. Tongue: pale…

Cold damp painful obstruction mistakenly diagnosed as damp-heat painful obstruction. Shi a 28 year old male motor vehicle driver was hospitalised on Sept 13. Two days previous, the patient did some heavy moving from one house to the next in the rain. That night he had very painful sciatica along his right leg. It gradually became worse and he went to the local hospital where he received an injection of a heavy painkiller and diazepam, which took about two hours.(1)…