Dysentery with vacuity signs. Dysentery is attributable to damp-heat and is characterized by blood and pus in the stool and by tenesmus. Occurring in weak patients or persisting for a long time so that it damages right qì, it may be attended by vacuity signs such as fatigue, milder abdominal pain, and straining to defecate.
Medicinal therapy: Treat by addressing both repletion and vacuity, using formulas such as Four Agents Decoction (四物汤sì wù tāng) plus cimicifuga (Cimicifugae Rhizoma, 升麻shēng má), cyperus (Cyperi Rhizoma, 香附子xiāng fù zǐ), and arborvitae leaf (Platycladi Cacumen, 侧柏叶cè bǎi yè). For damage to essence through sexual intemperance causing dysentery, use Kidney Qì Pill (肾气丸shèn qì wán). For vacuity taxation complicated by dysentery, use Costusroot and Coptis Pig’s Stomach Pill (香连猪肚丸xiāng lián zhū dǔ wán).
Acumoxatherapy: Base treatment on ST, CV, and back transport points. Select ST-25 (Celestial Pivot, 天枢 tiān shū), ST-37 (Upper Great Hollow, 上巨虚 shàng jù xū), CV-12 (Center Stomach Duct, 中脘 zhōng wǎn), BL-20 (Spleen Transport, 脾俞 pí shù), BL-21 (Stomach Transport, 胃俞 wèi shù), CV-4 (Pass Head, 关元 guān yuán), and CV-6 (Sea of Qì, 气海 qì hǎi); needle with supplementation. For abdominal pain, add SP-6 (Three Yīn Intersection, 三阴交 sān yīn jiāo), and apply cross moxa (十字灸shí zì jiǔ). For damage to essence through sexual intemperance causing dysentery, add BL-23 (Kidney Transport, 肾俞 shèn shù), BL-52 (Will Chamber, 志室 zhì shì), KI-3 (Great Ravine, 太溪 tài xī), and KI-7 (Recover Flow, 复溜 fù liū).