Vacuity stroke

A pattern similar to wind stroke characterized by bright-white complexion, faint breath from the nose, stiff tongue and disfluent speech, deviated eyes and mouth, and hemiplegia, sometimes but not necessarily heralded by clouding collapse. Limp hands and open mouth constitute a wind-stoke desertion pattern. It is attributed to constitutional weakness, physical taxation causing damage to qì and the spleen, and phlegm and qì congestion. It may also arise as a result of sexual intemperance causing detriment to essential qì.

Medicinal therapy: Treat primarily by boosting qì with Six Gentlemen Decoction (六君子汤 liù jūn zǐ tāng) or Center-Supplementing Qì-Boosting Decoction (补中益气汤 bǔ zhōng yì qì tāng). Desertion patterns call for swift administration of large doses of ginseng (Ginseng Radix, 人参 rén shēn) and astragalus (Astragali Radix, 黄芪 huáng qí). For sexual intemperance patterns use Pulse-Engendering Powder (生脉散 shēng mài sǎn) plus Chinese angelica (Angelicae Sinensis Radix, 当归 dāng guī), cooked rehmannia (Rehmanniae Radix Praeparata, 熟地黄 shú dì huáng), and velvet deerhorn (Cervi Cornu Pantotrichum, 鹿茸 lù róng).

Acumoxatherapy: Base treatment mainly on GV and CV. Select GV-20 (Hundred Convergences, 百会 bǎi huì)^mx, CV-8 (Spirit Gate Tower, 神阙 shén què)^mx, CV-4 (Pass Head, 关元 guān yuán)^mx, CV-6 (Sea of Qì, 气海 qì hǎi)^mx, PC-6 (Inner Pass, 内关 nèi guān), and LU-9 (Great Abyss, 太渊 tài yuān) until the limbs become warm, the pulse rises and the patient’s spirit-mind becomes clear, or just needle with supplementation with moxa. For stiff tongue and hemiplegia, see hemiplegia. For limp hands and open mouth etc., see desertion patterns under wind-like stroke. For sexual intemperance, add BL-23 (Kidney Transport, 肾俞 shèn shù), KI-3 (Great Ravine, 太溪 tài xī), BL-52 (Will Chamber, 志室 zhì shì), and GV-4 (Life Gate, 命门 mìng mén).