Yáng water

From Dān-Xī’s Heart-Approach (丹溪心法 dān xī xīn fǎ). Water swelling arising when water-damp and externally-contracted wind-cold cause nondiffusion of lung qì and triple burner congestion that prevents the free flow of water down to the bladder. Yáng water is a repletion pattern characterized by swelling of the face first and attended by aversion to cold, heat effusion, cough, sore throat, rough voidings of red urine, constipation, abdominal fullness, and a slimy tongue fur, and rapid pulse.

Medicinal therapy: Course wind, diffuse the lung, clear heat, and disinhibit water. Spleen-Effusing Decoction (越婢汤 yuè bì tāng). Add to this formula perilla seed (Perillae Fructus, 紫苏子 zǐ sū zǐ) and saposhnikovia (Saposhnikoviae Radix, 防风 fáng fēng) to course wind; duckweed (Spirodelae Herba, 浮萍 fú píng) and apricot kernel (Armeniacae Semen, 杏仁 xìng rén) to diffuse the lung; forsythia (Forsythiae Fructus, 连翘 lián qiào), platycodon (Platycodonis Radix, 桔梗 jié gěng), and fresh imperata (Imperatae Rhizoma Recens, 鲜茅根 xiān máo gēn) to clear heat; and poria (Poria, 茯苓 fú líng) and alisma (Alismatis Rhizoma, 泽泻 zé xiè) to disinhibit water.

Acumoxatherapy: Base treatment mainly on CV, back transport points, ST and LI. Select CV-9 (Water Divide, 水分 shuǐ fēn), CV-6 (Sea of Qì, 气海 qì hǎi), BL-22 (Triple Burner Transport, 三焦俞 sān jiāo shù), ST-36 (Leg Three Lǐ, 足三里 zú sān lǐ), BL-11 (Great Shuttle, 大杼 dà zhù), BL-13 (Lung Transport, 肺俞 fèi shù), LI-4 (Union Valley, 合谷 hé gǔ), GV-26 (Water Trough, 水沟 shuǐ gōu), and LI-6 (Veering Passageway, 偏历 piān lì); needle with drainage.

Point selection according to signs: For heat effusion and aversion to cold, add LI-11 (Pool at the Bend, 曲池 qū chí), TB-5 (Outer Pass, 外关 wài guān), and GV-14 (Great Hammer, 大椎 dà zhuī). For cough and sore pharynx, add LU-7 (Broken Sequence, 列缺 liè quē), LU-5 (Cubit Marsh, 尺泽 chǐ zé), and KI-6 (Shining Sea, 照海 zhào hǎi), and prick LU-11 (Lesser Shang, 少商 shào shāng) to bleed. For swelling of the head and face, add GV-21 (Before the Vertex, 前顶 qián dǐng). For constipation, add ST-25 (Celestial Pivot, 天枢 tiān shū) and TB-6 (Branch Ditch, 支沟 zhī gōu). For oppression and vexation in the chest, add PC-6 (Inner Pass, 内关 nèi guān) and KI-6 (Shining Sea, 照海 zhào hǎi). For abdominal fullness, add PC-6 (Inner Pass, 内关 nèi guān) and ST-25 (Celestial Pivot, 天枢 tiān shū). See water.