On the Pulse, Symptoms, and Treatment of Various Women's Diseases

To differentiate the pulse manifestations and treat the various diseases of women.

The teacher said: When a woman's pulse is calm but the cubit pulse is faint, and she has vomiting, cannot eat, and has no chills or fever, this is pregnancy. It is treated with Guizhi Tang. According to the rule, these signs appear around sixty days of pregnancy. If a physician treats it incorrectly, it will be delayed by one month. If vomiting and diarrhea are added, the pregnancy must be terminated.

Guizhi Tang Formula:

Guizhi three liang (peeled), Shaoyao three liang, Gancao two liang (roasted), Shengjiang three liang (cut), Dazao twelve pieces (split).

These five herbs, use seven sheng of water, decoct to obtain three sheng, remove the dregs, and take warm in three doses.

When a woman originally has a mass disease, and menstruation has ceased for less than three months, yet there is incessant spotting and fetal movement above the navel, this is harm from the chronic mass accumulation. If fetal movement appears at six months of pregnancy, it is because she was already pregnant when the menses were free-flowing in the previous three months. The bleeding is blood that appears three months after menstruation ceased. The reason the bleeding does not stop is that the mass accumulation has not been removed. The mass accumulation should be attacked and expelled, treated with Guizhi Fuling Wan.

Guizhi Fuling Wan Formula:

Guizhi, Fuling, Mudan, Taoren, Shaoyao, equal parts each.

These five herbs, grind into fine powder, make into pills with refined honey, the size of rabbit droppings. Take one pill before meals daily. If ineffective, gradually increase to three pills.

When a woman is six or seven months pregnant, with a wiry pulse, fever, more pronounced fetal distention, abdominal pain, chills, and the lower abdomen feels cold as if fanned by a fan, the reason is that the uterus is open. It should be warmed and nourished with Fuzi Tang.

Fuzi Tang Formula:

Fuzi two pieces (roasted, peeled, broken into eight pieces), Fuling three liang, Renshen two liang, Baizhu four liang, Shaoyao three liang.

These five herbs, use eight sheng of water, decoct to obtain three sheng, remove the dregs, take one sheng warm, three times daily.

The teacher said: There are women with spotting and bleeding; there are those who have incessant bleeding after miscarriage; if there is abdominal pain during pregnancy, this is uterine obstruction, treated with Jiao Ai Tang.

Jiao Ai Tang Formula:

Dihuang six liang, Chuanxiong two liang, Ejiao two liang, Aiye three liang, Danggui three liang, Shaoyao four liang, Gancao two liang.

These seven herbs, use five sheng of water and three sheng of clear wine, first decoct the six herbs to obtain three sheng, remove the dregs, add the Ejiao and dissolve it, take one sheng warm, three times daily.

When a woman is pregnant and has colicky abdominal pain, treat with Danggui Shaoyao San.

Danggui Shaoyao San Formula:

Danggui three liang, Shaoyao one jin, Fuling four liang, Baizhu four liang, Zexie half jin, Chuanxiong three liang.

These six herbs, pound into a powder, take one square-cun spoon, mix with warm wine, three times daily.

During pregnancy, if vomiting does not stop, treat with Ganjiang Renshen Banxia Wan.

Ganjiang Renshen Banxia Wan Formula:

Ganjiang one liang, Renshen one liang, Banxia two liang (washed).

These three herbs, grind into fine powder, make into pills with Shengjiang juice, the size of wutong seeds. Take five pills each time, three times daily, sent down with drinking water.

During pregnancy, if urination is difficult but eating and drinking are as usual, treat with Danggui Beimu Kushen Wan.

Danggui Beimu Kushen Wan Formula:

Danggui four liang, Beimu four liang, Kushen four liang.

These three herbs, grind into fine powder, make into pills with refined honey, the size of small beans. Take three pills with drinking water, three times daily.

During pregnancy, if there is water qi disease, with difficult urination, chills and shivering, and dizziness upon standing, treat with Kuizi Fuling San.

Kuizi Fuling San Formula:

Kuizi one jin, Fuling three liang.

These two herbs, pound into a powder, take one square-cun spoon with drinking water, three times daily. When urination becomes free, the condition will resolve.

When a woman is pregnant and has no other disease, it is appropriate to regularly take Danggui San. This way, labor will not be difficult, and after delivery, other diseases will be avoided.

Danggui San Formula:

Danggui one jin, Huangqin one jin, Shaoyao one jin, Chuanxiong one jin, Baizhu half jin.

These five herbs, pound into a powder, take one square-cun spoon with wine, twice daily.

During pregnancy, if there is cold-dampness in the body, or abdominal pain, or vexation, heart pain, inability to eat, and marked fetal movement, it is appropriate to regulate with Baizhu San.

Baizhu San Formula:

Baizhu, Chuanxiong, Shujiao (remove eyes and sweat), Muli, equal parts each.

These four herbs, pound into a powder, take one qian spoon with wine, three times daily, and once at night.

When a woman is seven months pregnant, with abdominal distention, inability to urinate, and a condition like edema from the waist downward, this is because the Taiyin channel, which should nourish the fetus, fails to do so, and the heart qi is replete. It is appropriate to needle and drain Laogong and Guanyuan points. When urination becomes free, the condition will resolve.

Question: Newly delivered women have three diseases: the first is tetany, the second is depression and dizziness, the third is difficult bowel movements. What does this mean? The teacher said: After delivery, there is blood deficiency and profuse sweating, making it easy to contract wind evil, thus tetany occurs. After blood loss, there is further sweating, and cold evil is abundant, thus depression and dizziness occur. Fluids are damaged and the intestines and stomach are dry, thus difficult bowel movements occur.

When a postpartum woman suffers from depression and dizziness, with a faint pulse, vomiting, inability to eat, but the stool is instead dry and hard, and only the head sweats. The reason is that blood deficiency leads to cold reversal of the four limbs; cold reversal inevitably leads to dizziness. When the dizziness is about to resolve, profuse sweating must occur. Because blood deficiency leads to cold reversal in the lower burner, and solitary yang rises upward, therefore only the head sweats. The reason postpartum women easily sweat is that yin blood is deficient and yang qi alone is flourishing; thus, sweating must occur for yin and yang to regain balance. For dry and hard stool, vomiting, and inability to eat, treat with Xiao Chaihu Tang.

Xiao Chaihu Tang Formula:

Chaihu half jin, Huangqin three liang, Renshen three liang, Ganca three liang, Banxia half sheng (washed), Shengjiang three liang (cut), Dazao twelve pieces (split).

These seven herbs, use one dou of water, decoct to obtain six sheng, remove the dregs, then re-decoct to obtain three sheng, take one sheng warm, three times daily.

After the depression and dizziness have resolved, if the patient can eat but develops fever seven or eight days later, this is gastrointestinal repletion heat, treated with Da Chengqi Tang.

Da Chengqi Tang Formula:

Dahuang four liang (washed in wine), Houpo half jin (roasted, peeled), Zhishi five pieces (roasted), Mangxiao three he.

These four herbs, use one dou of water, first decoct Houpo and Zhishi to obtain five sheng, remove the dregs, add Dahuang, decoct further to obtain two sheng, remove the dregs, add Mangxiao, then heat over a low fire for one or two boils. Take in two warm doses. Stop taking the medicine once a bowel movement occurs.

For postpartum colicky abdominal pain due to deficiency-cold and insufficiency, treat with Danggui Shengjiang Yangrou Tang.

Danggui Shengjiang Yangrou Tang Formula:

Danggui three liang, Shengjiang five liang, Yangrou one jin.

These three herbs, use eight sheng of water to decoct and obtain three sheng, remove the dregs, take one sheng warm, three times daily.

For postpartum abdominal pain, with vexation, distention, and inability to lie down, do not use attacking methods. It is appropriate to harmonize with Zhishi Shaoyao San.

Zhishi Shaoyao San Formula:

Zhishi, Shaoyao, equal parts.

These two herbs, pound into a powder, take one square-cun spoon, three times daily, sent down with wheat porridge.

The teacher said: For postpartum abdominal pain, according to principle, Zhishi Shaoyao San should be used. If there is no effect, there must be static blood in the abdomen retained below the navel, treated with Xia Yuxue Tang.

Xia Yuxue Tang Formula:

Dahuang three liang, Taoren twenty pieces (remove skin and tip), Zhechong twenty pieces (remove feet).

These three herbs, grind into fine powder, mix with refined honey to form pills. Use one sheng of wine to decoct and obtain eight he, take in a single dose. There should be a discharge of static blood resembling pig liver.

Seven or eight days postpartum, without Taiyang channel pattern, there is hardness and pain in the lower abdomen. This is lochia that has not been completely expelled. If there is also no bowel movement, vexation, fever, and the pulse is slightly replete and forceful, it is appropriate to harmonize. If there is vexation in the afternoon, delirium upon eating, which resolves by night, treat with Da Chengqi Tang. (Formula seen previously.)

When postpartum wind is contracted and has not resolved for several tens of days, with headache, chills, fever, epigastric distention, dry retching, followed by slight sweating, treat with Xiao Chaihu Tang. (Formula seen previously.)

When postpartum wind is contracted, with fever, red face, headache, sweating, and panting, and the pulse is wiry and rapid, treat with Zhuye Tang.

Zhuye Tang Formula:

Zhuye one handful, Gegen three liang, Jiegeng one liang, Renshen one liang, Gancao one liang, Shengjiang five liang, Dazao fifteen pieces (split).

These seven herbs, use eight sheng of water, decoct to obtain three sheng, remove the dregs, take one sheng warm, three times daily.

After childbirth, restlessness and agitation, vomiting with rebellious qi, and no external contraction pattern: this is due to deficiency of qi and blood in the breasts. Treat it with Zhupi Dawan (Bamboo Peel Big Pills).

Zhupi Dawan Fang

Bamboo shavings (zhuru) 2 parts, gypsum (shigao) 2 parts, cinnamon twig (guizhi) 1 part, licorice (gancao) 7 parts, Cynanchum atratum (baiwei) 1 part.

Grind the above five herbs into a fine powder, mix with jujube flesh to form pills the size of a bullet. Take one pill with drinking water, three times daily and twice at night. If there is fever, double the dose of baiwei.

Postpartum diarrhea with an extremely weak pulse: treat it with Baitouweng Jia Gancao Ejiao Tang (Pulsatilla plus Licorice and Donkey-Hide Gelatin Decoction).

Baitouweng Jia Gancao Ejiao Tang Fang

Pulsatilla (baitouweng) 2 liang, Coptis (huanglian) 3 liang, Phellodendron (baipi) 3 liang, ash bark (qinpi) 3 liang, licorice (gancao) 2 liang, donkey-hide gelatin (ejiao) 2 liang.

Use 5 sheng of water. First decoct the five herbs (excluding ejiao) to obtain 3 sheng, remove the dregs, add the ejiao and melt it. Divide into three doses, take warm.

For a woman with a sensation of a piece of roasted meat stuck in the throat: treat it with Banxia Houpo Fuling Shengjiang Tang (Pinellia, Magnolia Bark, Poria, and Fresh Ginger Decoction).

Banxia Houpo Fuling Shengjiang Tang Fang

Pinellia (banxia) 1 sheng (washed), magnolia bark (houpo) 3 liang, poria (fuling) 4 liang, fresh ginger (shengjiang) 5 liang, perilla leaf (suye) 2 liang.

Use 1 dou of water. Decoct the above five herbs to obtain 4 sheng, remove the dregs. Take warm in four doses: three times daily and once at night. If pain is severe, remove suye and add platycodon (jiegeng) 2 liang.

For a woman with visceral agitation (zang zao), sorrow with a desire to cry, frequent yawning and stretching, as if possessed by ghosts or spirits: treat it with Gancao Xiaomai Dazao Tang (Licorice, Wheat, and Jujube Decoction).

Gancao Xiaomai Dazao Tang Fang

Licorice (gancao) 3 liang, wheat (xiaomai) 1 sheng, jujubes (dazao) 10 pieces (split).

Use 6 sheng of water. Decoct the above three herbs to obtain 3 sheng, remove the dregs. Take warm in three doses.

For a woman with vomiting of frothy saliva, if a physician mistakenly uses purging, then there will be a stuffy sensation below the heart (epigastric oppression). First treat the vomiting of frothy saliva, then treat the stuffiness. For treating the vomiting of frothy saliva, use Jiegeng Gancao Fuling Zexie Tang (Platycodon, Licorice, Poria, and Alisma Decoction); for treating the stuffiness, use Xiexin Tang (Drain the Heart Decoction).

Jiegeng Gancao Fuling Zexie Tang Fang

Platycodon (jiegeng) 3 liang, licorice (gancao) 2 liang, poria (fuling) 3 liang, alisma (zexie) 2 liang.

Use 5 sheng of water. Decoct the above four herbs to obtain 3 sheng, remove the dregs. Take warm, 1 sheng per dose, three times daily.

Xiexin Tang Fang

Rhubarb (dahuang) 2 liang, Coptis (huanglian) 1 liang.

Use 2 sheng of boiling water (mafei tang) to infuse these two herbs. After a short time, squeeze out the dregs. Take warm in two doses.

Women's diseases arise from a weakened body, accumulated cold, and stagnation, leading to the cessation of menstruation, with blood clotting at the uterine opening. There may be pain circling the navel, resembling cold hernia; or pain at the Guanyuan point (CV-4), with skin rough like fish scales; or pulling pain inside the vagina, with a cold sensation in the lower abdomen; or pain pulling into the lower back and spine, or radiating downward to the Qijie (ST-30) region. These all belong to the category of "belt diseases" (daixia bing). To summarize these myriad diseases in one phrase: observe the cold, heat, deficiency, excess, tight, and wiry qualities of the pulse, apply acupuncture, moxibustion, and medicinal treatment, each seeking its own origin. You should differentiate and remember this; do not regard it as otherwise.

Question: A woman around fifty years old suffers from vaginal bleeding that does not stop for several tens of days. In the evening she develops fever, there is lower abdominal urgency, abdominal distention, hot palms and soles, and dry lips. What is the cause? The teacher said: This disease belongs to the category of belt diseases. How is this known? She previously had a miscarriage, and stagnant blood remained in the lower abdomen without being eliminated; hence the dry lips. Treat it with Wenjing Tang (Warm the Channels Decoction).

Wenjing Tang Fang

Evodia (wuzhuyu) 3 liang, Chinese angelica (danggui) 2 liang, Ligusticum (chuanxiong) 2 liang, peony (shaoyao) 2 liang, ginseng (renshen) 2 liang, cinnamon twig (guizhi) 2 liang, donkey-hide gelatin (ejiao) 2 liang, moutan bark (mudanpi) 2 liang, licorice (gancao) 2 liang, fresh ginger (shengjiang) 2 liang.

Use 1 dou of water. Decoct the above ten herbs to obtain 3 sheng, remove the dregs. Take warm, 1 sheng per dose, three times daily.

For irregular menstruation, with lower abdominal distention and pain, or menstruation occurring twice in one month: treat it with Wangguagen San (Trichosanthes Root Powder). For swelling of the genitals, also use this formula.

Wangguagen San Fang

Trichosanthes root (wangguagen) 3 parts, peony (shaoyao) 3 parts, cinnamon twig (guizhi) 3 parts, ground beetle (zhechong) 3 pieces.

Grind the above four herbs into a powder. Take one square spoonful with wine, three times daily.

For a woman with miscarriage or incessant vaginal spotting (lou xia): treat it with Xuanfuhua Tang (Inula Flower Decoction); for a weak pulse, treat it with Huangqi Danggui Tang (Astragalus and Chinese Angelica Decoction).

Xuanfuhua Tang Fang

Inula flower (xuanfuhua) 3 liang, scallion (cong) 14 stalks, new crimson silk (xinjiang) a small amount.

Use 3 sheng of water. Decoct the above three herbs to obtain 1 sheng, remove the dregs. Take in a single dose.

Huangqi Danggui Tang Fang

Astragalus (huangqi) 3 liang, Chinese angelica (danggui) half a liang.

Use 5 sheng of water. Decoct the above two herbs to obtain 3 sheng, remove the dregs. Take warm, 1 sheng per dose, three times daily.

For a woman with sinking of the menstrual flow (yuejing xiaxian), with spotting of black blood resembling blood clots: treat it with Jiaojiang Tang (Gelatin and Ginger Decoction).

Jiaojiang Tang Fang

Donkey-hide gelatin (ejiao) 3 liang, rehmannia (dihuang) 6 liang, Ligusticum (chuanxiong) 2 liang, fresh ginger (shengjiang) 3 liang (sliced), Chinese angelica (danggui) 3 liang, peony (shaoyao) 3 liang, licorice (gancao) 2 liang (honey-fried).

Use 5 sheng of water and 3 sheng of clear wine. First decoct the six herbs (excluding ejiao) to obtain 3 sheng, remove the dregs, add the ejiao and melt it. Take warm, 1 sheng per dose, three times daily.

For a woman with lower abdominal distention resembling a mound (dun), slight difficulty in urination but no thirst, occurring after menstruation or after childbirth: this is due to both water and blood stagnating in the blood chamber. Treat it with Dahuang Gansui Ejiao Tang (Rhubarb, Euphorbia kansui, and Donkey-Hide Gelatin Decoction).

Dahuang Gansui Ejiao Tang Fang

Rhubarb (dahuang) 4 liang, Euphorbia kansui (gansui) 2 liang, donkey-hide gelatin (ejiao) 2 liang.

Use 3 sheng of water. Decoct the two herbs (rhubarb and kansui) to obtain 1 sheng, remove the dregs, add the ejiao and melt it. Take warm in a single dose.

For a woman with frequent abdominal pain, with menstruation that comes and goes, stopping and then starting again: treat it with Didang Tang (Resist the Party Decoction).

Didang Tang Fang

Leeches (shuizhi) 30 pieces (dry-fried), gadflies (mengchong) 30 pieces (wings and feet removed), peach kernels (taoren) 30 pieces, rhubarb (dahuang) 3 liang.

Use 5 sheng of water. Decoct the above four herbs to obtain 3 sheng, remove the dregs. Take warm, 1 sheng per dose. If no blood is passed, take again.

For a woman with amenorrhea (menstrual closure), a hard mass (pi kuai) in the uterus, and continuous discharge of white secretions: this is due to dry blood (gan xue) inside. Treat it with Fanshi Wan (Alum Pills).

Fanshi Wan Fang

Alum (fanshi) 3 parts (calcined), apricot kernel (xingren) 1 part.

Grind the above two herbs into a fine powder. Mix with refined honey to form pills the size of a jujube pit. Insert into the uterus. If the condition is severe, insert another pill.

For a woman with sixty-two types of wind patterns, with abdominal pain as if pierced by needles: treat it with Honglanhua Jiu (Safflower Wine).

Honglanhua Jiu Fang

Safflower (honglanhua) 1 liang.

Use 1 dou of wine. Decoct until reduced by half, remove the dregs. Take warm in two divided doses.

For a woman with various kinds of abdominal pain: treat it with Danggui Shaoyao San (Chinese Angelica and Peony Powder); Xiaojianzhong Tang (Minor Build the Middle Decoction) also treats it.

Danggui Shaoyao San: see previous formula.

Xiaojianzhong Tang Fang

Cinnamon twig (guizhi) 3 liang, peony (shaoyao) 6 liang, licorice (gancao) 3 liang (honey-fried), fresh ginger (shengjiang) 3 liang (sliced), jujubes (dazao) 12 pieces (split), malt sugar (yitang) 1 sheng.

Use 7 sheng of water. Decoct the herbs (excluding yitang) to obtain 3 sheng, remove the dregs, add the yitang, and dissolve over low heat. Take warm, 1 sheng per dose, three times daily.

Question: A woman is ill. Her appetite is normal, but she has vexation and heat, cannot lie flat, and instead leans on something to breathe. What is the cause? The teacher said: This is called "turning of the bladder" (zhuan bao). She cannot urinate, because the bladder system is twisted and entangled, causing this condition. As soon as urination is facilitated, she will recover. Treat it with Shenqi Wan (Kidney Qi Pills).

Shenqi Wan Fang

Rehmannia (dihuang) 8 liang, Chinese yam (shuyu) 4 liang, Cornus fruit (shanzhuyu) 4 liang, alisma (zexie) 3 liang, moutan bark (mudanpi) 3 liang, poria (fuling) 3 liang, cinnamon twig (guizhi) 1 liang, aconite (fuzi) 1 piece (processed, skin removed).

Grind the above eight herbs into a fine powder. Mix with refined honey to form pills the size of wutong seeds. Take 15 pills with warm wine, twice daily. If the effect is not perceived, gradually increase up to 25 pills.

For a woman with cold in the vagina: treat it with Shechuangzi San (Cnidium Seed Powder).

Shechuangzi San Fang

Cnidium seed (shechuangzi) 1 liang.

Grind the above herb into a fine powder. Take a small amount of white powder, mix evenly, form into a ball the size of a jujube. Wrap in cotton and insert into the vagina. It will naturally become warm.

When the Shao Yin pulse is slippery and rapid, this indicates sores in the vagina with ulceration. Treat it with Langya Tang (Wolf's Tooth Decoction).

Langya Tang Fang

Wolf's tooth (langya) 3 liang.

Use 4 sheng of water. Decoct to obtain half a sheng, remove the dregs. Wrap a piece of cotton around a chopstick to the size of a silkworm cocoon, soak it in the decoction, squeeze out the liquid, and wash the vagina. Wash four times daily.