A man named Zhang Qing from the same village had a sister who returned to her parents’ home for a visit. After staying for several days, she suddenly developed chest tightness, loss of appetite, vomiting, and coughing. Her mother suspected pregnancy (a common cultural assumption for such symptoms) and requested my medical evaluation.
Upon diagnosis:
- All six pulse positions appeared normal (referring to traditional Chinese pulse diagnosis).
- The left guan pulse position (corresponding to the liver) exhibited a slippery sensation (a pulse quality often associated with heat or phlegm-dampness).
Diagnosis:
The condition stemmed from Liver Qi stagnation (blocked energy flow in the liver), which generated stagnant heat over time. This disrupted the stomach’s function (described as “Liver attacking the Stomach Earth” in classical terms), leading to appetite loss.
Treatment:
- Prescribed Xiao Yao San (Free and Easy Wanderer Powder), a classic formula for harmonizing Liver and Spleen.
- Added two heat-clearing herbs: Tree Peony Bark (Danpi) (Moutan Cortex) and Cape Jasmine Fruit (Shanzhi) (Gardeniae Fructus).
Outcome:
Symptoms resolved completely after two doses of the herbal formula.
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