Qi Deficiency Fever and Warm-Sweet Heat Removal—April 20, 1979

Qi Deficiency Fever and Warm-Sweet Heat Removal—April 20, 1979

Qi deficiency fever is often treated with warm-sweet heat removal. In the 1960s, the effectiveness of this method attracted considerable attention from clinicians, leading to in-depth discussions in the "Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine." Overall, the following points have been raised regarding this approach:

1. Decline of spleen-stomach qi, upward surge of yin fire

Li Dongyuan stated, "If dietary habits are irregular and temperature is inappropriate, the spleen and stomach will be damaged, and emotions such as joy, anger, sorrow, and fear will deplete the original qi. With declining spleen-stomach qi, the original qi becomes insufficient, while heart fire becomes overly dominant. Heart fire is, in fact, yin fire... Therefore, when spleen-related problems arise, qi rises and one feels short of breath, body temperature increases and one feels restless, pulse becomes rapid and large, headache occurs, or thirst persists, and the skin cannot tolerate cold and heat, leading to alternating chills and fevers. This is because yin fire surges upward, causing qi to rise and feel restless, leading to fever, headache, and thirst, with a rapid pulse. The qi of the spleen and stomach flows downward... Without yang to protect its defensive qi, it cannot withstand cold and heat, resulting in alternating chills and fevers. All of this is caused by insufficient qi in the spleen and stomach." According to Li's argument, when spleen-stomach qi declines, original qi becomes insufficient, and when original qi is insufficient, heart fire becomes overly dominant. Here, heart fire is described as yin fire, implying a kind of virtual fire, rather than actual yin deficiency and excess fire. One reason for this yin fire is said to be the downward flow of spleen-stomach qi, with no yang to protect its defensive qi, leading to alternating chills and fevers; another reason is that when spleen-stomach qi is deficient, it flows downward to the kidneys, allowing yin fire to occupy its position.

2. Decline of spleen-stomach qi, intense heart fire

When spleen-stomach qi declines, heart fire becomes intensely active, and the two interact, causing fire to occupy the soil's position.

3. Yang pathway is solid, yin pathway is weak

That is, stomach heat and spleen deficiency are the root cause, while yang excess is the manifestation. Therefore, using warm-sweet methods to strengthen the root cause and remove the manifestation is appropriate.

4. Yang damage affects yin, yin deficiency causes fever

When qi is deficient, yang is also deficient, and yang damage affects yin, leading to yin deficiency and fever.

5. Spleen function is impaired, blood deficiency causes fever

When spleen function is impaired, it cannot produce nourishing blood, resulting in blood deficiency and fever. Only by tonifying qi can blood be produced, and when blood is sufficient, fever disappears.

6. Spleen and stomach lack proper ascending and descending functions

When spleen qi does not ascend, clear qi remains below, causing cold; when stomach qi does not descend, turbid qi remains above, causing heat.

7. Middle qi sinks, floating yang escapes outward.