2 External Cold and Internal Injury Type

(2) External Cold and Internal Injury Type

① Symptoms: Chills and fever, headache and body aches, fullness and oppression in the chest and epigastric region, nausea and vomiting, belching with a foul odor, pain in the epigastric region, possibly accompanied by abdominal pain and loose stools, white and greasy tongue coating, and moist, slow pulse.

② Treatment: Dispel exterior cold, transform dampness and harmonize the middle burner.

③ Prescription: Modified Huoxiang Zhengqi San. Use 10g of patchouli, 10g of perilla leaves, 10g of magnolia bark, 10g of tangerine peel, 15g of poria, 10g of atractylodes, 10g of betel nut shell, 10g of nutmeg, 10g of chicken gizzard, 15g of roasted malt, and 15g of hawthorn; decoct twice, mix well, divide into three doses, take one dose daily.

④ Note: This syndrome of acute gastritis (or gastroenteritis) is what Western medicine calls "gastrointestinal flu." It often occurs due to external wind-cold invasion combined with internal dietary injury, or due to exposure to filthy air, mountain miasma, summer heat and humidity, or consumption of unclean food, leading to a sudden onset characterized by fever, chills, vomiting, stomach pain, or even diarrhea. The Huoxiang Zhengqi San used for treatment is already widely known, with a reputation for effectiveness. In the modified formula, chicken gizzard, hawthorn, and roasted malt are added to eliminate food stagnation and promote bowel movement. If the external pathogenic factors are strong, with obvious chills and body aches, add qianghuo, duohuo, and chuanxiong; if it happens to be summer heat and humidity, pair with xiangru and flat bean flowers to dispel heat and remove summer discomfort. For mild cases, or for convenience, you can use the ready-made Huoxiang Zhengqi pills. Recently, Huoxiang Zhengqi liquid and soft capsules have become available, which are not only convenient to take but also comparable in efficacy to the decoction.