3. Prognosis of Blood Disorders

3. Prognosis of Blood Disorders

Tang believed that "whether qi is balanced or not" is the primary condition for assessing the prognosis of blood disorders. "Qi carries blood, and blood carries qi. Human life depends entirely on qi; if blood is lost but qi is not, the person is still alive, albeit in critical condition. As long as there is a trace of qi, blood can gradually regenerate and return to its original state. If blood is not injured but qi is lost first, even if the person is otherwise healthy, death is inevitable." The so-called qi depletion is an early sign of yang collapse, similar to shock in modern medicine. Tang confirmed that when this combined symptom appears, the prognosis is poor, which is consistent with clinical practice. Compared with Gao Shizong's classification based on the amount of bleeding, "Yi Zhi" based on external and internal injuries, and "San Zhi Chan" based on the location of bleeding to distinguish severity, Tang took a step forward. Tang also discussed in detail the relationship between pulse condition and prognosis, believing that a slow pulse is treatable, while a rapid, floating, or deep, fine, and unsteady pulse indicates true yin deficiency or yang deficiency without support, making it more difficult to treat. In addition, he mentioned that fever, choking cough, and loose stools also have a certain impact on the condition.