Li, female, 53 years old, chief complaint: fever and sweating two to three times daily, duration of illness one year. Appetite and bowel movements are normal. Previously treated for yin-deficiency fever, took over twenty doses of medication without effect.
Examination: Pulse is slow and soft, tongue is pale with a white coating.
Pattern identification: The syndrome belongs to disharmony between nutrient and defensive qi. Nutrient-defense refers to yin and yang. When nutrient-defense is harmonious, the nutrient yin nourishes the defensive yang, and fever does not occur; the defensive yang protects the nutrient yin, and sweating does not occur. Now, with disharmony between nutrient and defensive qi, each goes its own way, and the two do not support each other, hence the intermittent fever and spontaneous sweating.
Treatment method: Should harmonize the nutrient and defensive aspects, balance the yin-yang, so that nutrient-defense relies on each other and the illness is cured. Prescribed Cinnamon Twig Decoction.
Cinnamon Twig 9g, Peony Root 9g; Fresh Ginger Rhizome 9g, Prepared Liquorice Root 6g, Chinese Date 12 pieces
Two doses. After taking the medication, slight sweating occurred and the patient recovered.