Mr. Gu, male, 44 years old. Every night, he feels a surge of qi rising from the lower abdomen to the chest and even reaching the neck. During the episodes, it is accompanied by sweating, palpitations, cold limbs, pale complexion, restlessness, and a sense of impending death. He was examined at a hospital and no organic sexually transmitted disease was found. He was diagnosed with "gastric neurosis" and treated for several months without improvement. He was referred to me for consultation. Upon examination, his pulse was deep, wiry, and thin, and his tongue coating was thin and white. A comprehensive analysis of pulse and symptoms indicated that this was a case of "running-piglet" syndrome. Therefore, Cinnamon Twig plus Cinnamon Twig Decoction was prescribed:
Cinnamon Twig 15g, Peony Root, Fresh Ginger Rhizome, each 9g, Liquorice Root 3g, Chinese Date 5 pieces
. After taking one dose, the symptoms reduced, and after two doses, the episodes stopped, although there was still slight discomfort in the chest. He continued to take six more doses, and during the following half-month of hospitalization, except for occasional minor episodes, no discomfort was observed. Later, a pill was made based on the Ling Gui Jiang Zao Decoction, and after taking one course, he recovered completely after two months and returned to work.