Yan, female, diagnosed in June 1976. During the Korean War, she suffered from cold-dampness, leading to heavy body pain, especially a stiff neck that could not turn. After returning to China, she sought treatment from both Western and Chinese medicine in Beijing, Shanghai, and other places, but to no avail. Her condition gradually worsened, with general fatigue and numbness, weakness and swelling in the lower limbs, unsteady walking, pain in the right hypochondrium (liver area), poor sleep, especially poor gastrointestinal function, loss of appetite, frequent diarrhea, and irregular menstruation for the past three years. Western medicine diagnosed her with "early-stage liver cirrhosis."
The patient's complexion was pale and dull, with a thick and greasy tongue coating, and a sluggish and unsmooth pulse. This was due to prolonged wind-cold that had not been eliminated, leading to a disconnect in the body's qi and blood. The treatment should harmonize nutrient-defense, with modifications to Pueraria Decoction as the main prescription:
Cinnamon Twig 15g, Peony Root 15g, Fresh Ginger Rhizome 12g, Chinese Date 5 pieces, Prepared Liquorice Root 9g, Pueraria Root 12g, Ephedra 9g
She was instructed to take three doses first, and if there was improvement, to take another three doses. After a total of six doses, she recovered and has not had a relapse since. The main symptom of this disease was the inability to turn the neck, and Pueraria Decoction, which is Cinnamon Twig Decoction with added Pueraria Root and Ephedra, harmonizes yang and yin, and is particularly effective for stiff neck and back.