素问·刺热 Needling for Heat Disease
肝热病者，小便先黄，腹痛多卧身热，热争，则狂言及惊，脇满痛，手足躁，不得安卧，庚辛甚，甲乙大汗，气逆则庚辛死，刺足厥阴少阳，其逆则头痛员员，脉引冲头也。心热病者，先不乐，数日乃热，热争则卒心痛，烦闷善呕，头痛面赤无汗，壬癸甚，丙丁大汗，气逆则壬癸死，刺手少阴太阳。脾热病者，先头重颊痛，烦心颜青，欲呕身热，热争则腰痛不可用俛仰，腹满泄，两颔痛，甲乙甚，戊己大汗，气逆则甲乙死，刺足太阴阳明。肺热病者，先淅然厥，起毫毛恶风寒，舌上黄身热。热争，则喘咳，痛走胸膺背，不得大息，头痛不堪，汗出而寒，丙丁甚，庚辛大汗，气逆则丙丁死，刺手太阴阳明，出血如大豆，立已。肾热病者，先腰痛䯒酸，苦渴数饮，身热，热争，则项痛而强，䯒寒且酸，足下热，不欲言，其逆，则项痛员员澹澹然，戊己甚，壬癸大汗，气逆则戊己死，刺足少阴太阳，诸汗者，至其所胜日，汗出也。肝热病者，左颊先赤，心热病者，颜先赤，脾热病者，鼻先赤，肺热病者，右颊先赤，肾热病者，颐先赤，病虽未发，见赤色者刺之，名曰治未病。热病从部所起者，至期而已；其刺之反者，三周而已；重逆则死。诸当汗者，至其所胜日，汗大出也。诸治热病，以饮之寒水，乃刺之，必寒衣之，居止寒处，身寒而止也。
热病先胸脇痛，手足躁，刺足少阳，补足太阴，病甚者，为五十九刺。热病始手臂痛者，刺手阳明太阴而汗出止。热病始于头首者，刺项太阳而汗出止。热病始于足胫者，刺足阳明而汗出止。热病先身重骨痛，耳聋好暝，刺足少阴，病甚，为五十九刺。热病先眩冒而热，胸脇满，刺足少阴少阳。太阳之脉，色荣颧骨，热病也，荣未交，曰今且得汗，待时而已。与厥阴脉争见者，死期不过三日。其热病内连肾，少阳之脉色也。少阳之脉，色荣颊前，热病也，荣未交，曰今且得汗，待时而已，与少阴脉争见者，死期不过三日。
热病，气穴三椎下间主胸中热，四椎下间主鬲中热，五椎下间主肝热，六椎下间主脾热，七椎下间主肾热，荣在骶也。项上三椎陷者，中也。颊下逆颧为大瘕，下牙车为腹满，颧后为脇痛，颊上者，鬲上也。
In liver heat disease, the urine first turns yellow, there is abdominal pain, excessive lying down, and bodily heat; when the heat contends within, the patient raves and starts in fright, the flanks are full and painful, the hands and feet are restless, and the patient cannot rest easy; the disease worsens on the days of the stems Geng and Xin, and profuse sweating occurs on the days of Jia and Yi; if the qi rebels, the patient dies on a Geng or Xin day. Needle the Foot Reverting Yin and Lesser Yang; when there is rebellion, the head aches dizzily, and the pulse draws upward, surging into the head. In heart heat disease, the patient first feels despondent, and only after some days does heat appear; when the heat contends, there is sudden heart pain, vexation and oppression, frequent retching, headache, a red face, and no sweating; the disease worsens on Ren and Gui days, and profuse sweating occurs on Bing and Ding days; if the qi rebels, the patient dies on a Ren or Gui day. Needle the Hand Lesser Yin and Greater Yang. In spleen heat disease, the head first feels heavy and the cheeks ache, there is vexation of the heart, a greenish complexion, a desire to retch, and bodily heat; when the heat contends, there is lumbar pain that prevents bending forward or backward, abdominal fullness and diarrhea, and pain in both sides of the jaw; the disease worsens on Jia and Yi days, and profuse sweating occurs on Wu and Ji days; if the qi rebels, the patient dies on a Jia or Yi day. Needle the Foot Greater Yin and Yang Brightness. In lung heat disease, the patient first shivers as if drenched, the fine body hairs stand on end, there is aversion to wind and cold, a yellow coating on the tongue, and bodily heat; when the heat contends, there is panting and coughing, pain that travels through the chest and back so the patient cannot take a deep breath, unbearable headache, and sweating together with chill; the disease worsens on Bing and Ding days, and profuse sweating occurs on Geng and Xin days; if the qi rebels, the patient dies on a Bing or Ding day. Needle the Hand Greater Yin and Yang Brightness until blood the size of a large bean emerges, and the disease resolves at once. In kidney heat disease, the patient first suffers lumbar pain and aching of the shins, distressing thirst with frequent drinking, and bodily heat; when the heat contends, there is pain and stiffness of the neck, cold and aching of the shins, heat in the soles of the feet, and disinclination to speak; when there is rebellion, the neck aches with a dizzy, wavering sensation; the disease worsens on Wu and Ji days, and profuse sweating occurs on Ren and Gui days; if the qi rebels, the patient dies on a Wu or Ji day. Needle the Foot Lesser Yin and Greater Yang. In every case where sweating is due, it occurs upon the day that overcomes the disease's own phase. In liver heat disease, redness first appears on the left cheek; in heart heat disease, redness first appears on the forehead; in spleen heat disease, redness first appears on the nose; in lung heat disease, redness first appears on the right cheek; in kidney heat disease, redness first appears on the chin. Even before the disease has manifested, if this redness is seen, one should needle at once — this is called treating the disease before it arises. When heat disease arises from the region corresponding to its own phase, it resolves by the appointed time; when one needles contrary to this, it resolves only after three cycles; and where the rebellion is compounded, the patient dies. In every case where sweating is due, it comes forth profusely on the day that overcomes the disease's own phase. In treating heat disease generally, give the patient cold water to drink before needling, dress him in cool clothing, and keep him in a cool place, stopping once the body has cooled.
When heat disease begins with pain in the chest and flanks and restlessness of the hands and feet, needle the Foot Lesser Yang and supplement the Foot Greater Yin; in severe cases, apply the fifty-nine-point needling. When heat disease begins with pain in the hand and arm, needle the Hand Yang Brightness and Greater Yin, and stop when sweating occurs. When heat disease begins in the head, needle the Greater Yang points of the neck, and stop when sweating occurs. When heat disease begins in the foot and shin, needle the Foot Yang Brightness, and stop when sweating occurs. When heat disease begins with heaviness of the body and aching of the bones, deafness, and a fondness for closing the eyes to sleep, needle the Foot Lesser Yin; in severe cases, apply the fifty-nine-point needling. When heat disease begins with dizziness and clouded vision together with heat, and fullness of the chest and flanks, needle the Foot Lesser Yin and Lesser Yang. When the color of the Greater Yang vessel glows at the cheekbone, this is heat disease; if the color has not yet spread to meet the adjoining region, one may say sweat will soon be obtained, and one need only await the proper time for it to resolve. But if this color appears contending together with the color of the Reverting Yin vessel, the time of death is no more than three days away, for the heat disease has penetrated inward to connect with the kidney — this being the color of the Lesser Yang vessel. When the color of the Lesser Yang vessel glows in front of the cheek, this is heat disease; if the color has not yet spread to meet the adjoining region, one may say sweat will soon be obtained, and one need only await the proper time for it to resolve; but if this color appears contending together with the color of the Lesser Yin vessel, the time of death is no more than three days away.
In heat disease, among the qi points: the space below the third vertebra governs heat in the chest; the space below the fourth vertebra governs heat in the diaphragm region; the space below the fifth vertebra governs heat of the liver; the space below the sixth vertebra governs heat of the spleen; the space below the seventh vertebra governs heat of the kidney; and the point for the telltale glow lies at the sacrum. The depression above the neck at the third vertebra corresponds to the center. Where the glow runs from the cheek up counter to the cheekbone, it signifies a great abdominal mass; where it appears below at the jaw, it signifies abdominal fullness; where it appears behind the cheekbone, it signifies pain in the flanks; where it appears on the upper cheek, it signifies involvement above the diaphragm.