could only be improved but not cured. She was treated with herbal

medicine using a variation of Ling Gui Zhu Gan Tang, Ling Gan Wu

Wei Jiang Xin Tang and Zhen Wu Tang (Poria-Ramulus

Cinnamomi-Atractylodes-Glycyrrhiza Decoction,

Poria-Glycyrrhiza-Schisandra-Zingiber-Asarum Decoction and True

Warrior Decoction).

Fu Ling Sclerotium Poriae cocos 10 g

Gui Zhi Ramulus Cinnamomi cassiae 3 g

Bai Zhu Rhizoma Atractylodis macrocephalae 9 g

Zhi Gan Cao Radix Glycyrrhizae uralensis praeparata 3 g

Wu Wei Zi Fructus Schisandrae chinensis 4 g

Gan Jiang Rhizoma Zingiberis officinalis 1.5 g

Fu Zi Radix Aconiti carmichaeli praeparata 3 g

Bai Shao Radix Paeoniae albae 6 g

Dan Shen Radix Salviae miltiorrhizae 4 g

Chuan Xiong Radix Ligustici wallichii 4 g

Sang Bai Pi Cortex Mori albae radicis 6 g

Su Zi Fructus Perillae frutescentis 6 g

Xing Ren Semen Pruni armeniacae 4 g

Prognosis and Prevention

Both acupuncture and herbal medicine are effective in treating breathlessness. The kind of
results obtained depend on the duration of the disease and the condition of the patient. Generally
speaking, acute patterns respond very quickly while chronic conditions obviously respond
slowly.

For example, the first three patterns described, i.e. Wind-Cold invading the Lungs, Wind-Cold
on the Exterior, Phlegm-Fluids in the Interior and Cold on the Exterior, Heat in the Interior are
acute conditions and should therefore respond to treatment in a few sessions with a combination
of acupuncture and herbs. The other Excess patterns of Phlegm-Heat in the Lungs, Turbid
Phlegm in the Lungs, Lung-Qi Obstructed and Liver-Fire invading the Lungs will take longer to
treat, between a few weeks and a few months depending on the severity of the condition. The
most difficult to treat out of these four patterns is that of Turbid Phlegm in the Lungs.

Of the Deficiency patterns, the most difficult to treat is that of Lung-, Heart- and Kidney-Yang
Deficiency. This is a very chronic condition which only occurs in old people and is characterized
by the presence of Phlegm-Fluids affecting both Heart and Lungs. Phlegm-Fluids is a type of
Phlegm which is always very difficult to treat.

As for the relative importance of acupuncture and herbs, in general herbs are necessary