According to the severity and urgency of the illness, the corresponding medication method is established, which is called the medication method based on the severity of the illness.
The book "Zhou Hou Fang" once said: "For those who say to take medicine three times and then take it again, it is necessary to consider whether the disease is sparse or scattered, so as to let the effect reach the affected area." Because diseases have different degrees of severity and urgency, there should be distinctions in the medication method. Generally speaking, for patients with acute and severe conditions, the symptoms can vary greatly and progress rapidly, leading to disability or even death in a short period of time. Therefore, the dosage of medication should be large and the interval between doses should be short. One should not hesitate or worry about its authenticity, so as to prevent confusion and failure. For example, stroke patients should take medication immediately when the disease occurs. Sun Simiao mentioned in "Qian Jin Yao Fang · Fu Er": "When a person suddenly encounters a stroke and feels sudden aversion in body and mind or is unable to speak, they should take Da Xia Xu Ming Tang, Xi Zhou Xu Ming Pai Feng Yue Bi Tang, etc. Stay in a closed room without wind, take the medicine day and night for four to five doses, do not count the number of doses, and do not worry about its authenticity... When the wind is severe, continue taking the medicine for five days and nights without interruption." This medication method fully embodies the principle of "treating symptoms in emergencies" in traditional Chinese medicine.
Even today, this medication method is often used in the clinical rescue of critically ill patients. For some diseases with slow progress and difficult to achieve immediate results, medication should be insisted upon first, and pills, powders, ointments, and wine preparations are preferred. This not only simplifies the administration, but also makes it easier for patients to adhere to the treatment and maintains a lasting efficacy. However, attention should be paid to avoid excessive dosage, as excessive dosage can lead to accumulation of drugs in the body and cause poisoning. For example, the Shuyu Pill in "Jin Kui Yao Lue" for treating "deficiency and fatigue, various deficiencies, and wind-related illnesses" requires taking one pill on an empty stomach with wine, and the dosage is set at 100 pills. This not only requires a small dosage, but also reflects the prolonged duration of medication. Another example is the Kidney Qi Pill for treating lumbago caused by deficiency and fatigue. It is also gradually increased to fifteen pills, and then to twenty pills. The treatment of esophageal obstruction also demonstrates the application of this medication method. "Jing Yue Quan Shu · Ye Ge" states: "This disease should not be treated hastily. If it can be nourished, it must be taken in large doses gradually to achieve gradual efficacy and obtain complete results. One should not be impatient and cause doubt, as it may lead to self-deception and mistakes." It is worth noting that the term "slow progress" does not represent the severity of the disease itself, but rather the slow formation and development process of the disease.
