The Method of Striking a Balance, or Harmonizing

The Method of Striking a Balance, or Harmonizing, is a treatment method aimed at regulating and adjusting the relationships among the internal organs, meridians, energy, and blood to remove external pathogenic energies and restore normal body functions.

This principle of treatment can be used in three different ways:

1. To harmonize the superficial and deep regions, which involves treating the syndrome between the superficial and deep layers, characterized by alternating cold and fever due to external causes, congested chest and discomfort in the upper-abdomen region, no appetite, feeling depressed, nausea, bitter taste in the mouth, dry throat, dizziness, and wiry and rapid pulse.

2. To regulate and harmonize the stomach and intestine, which involves treating the cold and deficient large-intestine syndrome. When external pathogenic energies reside in the stomach and intestine, one may display symptoms such as a combination of chills and fever, dull sensations at the pit of the stomach, nausea, abdominal pain, watery stools or diarrhea, and intestinal rumbling, which can be treated by this method.

3. To regulate and harmonize the liver and spleen or stomach, which is used in treating two syndromes: the liver-spleen disharmony syndrome and the liver-stomach disharmony syndrome. The liver-spleen disharmony syndrome involves two distinct syndromes: the liver energy congestion syndrome and the spleen deficiency syndrome. The two syndromes are very similar and may include symptoms such as feeling depressed, abdominal swelling and pain, discomfort in the chest, intestinal rumbling, and diarrhea or tension causing abdominal pain and diarrhea. The liver-stomach disharmony syndrome also involves two distinct syndromes: the liver energy congestion syndrome and the stomach energy upsurging syndrome. Both are very similar and may include symptoms such as congested chest, poor appetite, vomiting, belching, acid regurgitation, and pain at the pit of the stomach.