病有不能顺治，可逆治。
有人苦头眩，头不得举，目不得视，积时年许。先生视之，使悉解衣倒悬，令头去地一、
二寸，濡布拭身体，令周匝，候视诸脉尽出五色。乃令弟子数人，以钺刀决脉，五色血尽，
视赤血出乃下。以膏摩，被覆，汗出周匝，饮以葶苈犬血散之立愈。此即逆治之法也。（孙
思邈注）
冷浴生大热。
有妇人久病经年，世谓寒热交往病。冬日十一月中，先生令坐石槽中，以寒水汲灌之，
云当满百。始七八灌，战欲死，灌者亦惧而欲中止。先生令满数，至将八十灌，热气乃蒸出，
嚣嚣高二、三尺，满百灌，乃令燃火温床浓覆，良久汗洽出，着粉汗糁便愈。按∶冷浴有反
激之力，初极冷，继极热，足以清毛管，出廉料。有经络肌肤为寒湿所困，不能发汗者，冷
浴最效。余体肥，从不服表剂，不适则冷浴，浴后辄觉肌畅神爽，始信仙方不欺人也。惟体
弱者不宜冒昧行之，违之则有损。又冷浴之后，宜用干布揉擦，斯不可不察耳。（孙思邈注）
物生于土，土燥物枯，可掘而润之，据此可以治脾。
一人病腹中半切痛，十余日中，须眉堕落，先生视之曰∶“此脾半腐也，宜刳腹，施以
洗伐。”即饮以药，令卧，破腹视脾，半腐坏，刮去恶肉，以膏敷创，饮之药，百日而平复。
（
疾病有不能顺着病势治疗的，可以采用逆向治疗的方法。
有人苦于头晕目眩，头部无法抬起，眼睛无法视物，持续了一年多。先生观察后，让他脱去所有衣服倒挂起来，使头部距离地面一、二寸，用湿布擦拭全身，使其周身湿润，等待观察各种脉象呈现出五色变化。然后让几名弟子，用大斧刀刺破血脉，直到五色之血流尽，看到鲜红的血液流出才让他下来。用膏药按摩，盖上被子，全身出汗，服用葶苈犬血散立刻痊愈。这就是逆向治疗的方法。（孙思邈注）
冷浴可以引发高热。
有一位妇人久病经年，世人称之为寒热往来的病症。在冬天十一月，先生让她坐在石槽中，用冷水汲取浇灌她，说应当浇满一百次。刚开始浇了七八次时，她颤抖得快要死去，施洗的人也害怕想要中止。先生命令必须完成规定的次数，到将近八十次时，热气才开始蒸腾而出，热气升腾高达两、三尺，浇满一百次后，才让人点燃火源温暖床铺并厚厚覆盖，过了很久汗水淋漓地渗出，撒上爽身粉后便痊愈了。按：冷浴具有反激的作用，起初极冷，随后极热，足以疏通毛孔，排出代谢废物。对于经络肌肤被寒湿所困，不能发汗的情况，冷浴最为有效。我身体肥胖，从来不服用解表剂，身体不适时就进行冷浴，浴后总觉得肌肉舒畅精神清爽，这才相信仙方没有欺骗人。只是身体虚弱的人不宜贸然施行，违背这一点就会造成损害。另外冷浴之后，应该用干布揉擦，这是不可不察知的。（孙思邈注）
万物生于土，土壤干燥则万物枯萎，可以挖掘土地来滋润它，据此可以用来治疗脾脏。
有一人患病腹部像被刀割一样疼痛，十多天里，胡须眉毛脱落。先生观察后说：“这是脾脏半腐烂了，应当剖开腹部，进行清洗清除。”随即喂他服药，让他躺下，剖开腹部查看脾脏，发现半腐烂坏，刮去腐肉，用膏药敷在伤口上，再喂他服药，一百天后恢复健康。
Diseases may be treated by contrary methods when they cannot be treated by following the disease's trend.
A person suffered from severe dizziness, unable to lift his head or look around, for over a year. The Master examined him and instructed him to undress completely and hang upside down, with his head positioned one or two inches above the ground. He then wiped the patient's entire body with a damp cloth until it was thoroughly moistened, waiting for the various pulses to display five colors. Subsequently, he ordered several disciples to pierce the blood vessels with an axe-like knife. Once the blood of the five colors had drained completely and bright red blood began to flow, the patient was lowered. Ointment was massaged onto the skin, the patient was covered with blankets until profuse sweating occurred throughout the body, and he was administered Tingli Quanxue San (Descurainia Seed and Dog Blood Powder), resulting in immediate recovery. This is the method of contrary treatment. (Commentary by Sun Simiao)
Cold bathing can induce high fever.
A woman had been ill for years, a condition known as alternating cold and heat. In mid-winter during the eleventh lunar month, the Master instructed her to sit in a stone trough while cold water was poured over her repeatedly, specifying that this should be done one hundred times. After only seven or eight applications, she trembled violently as if near death, and the attendants were afraid and wished to stop. The Master insisted on completing the prescribed number. By the time nearly eighty applications had been completed, internal heat began to steam out, rising two or three feet high. After one hundred applications, fire was lit to warm the bed, which was then heavily covered. After a long period, profuse sweating ensued. After applying powder to the sweat, she recovered. Note: Cold bathing has a counter-irritant effect; the initial extreme cold followed by extreme heat is sufficient to open the pores and expel metabolic waste. For conditions where meridians and muscles are constrained by cold-dampness, preventing sweating, cold bathing is most effective. I have a robust physique and never take diaphoretic formulas; when unwell, I use cold bathing, after which I always feel my muscles relaxed and spirit refreshed. Only then did I believe these immortal prescriptions do not deceive people. However, those with weak constitutions should not attempt this rashly, as doing so causes harm. Furthermore, after cold bathing, one should rub the body with a dry cloth, a detail that must not be overlooked. (Commentary by Sun Simiao)
All things are born from Earth; if the soil is dry, things wither. One can dig the earth to moisten it; based on this principle, the Spleen can be treated.
A man suffered from severe cutting pain in the abdomen for more than ten days, during which his beard and eyebrows fell out. The Master observed and said, "This is half-rotten Spleen tissue. It is necessary to perform laparotomy and cleanse the area." He immediately administered medicine, laid the patient down, performed a laparotomy to inspect the Spleen, found half of it rotten, scraped away the necrotic flesh, applied ointment to the wound, and administered further medication. The patient recovered fully after one hundred days.