中寒候，世俗所谓阴证伤寒，悉以房中受寒伤冷而归患家，患家本无房事，坚不肯认。
阴证中寒之剂，固拒不肯服，惟任他证处之，则乐从之。呜呼！每每误死者，不可胜纪。
殊不知中寒之候，先由五脏不足，元气太虚，寒邪冒中，直入阴经而为中寒之候，即为阴证是
也。拘于房室，岂不误哉！
《玉机微义》云∶中寒则仓卒受病，邪气直入于三阴，急痛拘挛，战栗强直，昏迷厥
冷，口噤失音，此中寒也。以温中散寒为主。伤寒之人，因其旧有郁热，风寒外来，肌腠自
密，郁而为热，寒邪客于经络，先头痛，身热，恶寒，此伤寒也，当以仲景例治之。
中寒候因寒邪乘其肤腠疏豁，直入肾经，不循经络，无热可发，故卒暴厥冷，口噤，腹
痛，唇青，昏危如中风之状。若治稍缓则必死矣。
《脉经》曰∶迟紧为寒，迟涩沉细为寒。脉坚弦或沉细皆中寒也。中寒脉散者死。尺
脉迟滞，寒在下焦。
寒中三阴，一时暴卒，昏不知人，口噤失音，四肢强直，挛急疼痛，亦似中风。若
以风药治之，即死，急以附子理中汤。若厥逆，唇青，囊缩，无脉者，用葱熨法，仍灸气
海、关元二三十壮。脉渐出，手足渐温，乃可生也。
寒中太阴则中脘疼痛，治宜理中汤；寒中少阴则脐腹疼痛，治宜五积散加茱萸；寒中
厥阴则少腹疼痛，治宜四逆汤加茱萸，倍加附子。
中寒证候，世俗人所谓的阴证伤寒，全都把病因归结为房事中受寒着凉所致，归咎于患者。然而患者本身并没有行房事，却坚决不肯承认。
对于治疗阴证中寒的药剂，患者固然拒绝不肯服用，但如果任由其他证候发展处置，他们反而乐意听从。唉！每每因此误死者，数不胜数。
却不知道中寒证候，首先是因为五脏虚弱，元气极度亏虚，寒邪乘虚侵袭，直接深入阴经从而形成中寒证候，这就是所谓的阴证。拘泥于是否因房室之事致病，这难道不是错误吗！
《玉机微义》说：中寒是突然遭受病邪，邪气直接侵入三阴经（太阴、少阴、厥阴），出现急痛拘挛、战栗强直、昏迷厥冷、牙关紧闭失音等症状，这就是中寒。治疗应以温中散寒为主。患伤寒的人，因为体内原本就有郁热，外感风寒，肌表腠理自然致密，郁结而化热，寒邪客居于经络，先出现头痛、身热、恶寒，这是伤寒，应当按照张仲景的法则来治疗。
中寒证候是因为寒邪趁着肌肤腠理疏松豁开，直接侵入肾经，不循常规经络传变，没有发热可发，所以突然发生厥冷、牙关紧闭、腹痛、嘴唇发青、神志昏危如同中风的症状。如果治疗稍微迟缓就必然死亡。
《脉经》说：脉迟紧属于寒，脉迟涩沉细也属于寒。脉象坚弦或沉细都是中寒的表现。中寒若见脉散乱无根者死。尺部脉迟滞，说明寒邪在下焦。
寒邪侵入三阴经，一时突然昏倒，神志不清，牙关紧闭失音，四肢强直，拘挛疼痛，也类似中风。如果用治风药来治疗，就会致死，应立即使用附子理中汤。如果出现四肢厥逆、嘴唇发青、阴囊收缩、无脉搏的情况，使用葱熨法，并艾灸气海、关元穴二三十壮。脉象逐渐复出，手足逐渐温暖，才可以存活。
寒邪侵犯太阴经则中脘穴部位疼痛，治疗适宜用理中汤；寒邪侵犯少阴经则脐腹疼痛，治疗适宜用五积散加吴茱萸；寒邪侵犯厥阴经则少腹疼痛，治疗适宜用四逆汤加吴茱萸，加倍增加附子的用量。
Zhonghan Syndrome (Cold Strike), commonly referred to by the laypeople as Yin-pattern Shanghan (Exogenous Cold Damage), is entirely attributed by them to cold injury sustained during sexual intercourse, and blamed upon the patient. However, if the patient has indeed not engaged in sexual activity, they firmly refuse to admit it.
They naturally refuse to take medicines for treating Yin-pattern Zhonghan, yet if left to manage other syndromes as they are, they willingly comply. Alas! The number of people mistakenly dying from this is countless.
It is unknown that Zhonghan syndrome first arises from deficiency of the Five Zang organs and extreme depletion of Yuan Qi (Original Qi). Cold pathogen invades directly, entering the Yin meridians to form Zhonghan syndrome, which is precisely what is called Yin pattern. To be rigidly confined to whether it stems from sexual activity is surely a mistake!
*Yuji Wei Yi* states: Zhonghan involves sudden onset of disease, where pathogenic factors directly enter the Three Yin meridians (Taiyin, Shaoyin, Jueyin), presenting with acute pain and spasms, shivering and rigidity, coma and cold limbs, locked jaw and loss of voice; this is Zhonghan. Treatment should primarily focus on warming the middle and dispersing cold. In cases of Shanghan, because there is pre-existing stagnant heat within, and external wind-cold causes the muscle pores and interstices to become tight, the heat becomes trapped and stagnates. When cold pathogen lodges in the collaterals, it initially presents with headache, body heat, and aversion to cold; this is Shanghan, and it should be treated according to the principles of Zhang Zhongjing.
Zhonghan syndrome occurs when cold pathogen takes advantage of loose skin pores and interstices, directly invading the Kidney meridian without following the regular meridian pathways. There is no fever to erupt, so it suddenly presents with cold limbs, locked jaw, abdominal pain, blue lips, and critical coma resembling stroke. If treatment is delayed even slightly, death is inevitable.
*Mai Jing* says: Slow and tight pulse indicates cold; slow, choppy, deep, and thin pulses also indicate cold. Firm and wiry or deep and thin pulses all indicate Zhonghan. A scattered pulse in Zhonghan indicates death. A slow and sluggish pulse at the Chi position indicates cold in the Lower Jiao.
When cold invades the Three Yin meridians, sudden collapse occurs, with loss of consciousness, locked jaw and loss of voice, rigidity of the four limbs, spasms, and pain; this also resembles stroke. If treated with wind-dispelling herbs, death will result. One must urgently use Fuzi Lizhong Tang (Aconite Decoction to Regulate the Middle). If there is cold extremities, blue lips, retracted scrotum, and absent pulse, apply Congyi method (moxibustion/warming with green onion) and moxa the Qihai (CV-6) and Guanyuan (CV-4) acupoints for 20-30 moxa cones. If the pulse gradually returns and hands and feet gradually warm up, survival is possible.
If cold invades the Taiyin meridian, pain occurs at the Zhongwan (CV-12) area; treatment suits Lizhong Tang (Regulate the Middle Decoction). If cold invades the Shaoyin meridian, pain occurs around the umbilicus and abdomen; treatment suits Wuji San (Five Accumulations Powder) added with Evodiae Fructus (Zhu Yu). If cold invades the Jueyin meridian, pain occurs in the lower abdomen; treatment suits Sini Tang (Frigid Extremities Decoction) added with Evodiae Fructus (Zhu Yu), doubling the dosage of Aconiti Lateralis Radix Praeparata (Fuzi).