《素问》谓太阳所至为痉，少阳所至为螈。盖痉者，水也；螈者，火也；又有寒厥，热厥之论最详。
后人不分痉、螈、厥为三病，统言曰惊风痰热，曰角弓反张、曰搐搦、曰抽掣、曰痫、痉、厥。方中行作
《痉书》，其或问中所论，亦混螈而为痉，笼统议论。叶案中治痫、痉、厥最详，而统称痉厥，无螈之名
目，亦混螈为痉。考之他书，更无分别，前痉病论因之，从时人所易知也。谨按痉者，强直之谓，后
人所谓角弓反张，古人所谓痉也。螈者，蠕动引缩之谓，后人所谓抽掣、搐搦，古人所谓螈也。抽掣
搐搦不止者，螈也。时作时止，止后或数日，或数月复发，发亦不待治而自止者，痫也。四肢冷如冰
者，厥也；四肢热如火者，厥也；有时而冷如冰，有时而热如火者，亦厥也。大抵痉、螈、痫、厥四门，
当以寒热虚实辨之。自无差错。仲景刚痉柔痉之论。为伤寒而设，未尝议及螈病，故总在寒水一
门，兼风则有有汗之柔痉，盖寒而实者也；除寒痉外，皆螈病之实而热者也。湿门则有寒痉有热螈，
有实有虚；热病久耗其液，则成虚热之螈矣。前列小儿本脏自病一条，则虚热也。产后惊风之痉，有
寒痉，仲景所云是也；有热螈，本论所补是也。总之痉病宜用刚而温，螈病宜用柔而凉。又有痉而
兼螈，螈而兼痉，所谓水极而似火，火极而似水也。至于痫证，亦有虚有实，有留邪在络之客邪，有五
不可发汗，即不发汗之辛甘，亦在所当禁也。且伤
志过极之脏气，叶案中辨之最详，分别治之可也。瑭因前辈混螈与痉为一证，故分晰而详论之，以备
裁采。
《素问》中说，太阳经邪气盛则发生痉病，少阳经邪气盛则发生瘛疭（手足抽搐）。大概来说，痉属于水（阴），瘛疭属于火（阳）；此外关于寒厥和热厥的论述也非常详尽。
后世医家不将痉、瘛疭、厥分为三种不同的疾病，而是统称为惊风痰热，或者称为角弓反张、搐搦、抽掣、痫、痉、厥。方中行编写了《痉书》，他在问答中讨论的内容，也将瘛疭混同为痉，议论笼统不清。叶天士在医案中治疗痫、痉、厥最为详细，但统称痉厥，没有瘛疭这一名目，也是将瘛疭混同为痉。考察其他书籍，更没有加以区分，前文关于痉病的论述沿袭了这一做法，是顺从当时人们容易理解的习惯罢了。
谨按：所谓“痉”，是指身体强直的意思，后人所说的角弓反张，就是古人所说的痉。所谓“瘛疭”，是指肢体蠕动牵引收缩的意思，后人所说的抽掣、搐搦，就是古人所说的瘛疭。如果抽掣搐搦不止，那就是瘛疭。如果时作时止，停止后过几天或几个月又复发，发作时甚至不需要治疗也能自行停止，这就是痫病。四肢冷得像冰一样的，是厥；四肢热得像火一样的，也是厥；有时冷得像冰，有时热得像火的，同样是厥。大抵痉、瘛疭、痫、厥这四类病症，应当通过辨别寒、热、虚、实来诊治，这样就不会出差错。
张仲景关于刚痉和柔痉的论述，是为伤寒病设立的，未曾涉及瘛疭病，所以总归在寒水这一门类中。兼有风邪的，是有汗出的柔痉，这属于寒而实的证候；除了寒痉之外，其余都是瘛疭病中实而热的证候。湿病门类中则有寒痉和热瘛疭，有实证也有虚证；热病日久耗伤津液，就会形成虚热型的瘛疭。前面列出的小儿本脏自病一条，则属于虚热。产后惊风引起的痉病，有寒痉，这是张仲景所说的；有热瘛疭，是本论补充的内容。总之，痉病适宜用刚燥温热的药物，瘛疭病适宜用柔和凉润的药物。又有痉兼带瘛疭，或瘛疭兼带痉的情况，这就是所谓的“水极而似火，火极而似水”。至于痫证，也有虚证和实证，有留滞于络脉的客邪，也有五脏不可发汗的情况，即使是不发汗的辛甘药物，也在禁忌之列。况且因过度损伤志意而导致脏气受损的情况，叶天士在医案中辨析得最为详细，分别进行治疗即可。
The *Suwen* (Plain Questions) states that when the Taiyang (Greater Yang) channel is affected, it leads to Jing (spasm/stiffness); when the Shaoyang (Lesser Yang) channel is affected, it leads to Chi-zou (clonic convulsions). Generally speaking, Jing belongs to Water (Yin), and Chi-zou belongs to Fire (Yang); furthermore, the discussions on Cold Jue (reversal cold) and Heat Jue are particularly detailed.
Later physicians failed to distinguish Jing, Chi-zou, and Jue as three separate diseases, instead collectively referring to them as Jing-feng Tan-re (Wind-stirring Phlegm-Heat), or describing them as Jiao-gong fan-zhang (opisthotonos), Chu-nuo (twitching), Chou-che (jerking), Xian (epilepsy), Jing, and Jue. Fang Zhongxing compiled the *Jing Shu* (Book on Spasm), but in his Q&A sections, he conflated Chi-zou with Jing, offering vague and undifferentiated arguments. Ye Tianshi’s medical cases provide the most detailed treatment for Xian, Jing, and Jue, yet he collectively termed them Jing-Jue, omitting the specific category of Chi-zou, thereby also conflating Chi-zou with Jing. Examining other texts reveals no such distinction; the preceding discussion on Jing disease followed this trend, adhering to the common understanding of the time.
Respectfully noted: "Jing" refers to stiffness and rigidity; what later generations called Jiao-gong fan-zhang (opisthotonos) is what the ancients called Jing. "Chi-zou" refers to the waning and waxing of muscle movements, i.e., twitching and pulling back; what later generations called Chou-che (jerking) and Chu-nuo (twitching) is what the ancients called Chi-zou. If jerking and twitching do not cease, it is Chi-zou. If symptoms occur intermittently, stopping for days or months before recurring, and sometimes resolving spontaneously without treatment, it is Xian (epilepsy). When the four limbs are cold as ice, it is Jue; when hot as fire, it is also Jue; when alternating between icy cold and fiery heat, it is likewise Jue. Broadly speaking, the four categories of Jing, Chi-zou, Xian, and Jue should be differentiated by Cold, Heat, Deficiency, and Excess to avoid diagnostic errors.
Zhang Zhongjing’s discussion on Gang-jing (Stiff Spasm) and Rou-jing (Soft Spasm) was established for Shanghan (Cold Damage) and did not address Chi-zou disease; thus, it falls under the category of Cold-Water. When accompanied by Wind, there is Rou-jing with sweating, which is a pattern of Cold and Excess. Aside from Cold Jing, all other forms are patterns of Heat and Excess within Chi-zou disease. In the Dampness category, there are Cold Jing and Heat Chi-zou, presenting as either Excess or Deficiency. If chronic Heat disease depletes body fluids, it results in Deficient-Heat Chi-zou. The previously mentioned case of a child’s internal organ self-disease belongs to Deficient-Heat. Postpartum Jing-feng causing Jing includes Cold Jing, as described by Zhang Zhongjing; and Heat Chi-zou, which is supplemented in this treatise. In summary, Jing disease is suitable for treatment with rigid and warm methods, while Chi-zou disease is suitable for gentle and cool methods. There are also cases where Jing accompanies Chi-zou, or Chi-zou accompanies Jing, described as "Water extreme resembling Fire, Fire extreme resembling Water." As for Xian syndrome, it also presents as Deficient or Excess, involving external pathogens lingering in the collaterals, or conditions where the Five Zang organs prohibit sweating; even acrid-sweet herbs that do not induce sweating are contraindicated. Furthermore, regarding visceral Qi damage caused by excessive injury to Will (Zhi), Ye Tianshi analyzed these distinctions in detail, allowing for differentiated treatment.
Wu Tang, noting that predecessors conflated Chi-zou and Jing into a single syndrome, has clarified and discussed them separately to provide material for reference and selection.