肝虚者，肝阴虚也。阴虚则脉绌急，肝之脉贯隔布胁肋，阴虚血燥，则经脉失养而痛，
其症胁下筋急，不得太息，目昏不明，爪枯色青，遇劳则甚，或忍饥即发者是也。
滑氏补肝散
酸枣仁（炒，四钱） 熟地（一钱） 白术（炒，一钱） 当归 山茱萸 山药 川芎 木瓜
（各一钱半） 独活 五味（各三分）
上为末，每服五钱，水煎服。
肝体阴而用阳，此以甘酸补肝体，以辛味补肝用，加独活者，假风药以张其气也。一方
有人参、黄 、牛膝、石斛、柏子仁、桃仁，无山药、独活、五味。
补肝汤
干地黄（三钱） 白芍（一钱半） 当归 陈皮（各一钱） 川芎（七分） 甘草（五分）
上六味都作一服，水煎。此亦甘酸辛兼补体用之法。
一方 阿胶为丸，梧子大，每服二钱，空心白滚汤下。
一方 鸡子黄一枚，调吞日二服。
以上二方，皆甘酸补肝体之法。
房劳过度，肾气虚弱，羸怯之人，胸胁之间，多有隐隐微痛，此肾虚不能纳气，气虚不
能生
血之故，气与血犹水也。盛则流畅，少则壅滞，故气血不虚则不滞，既虚则鲜有不滞者，所
以作痛。宜用熟地、破故纸之类补肾，阿胶、芎、归之类和血，若作寻常胁痛治即殆矣。
戴云∶曾有一人胁痛连膈，进诸药味并大便导之，其痛殊甚，后用辛热补剂，下黑锡丹
方愈。此乃肾肝虚冷作痛，愈疏而愈虚耳。
肝虚，指的是肝阴不足。阴液亏虚会导致经脉拘挛收缩，肝经的循行路线贯穿膈肌并分布于胁肋部位，若因阴虚导致血液干枯，经脉失去濡养就会引发疼痛。其症状表现为胁肋部筋脉拘急、不能深长呼吸、视物昏花不明、指甲枯槁且色泽发青，劳累后症状加重，或者在饥饿时发作。
滑氏补肝散：酸枣仁（炒制，四钱）、熟地黄（一钱）、白术（炒制，一钱）、当归、山茱萸、山药、川芎、木瓜（各一钱半）、独活、五味子（各三分）。以上药物研为细末，每次服用五钱，加水煎煮后服用。
肝脏的体属阴而功能属阳，此方用甘味和酸味药物来补益肝之体，用辛味药物来补益肝之用，加入独活的目的，是借助风药的特性来升发肝气。另一版本方剂中有人参、黄芪、牛膝、石斛、柏子仁、桃仁，没有山药、独活、五味子。
补肝汤：干地黄（三钱）、白芍（一钱半）、当归、陈皮（各一钱）、川芎（七分）、甘草（五分）。以上六味药作为一剂的量，加水煎煮。这也是甘、酸、辛兼补肝之体和用的方法。
另一个方子：将阿胶制成丸剂，大小如梧桐子，每次服用二钱，空腹时用温开水送服。
又一个方子：取鸡蛋黄一枚，调匀吞服，每日两次。以上两个方子，都是采用甘酸之法来补益肝体的方法。
房事过度导致肾气虚弱，身体瘦弱怯懦的人，胸胁之间常有隐隐的轻微疼痛，这是因为肾虚不能纳气，气虚不能生血的原因。气和血就像水一样，充盈时流动顺畅，亏少时就会壅滞堵塞，所以气血不虚就不会壅滞，一旦虚弱就很少有不通畅的，因此产生疼痛。适宜使用熟地黄、破故纸等药物补肾，使用阿胶、川芎、当归等药物调和血液，如果当作普通的胁痛来治疗就非常危险了。
戴云说：曾有一人胁痛牵连至膈肌，服用各种药物并进行通便导滞治疗后，疼痛反而更加剧烈，后来使用辛热性质的补益药剂，并服用黑锡丹才痊愈。这是肝肾虚冷导致的疼痛，越是用疏泄的方法治疗，正气就越加虚弱。
Liver deficiency refers to liver Yin deficiency. When Yin is deficient, the meridians become contracted and tense. The Liver Meridian passes through the diaphragm and spreads over the hypochondrium; when Yin deficiency leads to dryness of the blood, the meridians lose nourishment and pain ensues. The symptoms include tendon tension in the hypochondrium, inability to take a deep breath, blurred vision, withered nails with a bluish color, aggravation upon exertion, or onset upon fasting.
Hua's Liver-Nourishing Powder: Suanzaoren (Fried Semen Ziziphi Spinosae, 4 qian), Shudi (Prepared Radix Rehmanniae, 1 qian), Baizhu (Fried Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae, 1 qian), Danggui (Radix Angelicae Sinensis), Shanzhuyu (Fructus Corni), Shanyao (Rhizoma Dioscoreae), Chuanxiong (Rhizoma Chuanxiong), Mugua (Fructus Chaenomelis) (each 1.5 qian), Duhuo (Radix Angelicae Pubescentis), Wuwei (Fructus Schisandrae) (each 3 fen). Grind all into powder. Take 5 qian each time, decocted in water and taken orally.
The substance of the Liver is Yin, while its function is Yang. This formula uses sweet and sour flavors to tonify the Liver's substance, and pungent flavors to tonify the Liver's function. The addition of Duhuo utilizes wind-dispelling herbs to expand and promote Qi flow. Another version includes Renshen (Radix Ginseng), Huangqi (Radix Astragali), Niuxi (Radix Achyranthis Bidentatae), Shihu (Stem Nodule Dendrobii), Baiziren (Semen Platycladi), and Taoren (Semen Persicae), but excludes Shanyao, Duhuo, and Wuwei.
Liver-Nourishing Decoction: Gadihuang (Raw Radix Rehmanniae, 3 qian), Baishao (Radix Paeoniae Alba, 1.5 qian), Danggui (Radix Angelicae Sinensis), Chenpi (Pericarpium Citri Reticulatae) (each 1 qian), Chuanxiong (Rhizoma Chuanxiong, 7 fen), Gancao (Radix Glycyrrhizae, 5 fen). These six ingredients constitute one dose, decocted in water. This also represents a method of tonifying both the substance and function of the Liver using sweet, sour, and pungent flavors.
Another prescription: Make pills from Ejiao (Colla Corii Asini), sized like wutong seeds. Take 2 qian each time, swallowed with warm plain water on an empty stomach.
Yet another prescription: Take one chicken egg yolk, mix well, and swallow. Take twice daily. Both of the above prescriptions employ sweet and sour methods to tonify the Liver's substance.
Excessive sexual activity leads to Kidney Qi deficiency. In emaciated and frail individuals, there is often a dull, slight pain between the chest and hypochondrium. This is due to the Kidney's failure to grasp Qi, and Qi deficiency's failure to generate Blood. Qi and Blood are like water: when abundant, they flow smoothly; when scarce, they stagnate. Therefore, if Qi and Blood are not deficient, they do not stagnate; once deficient, stagnation is almost inevitable, thus causing pain. It is appropriate to use Shudi (Prepared Radix Rehmanniae) and Poguzhi (Semen Psoraleae) to tonify the Kidney, and Ejiao (Colla Corii Asini), Chuanxiong (Rhizoma Chuanxiong), and Danggui (Radix Angelicae Sinensis) to harmonize the Blood. Treating this as ordinary hypochondriac pain would be dangerous.
Dai Yun stated: "I once treated a patient whose hypochondriac pain radiated to the diaphragm. After administering various medications and purgatives to guide out stool, the pain became significantly worse. Later, after using pungent-warming tonic agents and Heixi Dan (Black Tin Pill), the condition was cured." This was pain caused by Cold deficiency of the Liver and Kidney; the more one used dispersing methods, the more deficient the body became.