冬病夏治时间因素探讨与三伏天日期推衍

Exploring Time Factors in Treating Winter Diseases in Summer and Reckoning the Dates of Dog Days

夏季"三伏天"是一年之中最为炎热的时候,阳气隆盛,腠理开泄,皮肤松弛,毛孔开张,此时在体表穴位药物贴敷治病,有利于药物的吸收,随着气血经络到达病变部位,驱散体内积寒,是冬病夏治的最佳时机。"三伏天"日期推衍是按我国干支纪日,从夏至日后第3个庚日开始为初伏,第4个庚日为中伏,立秋后第1个庚日为末伏。庚在五行属金而应肺脏,所以支气管哮喘等呼吸系统疾病在夏季三伏天施治,效果最为理想。临证中应因时制宜,不要拘泥在三伏的第1天,也不必苛求在一天之中正午时分。冬病夏治是远期疗效,需要长期坚持施治,至少连续做3个夏天,以加强治疗效果,防止复发。

The dog days of summer are the hottest period of the year. During that period, yang qi flourishes, striae, interstitial spaces and pores open, and the skin relaxes. At that time, the application of medicine to acupoints on the body surface for the treatment of diseases helps to absorb the medicine and bring it though qi, blood and meridians into the affected part to eliminate cold accumulated in the body. Therefore, dog days are the optimal time for treating winter diseases in summer. The dates of dog days are reckoned according to the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches in our country. The first of the three periods of the hot season starts from the third seventh （day） of the ten Heavenly Stems after the summer solstice; the second of the three periods of the hot season, from the fourth seventh （day） of the ten Heavenly Stems after the summer solstice; the last of the three periods of the hot season, from the first seventh （day） of the ten Heavenly Stems after the Beginning of Autumn. The seventh of the ten Heavenly Stems pertains to gold in the five elements and corresponds to the lung. If respiratory system diseases such as bronchial asthma are treated in the dog days of summer, therefore, the effect is most desirable. Clinical treatment should be given according to the circumstances and not be restricted to the first day of the three periods of the hot season or the middle of the day. Treating winter diseases in summer will produce a long-term effect and needs long provision, at least for three consecutive summers, to heighten the effect and prevent the recurrence.