Qingre Gubiao Tang for Persistent Sweating after Infection

In "Wenbing Chuyan" (Brief Remarks on Warm Diseases) there is a formula called "Qingre Gubiao Tang" (Heat-Clearing and Exterior-Securing Decoction), composed of: Sheng Shigao (raw gypsum) 1 liang (30g), Digupi (wolfberry root bark) 4 qian (12g), Fuxiaomai (light wheat) 1 liang (30g), Nuodaogen (glutinous rice root) 1 liang (30g), Zhimu (Anemarrhena rhizome) 3 qian (9g). Preparation: first decoct the raw gypsum in 500 ml water for about half an hour, then add the other four herbs and decoct together. Bring to a boil over high heat, then simmer over low heat for about 15 minutes. It may be decocted twice, combined, and taken in 2-3 divided doses after meals.

This formula clears heat and secures the exterior. It is indicated for internal heat with disharmony of the exterior, leading to spontaneous sweating and night sweats. Such sweating often appears after infection: after treatment, the main symptoms resolve, yet spontaneous sweating and night sweats persist. TCM holds that after a warm disease resolves, internal heat is still not cleared, so vigorous heat in the qi aspect continues, resulting in sweating that is hard to stop.

In this formula, Sheng Shigao and Zhimu both clear heat from the qi aspect, while Digupi depletes deficiency heat; together these three clear interior heat and deplete deficiency heat. Digupi also treats bone-steaming night sweats, and Nuodaogen and Fuxiaomai mainly stop sweating. Such a combination embodies the TCM principle of treating both the root and the manifestation.

After autumn began in 2023, there were multiple rounds of infection. After infection, although many patients no longer had fever or even cough, they still had spontaneous sweating and night sweats—post-infection sequelae. Western medicine has no specific treatment for this symptom, and this formula may be tried.