消渴病的治疗关键是分清标本

先天禀赋不足，五脏虚弱是消渴病发生的内在基础，阴虚燥热期只是其病理过程中较为短暂的阶段，而真阳不足或阴损及阳，阴阳两虚则是本病病机之根本。也就是说：阴虚燥热是其标，而肾气（阳）虚为其本。由于本病多为慢性经过，所以要阻止病情发展。分清标本、以治本为主才是治疗的关键。

A Clear Discrimination of the Primary and Secondary Aspects Essential to the Treatment of Diabetes

Genital weakness and deficiency of the five Zang-organs are the internal basis for the occurrence of diabetes. The manifestation of yin deficiency with intense heat is a temporary phase in the pathologic process, while deficiency of the kidney-yang or deficiency of yin affecting yang manifested as deficiency of both yin and yang serves as the root cause of this disease. That is to say the former is the secondary aspect of diabetes and the latter the primary. Since diabetes ususlly has a slow process, it is essential to clearly discriminate the primary and secondary aspects and focus on dealing with the primary.