Subacute thyroiditis （SAT） is a self-limiting thyroid disorder. Based on years of clinical practice， Professor WEI Zixiao proposes that the core pathogenesis of SAT is "internal deficiency with fire-embedded qi stagnation"， emphasizing that deficiency of healthy

qi

is the fundamental root of the disease， internal accumulation of fire-toxin is the key pathogenic factor， and

qi

stagnation persists throughout the disease course. He advocates stage-specific treatment. Specifically， during the acute phase， characterized by excess fire， therapy focuses on clearing heat， eliminating toxins， and reducing excess fire. During the remission and recovery phases， dominated by deficiency fire， treatment emphasizes regulating the liver and spleen to disperse fire and strengthening healthy

qi

to prevent recurrence. Syndro

me differentiation and treatment are guided by the

Zang-fu

organs and integrate assessments of deficiency and excess， emphasizing simultaneous regulation of the liver and spleen and combined treatment of

qi

and blood， supplemented by resolving phlegm， activating blood circulation， dissipating nodules， and reducing swelling. This forms a therapeutic system of "reinforcing healthy

qi

while eliminating pathogenic factors， with stage-specific and dynamic treatment"， which demonstrates remarkable clinical efficacy and provides a framework for the prevention and treatment of SAT with traditional Chinese medicine.