Carbuncles according to Chinese Medicine

In Chinese Medicine, carbuncles is sometimes associated with Toxic Heat, a so-called "patterns of disharmony". Chinese Medicine sees the body as a system, not a sum of isolated parts. A "pattern" is when the system's harmony is disrupted. It is not equivalent to the Western concept of "disease" because both concepts arise from totally different ways of seeing the human body.

To understand whether someone's carbuncles might be caused by the pattern Toxic Heat, one needs to look for signs and symptoms associated with the pattern beyond what one might typically experience from carbuncles alone. Indeed if carbuncles is caused by Toxic Heat, patients also experience symptoms such as boils, carbuncles, erythema and swellings. Similarly, patients with Toxic Heat typically exhibit rapid (Shu) pulses as well as a red tongue with yellow coating.

We've listed below a more detailed description of Toxic Heat so that you can have a better understanding of where carbuncles might find its root according to Chinese Medicine.

Once identified, patterns are often treated using herbal formulas. Drinking herbal infusions is the most common remedy in Chinese Medicine, together with acupuncture. Here we detail below six formulas that can help treat Toxic Heat.

Toxic Heat, a "pattern of disharmony" associated with carbuncles

The six herbal formulas that might help with carbuncles