Scarlet fever according to Chinese Medicine
The information provided here is not a replacement for a doctor. You shouldn't use it for the purpose of self-diagnosing or self-medicating but rather so you can have a more informed discussion with a professional TCM practitioner.
Scarlet fever factsheet
Possible causes and remedies:
Heat and Blood Stagnation in the Lower Burner
Symptoms: Thirst Amenorrhea Night fever and five other symptoms
Recommended formula: Tao He Cheng Qi Tang
Exterior Cold invading with Interior Heat from Stagnation
Symptoms: Thirst Irritability Generalized body pain and one other symptom
Recommended formula: Da Qing Long Tang
In Chinese Medicine, scarlet fever can be associated with three 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", as a matter of fact here scarlet fever can be caused by three different patterns.
To understand whether someone's scarlet fever might be caused by a given pattern, one needs to look for signs and symptoms associated with the pattern beyond what one might typically experience from scarlet fever alone. For instance when scarlet fever is caused by the pattern Heat and Blood Stagnation in the Lower Burner, patients also experience symptoms such as lower abdominal pain, night fever, delirious speech and irritability. Similarly, patients with Heat and Blood Stagnation in the Lower Burner typically exhibit choppy (Se) or full (Shi) pulses.
We've listed below a description of the three patterns associated with scarlet fever so that you can start to get an understanding of the various possibilities 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 seven formulas that can help treat the various patterns associated with scarlet fever, depending on which pattern fits your profile.
The three "patterns of disharmony" associated with scarlet fever
The Triple Burner is a so-called "Fu" Organ. Learn more about the Triple Burner in Chinese Medicine
Heat and Blood Stagnation in the Lower Burner
Pulse type(s): Choppy (Se), Full (Shi)
Recommended herbal formula: Tao He Cheng Qi Tang
Symptoms: Thirst Amenorrhea Night fever Irritability Dysmenorrhea Restlnessness Delirious speech Lower abdominal pain
Scarlet fever might be due to Heat and Blood Stagnation in the Lower Burner if the condition is paired with typical pattern symptoms such as lower abdominal pain, night fever, delirious speech and irritability. Similarly, patients with Heat and Blood Stagnation in the Lower Burner typically exhibit choppy (Se) or full (Shi) pulses.
Read more about Heat and Blood Stagnation in the Lower Burner here
Ephedra (Ma Huang) is the key herb for Da Qing Long Tang, a formula used for Exterior Cold invading with Interior Heat from Stagnation
Exterior Cold invading with Interior Heat from Stagnation
Pulse type(s): Floating (Fu), Tight (Jin)
Recommended herbal formula: Da Qing Long Tang
Symptoms: Thirst Irritability Generalized body pain Severe fever and chills without sweating
Scarlet fever might be due to Exterior Cold invading with Interior Heat from Stagnation if the condition is paired with typical pattern symptoms such as severe fever and chills without sweating, generalized body pain, thirst and irritability. Similarly, patients with Exterior Cold invading with Interior Heat from Stagnation typically exhibit floating (Fu) or tight (Jin) pulses.
Read more about Exterior Cold invading with Interior Heat from Stagnation here
Ephedra (Ma Huang) is the key herb for Da Qing Long Tang, a formula used for Phlegm-Fluids in the limbs
Phlegm-Fluids in the limbs
Pulse type(s): Tight (Jin), Wiry (Xian)
Tongue coating: Sticky coating, Thick white coating
Tongue shape: Swollen
Recommended herbal formula: Da Qing Long Tang
Symptoms: Thirst Irritability Absence of sweating Feeling of heaviness Generalized body pain Alternating fever and chills Superficial edema in the extremities
Scarlet fever might be due to Phlegm-Fluids in the limbs if the condition is paired with typical pattern symptoms such as feeling of heaviness, generalized body pain, superficial edema in the extremities and alternating fever and chills. Similarly, patients with Phlegm-Fluids in the limbs typically exhibit tight (Jin) or wiry (Xian) pulses as well as a tongue with sticky coating, thick white coating.
The seven herbal formulas that might help with scarlet fever
Da Qing Long Tang
Source date: 220 AD
Number of ingredients: 7 herbs
Key actions: Promotes sweating. Releases the Exterior. Clears Interior Heat.
Why might Da Qing Long Tang help with scarlet fever?
Because it is a formula often recommended to help with the patterns Exterior Cold invading with Interior Heat from Stagnation and Phlegm-Fluids in the limbs which are sometimes associated with scarlet fever. If any of these patterns look like something you might suffer from, this formula might help (although please seek confirmation with a professional practitioner beforehand).
Tao He Cheng Qi Tang
Source date: 220 AD
Number of ingredients: 5 herbs
Key actions: Dispels Heat and. Eliminates Blood Stagnation.
Why might Tao He Cheng Qi Tang help with scarlet fever?
Because it is a formula often recommended to help treat Heat and Blood Stagnation in the Lower Burner, a pattern sometimes associated with scarlet fever. If it looks like you might suffer from Heat and Blood Stagnation in the Lower Burner, this formula might help (although please seek confirmation with a professional practitioner beforehand).
Bai Hu Tang
Source date: 220 AD
Number of ingredients: 4 herbs
Key actions: Clears Qi-level Heat. Drains Stomach Fire. Generates fluids. Alleviates thirst.
Why might Bai Hu Tang help with scarlet fever?
Because it is a formula often recommended to help treat , a pattern sometimes associated with scarlet fever. If it looks like you might suffer from , this formula might help (although please seek confirmation with a professional practitioner beforehand).
Da Chai Hu Tang
Source date: 220 AD
Number of ingredients: 8 herbs
Key actions: Harmonizes and releases the Lesser Yang. Drains internal clumping due to Heat.
Why might Da Chai Hu Tang help with scarlet fever?
Because it is a formula often recommended to help treat , a pattern sometimes associated with scarlet fever. If it looks like you might suffer from , this formula might help (although please seek confirmation with a professional practitioner beforehand).
Zhu Ye Shi Gao Tang
Source date: 220 AD
Number of ingredients: 7 herbs
Key actions: Clears Heat. Generates Body Fluids. Strengthens and regulates Qi.
Why might Zhu Ye Shi Gao Tang help with scarlet fever?
Because it is a formula often recommended to help treat , a pattern sometimes associated with scarlet fever. If it looks like you might suffer from , this formula might help (although please seek confirmation with a professional practitioner beforehand).
Symptoms related to scarlet fever
Irritability Thirst Generalized body pain Lower abdominal pain Night fever Delirious speech Restlnessness Amenorrhea Dysmenorrhea Severe fever and chills without sweating
