Boils 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.
Boils can be the consequence of several so-called “patterns of disharmony” in Chinese Medicine.
Chinese Medicine sees the body as a system, not a sum of isolated parts. A "pattern" is when the system's harmony is disrupted, leading to symptoms or signs that something is wrong (like boils here). It is similar to the concept of disease in Western Medicine but not quite: a Western disease can often be explained by several Chinese patterns and vice-versa.
A pattern often manifests itself in a combination of symptoms that, at first glance, do not seem necessarily related to each others. For instance here boils is often associated with carbuncles, sores and sore throat in the pattern “Toxic-Heat”.
Once identified, patterns are treated using medicinal herbs, acupuncture, and other therapies. In the case of boils we’ve identified five herbal formulas that may help treat patterns behind the symptom.
We’ve also selected below the five medicinal herbs that we think are most likely to help treat boils.
Toxic-Heat, a "pattern of disharmony" that can cause boils
In Chinese Medicine boils is a symptom for the pattern "Toxic-Heat". Below is a small explanation for it with links for more details.
Honeysuckle Flowers (Jin Yin Hua) is the king ingredient for Yin Qiao San, a formula used for Toxic-Heat
Toxic-Heat
Pulse type(s): Rapid (Shu)
Tongue coating: Yellow coating
Tongue color: Red
In addition to boils, other symptoms associated with Toxic-Heat include carbuncles, sores and sore throat.
From a Western Medicine standpoint Toxic-Heat is associated with health issues such as Abnormal Vaginal Discharge.
Toxic-Heat is often treated with Yin Qiao San, a herbal formula made of 10 herbs (including Honeysuckle Flowers - Jin Yin Hua - as a key herb). Yin Qiao San belongs to the category of "external formulas for external disorders", which might be why it is often recommended for this pattern. Its main action as a formula is: "Disperses Wind Heat".
Five herbal formulas that might help with boils
Xi Jiao Di Huang Tang
Source date: 650 AD
Number of ingredients: 4 herbs
Key actions: Treats severe fevers and Heat in the Blood system. Removes Blood Stagnation.
Why might Xi Jiao Di Huang Tang help with boils?
Because it is a formula often recommended to treat the pattern 'Toxic-Heat' of which boils is a symptom.
Yin Qiao San
Source date: 1798 AD
Number of ingredients: 10 herbs
Key actions: Disperses Wind Heat. Clears Heat. Resolves Toxicity.
Why might Yin Qiao San help with boils?
Because it is a formula often recommended to treat the pattern 'Toxic-Heat' of which boils is a symptom.
Sang Ju Yin
Source date: 1798 AD
Number of ingredients: 8 herbs
Key actions: Disperses Wind. Stops coughing by invigorating Lung Qi. Clears Heat.
Why might Sang Ju Yin help with boils?
Because it is a formula often recommended to treat the pattern 'Toxic-Heat' of which boils is a symptom.
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 boils?
Because it is a formula often recommended to treat the pattern 'Toxic-Heat' of which boils is a symptom.
Long Dan Xie Gan Tang
Source date: 1682 AD
Number of ingredients: 10 herbs
Key actions: Clears Heat and Fire from the Liver and Gallbladder. Clears and drains Damp-Heat from the Lower Burner.
Why might Long Dan Xie Gan Tang help with boils?
Because it is a formula often recommended to treat the pattern 'Toxic-Heat' of which boils is a symptom.
The five Chinese Medicinal herbs most likely to help treat boils
Why might Water Buffalo Horn (Shui Niu Jiao) help with boils?
Because it is a key herb in Xi Jiao Di Huang Tang, a herbal formula indicated to treat the pattern 'Toxic-Heat' (a pattern with boils as a symptom)
Water Buffalo Horns is a Cold herb that tastes Bitter and Salty. It targets the Stomach, the Heart and the Liver.
Its main actions are: Cools the Blood, drains Fire and stops reckless movement of Blood. Clears Heat and Fire and stops tremors and convulsions. Cools Fire and expels toxins.
Why might Unprepared Rehmannia (Di Huang) help with boils?
Because it is a key herb in Xi Jiao Di Huang Tang, a herbal formula indicated to treat the pattern 'Toxic-Heat' (a pattern with boils as a symptom)
Unprepared Rehmannia is a Cold herb that tastes Sweet. It targets the Heart, the Kidney and the Liver.
Its main actions are: Expels Heat by Cooling Blood. Tonifies Yin by promoting Fluid production. Soothes the Heart by calming Blazing Fire. Cools and nourishes.
Why might Red Peony Root (Chi Shao) help with boils?
Because it is a key herb in Xi Jiao Di Huang Tang, a herbal formula indicated to treat the pattern 'Toxic-Heat' (a pattern with boils as a symptom)
Red Peony Roots is a Cool herb that tastes Bitter. It targets the Liver.
Its main actions are: Moves Blood, relieves pain and reduces swelling. Cools the Blood and the Liver.
Why might Mudan Peony Bark (Mu Dan Pi) help with boils?
Because it is a key herb in Xi Jiao Di Huang Tang, a herbal formula indicated to treat the pattern 'Toxic-Heat' (a pattern with boils as a symptom)
Mudan Peony Bark is a Cool herb that tastes Bitter and Pungent. It targets the Heart, the Kidney and the Liver.
Its main actions are: Cools the Blood, activates Blood circulation and resolves Blood stasis.
Why might Honeysuckle Flower (Jin Yin Hua) help with boils?
Because it is a key herb in Yin Qiao San, a herbal formula indicated to treat the pattern 'Toxic-Heat' (a pattern with boils as a symptom)
Honeysuckle Flowers is a Cold herb that tastes Sweet. It targets the Heart, the Lung and the Stomach.
Its main actions are: Clears Heat and dispels toxicity. Dispels Wind-Heat derived from an External pathogen. Expels Damp-Heat from the Lower Burner. Relieves Carbuncles.
Other symptoms often associated with boils
Carbuncles Sores Sore throat Snake bites Abcesses Fever Erysipelas Scrofula Constipation Traumatic injuries