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.
Mouth ulcers 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 mouth ulcers 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 mouth ulcers is often associated with fever, irritability and restlessness in the pattern “Stomach Fire or Stomach Heat”.
Once identified, patterns are treated using medicinal herbs, acupuncture, and other therapies. In the case of mouth ulcers we’ve identified two 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 mouth ulcers.
Stomach Fire or Stomach Heat, a "pattern of disharmony" that can cause mouth ulcers
In Chinese Medicine mouth ulcers is a symptom for the pattern "Stomach Fire or Stomach Heat". Below is a small explanation for it with links for more details.
The Stomach is a so-called "Fu" Organ. Learn more about the Stomach in Chinese Medicine
Stomach Fire or Stomach Heat
Pulse type(s): Rapid (Shu), Slippery (Hua), Full (Shi)
Tongue coating: Yellow coating
Tongue color: Red centre
Stomach Fire indicates a true Excess of Heat in the Stomach, creating symptoms such as mouth ulcers, bad breath, intense thirst and gum bleeding. Stomach Fire can be the result of excessive intake of hot, spicy, greasy and deep fried foods or other factors such as alcohol, tobacco and sugar.
In addition to mouth ulcers, other symptoms associated with Stomach Fire or Stomach Heat include fever, irritability and restlessness.
From a Western Medicine standpoint Stomach Fire or Stomach Heat is associated with health issues such as Mastitis, Breast Engorgement or Morning Sickness.
Stomach Fire or Stomach Heat is often treated with Qing Wei San, a herbal formula made of 5 herbs (including Goldthread Rhizomes - Huang Lian - as a key herb). Qing Wei San belongs to the category of "formulas that clear heat from the organs", which might be why it is often recommended for this pattern. Its main action as a formula is: "Drains Stomach Fire".
Two herbal formulas that might help with mouth ulcers
Qing Wei San
Source date: 1336 AD
Number of ingredients: 5 herbs
Key actions: Drains Stomach Fire. Cools the Blood. Nourishes the Yin.
Why might Qing Wei San help with mouth ulcers?
Because it is a formula often recommended to treat the pattern 'Stomach Fire or Stomach Heat' of which mouth ulcers is a symptom.
Other symptoms characteristic of Stomach Fire Or Stomach Heat include fever, irritability and restlessness.
Yu Nu Jian
Source date: 1624 AD
Number of ingredients: 5 herbs
Key actions: Drains Heat from the Stomach. Nourishes Yin.
Why might Yu Nu Jian help with mouth ulcers?
Because it is a formula often recommended to treat the pattern 'Stomach Fire or Stomach Heat' of which mouth ulcers is a symptom.
Other symptoms characteristic of Stomach Fire Or Stomach Heat include fever, irritability and restlessness.
The five Chinese Medicinal herbs most likely to help treat mouth ulcers
Why might Bugbane Rhizome (Sheng Ma) help with mouth ulcers?
Because it is both specifically indicated to treat mouth ulcers and also because it is an ingredient in herbal formulas known to treat mouth ulcers as a symptom (such as Qing Wei San for instance).
Bugbane Rhizomes is a Cool herb that tastes Pungent and Sweet. It targets the Spleen, the Stomach, the Large intestine and the Lung.
Its main actions are: Relieves the Exterior, scatters Wind and clears Heat. Allows the release of toxicity from the skin and clears Heat. Raises the Yang associated with Middle Qi Deficiency. Directs herbs upwards. Cools the Blood.
Why might Gypsum (Shi Gao) help with mouth ulcers?
Because it is a key herb in Yu Nu Jian, a herbal formula indicated to treat the pattern 'Stomach Fire or Stomach Heat' (a pattern with mouth ulcers as a symptom)
Gypsum is a Cold herb that tastes Pungent and Sweet. It targets the Stomach and the Lung.
Its main actions are: Clears Heat and drains Fire. Clears Lung Heat. Relieves thirst and restlessness. Clears Stomach Heat.
Why might Goldthread Rhizome (Huang Lian) help with mouth ulcers?
Because it is a key herb in Qing Wei San, a herbal formula indicated to treat the pattern 'Stomach Fire or Stomach Heat' (a pattern with mouth ulcers as a symptom)
Goldthread Rhizomes is a Cold herb that tastes Bitter. It targets the Gallbladder, the Spleen, the Stomach, the Heart, the Large intestine and the Liver.
Its main actions are: Expels Damp-Heat especially in the Lower Burner. Eliminates Fire toxicity especially when there is associated Dampness. Acts as a sedative by eliminating Heart Fire. Eliminates Stomach Fire. Expel parasites
Why might Prepared Rehmannia (Shu Di Huang) help with mouth ulcers?
Because it is a key herb in Yu Nu Jian, a herbal formula indicated to treat the pattern 'Stomach Fire or Stomach Heat' (a pattern with mouth ulcers as a symptom)
Prepared Rehmannia is a Warm herb that tastes Sweet. It targets the Kidney and the Liver.
Its main actions are: Tonifies the Blood. Tonifies the Yin of the Kidneys.
Why might Lophatherum Herb (Dan Zhu Ye) help with mouth ulcers?
Because it is a herb specifically indicated to treat mouth ulcers as can be seen on Lophatherum Herb's page.
Lophatherum Herbs is a Cold herb that tastes Sweet. It targets the Stomach, the Heart and the Small intestine.
Its main actions are: Clears Heat and aids thirst. Aids urination and drains Damp-Heat.
Other symptoms often associated with mouth ulcers
Sore throat Fever Urinary tract infection Irritability Scanty urination Joint pain Measles Restlessness Epigastric pain Nosebleed