Pus 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.
Pus 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 pus 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 pus is often associated with dark urine, constipation and coughing in the pattern “Toxic-Heat”.
Once identified, patterns are treated using medicinal herbs, acupuncture, and other therapies. In the case of pus 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 pus.
Toxic-Heat, a "pattern of disharmony" that can cause pus
In Chinese Medicine pus 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)
In addition to pus, other symptoms associated with Toxic-Heat include dark urine, constipation and coughing.
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 pus
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 pus?
Because it is a formula often recommended to treat the pattern 'Toxic-Heat' of which pus 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 pus?
Because it is a formula often recommended to treat the pattern 'Toxic-Heat' of which pus 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 pus?
Because it is a formula often recommended to treat the pattern 'Toxic-Heat' of which pus 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 pus?
Because it is a formula often recommended to treat the pattern 'Toxic-Heat' of which pus is a symptom.
Qing Ying Tang
Source date: 1798 AD
Number of ingredients: 9 herbs
Key actions: Clears the Nutritive level Heat. Relieves Fire Toxin. Removes Heat. Nourishes Yin.
Why might Qing Ying Tang help with pus?
Because it is a formula often recommended to treat the pattern 'Toxic-Heat' of which pus is a symptom.
The five Chinese Medicinal herbs most likely to help treat pus
Why might Liquorice (Gan Cao) help with pus?
Because Liquorice is an ingredient in several formulas indicated to treat pus as a symptom, like Bai Hu Tang or Sang Ju Yin for instance.
Liquorice is a Neutral herb that tastes Sweet. It targets the Heart, the Lung, the Spleen and the Stomach.
Its main actions are: Tonifies the Basal Qi and nourishes the Spleen Qi. Clears Heat and dispels toxicity. Moistens the Lungsexpel phlegm and stop coughing. Relieves spasms and alleviates pain. Harmonizes and moderates the effects of other herbs.
Why might Forsythia Fruit (Lian Qiao) help with pus?
Because Forsythia Fruit is an ingredient in several formulas indicated to treat pus as a symptom, like Yin Qiao San or Sang Ju Yin for instance.
Forsythia Fruits is a Cool herb that tastes Bitter. It targets the Heart, the Lung and the Small intestine.
Its main actions are: Expels Heat and toxicity from the Blood. Dispels External Wind-Heat. Reduces lumps, swollen lymph nodes and sores of a Heated nature.
Why might Unprepared Rehmannia (Di Huang) help with pus?
Because Unprepared Rehmannia is an ingredient in several formulas indicated to treat pus as a symptom, like Xi Jiao Di Huang Tang or Qing Ying Tang for instance.
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 Lophatherum Herb (Dan Zhu Ye) help with pus?
Because Lophatherum Herb is an ingredient in several formulas indicated to treat pus as a symptom, like Qing Ying Tang or Yin Qiao San for instance.
Lophatherum Herbs is a Cold herb that tastes Sweet. It targets the Heart, the Small intestine and the Stomach.
Its main actions are: Clears Heat and aids thirst. Aids urination and drains Damp-Heat.
Why might Goldthread Rhizome (Huang Lian) help with pus?
Because Goldthread Rhizome is an ingredient in several formulas indicated to treat pus as a symptom, like Huang Lian Jie Du Tang or Qing Ying Tang for instance.
Goldthread Rhizomes is a Cold herb that tastes Bitter. It targets the Gallbladder, the Heart, the Large intestine, the Liver, the Spleen and the Stomach.
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
Other symptoms often associated with pus
Dark Urine Constipation Coughing Shortness of breath Fever Swellings Boils Carbuncles Pustule Red skin eruptions