Swellings 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.
Swellings 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 swellings 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 swellings is often associated with sores, carbuncles and constipation in the pattern “Toxic-Heat”.
Once identified, patterns are treated using medicinal herbs, acupuncture, and other therapies. In the case of swellings 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 swellings.
Toxic-Heat, a "pattern of disharmony" that can cause swellings
In Chinese Medicine swellings 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 swellings, other symptoms associated with Toxic-Heat include sores, carbuncles and constipation.
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 swellings
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 swellings?
Because it is a formula often recommended to treat the pattern 'Toxic-Heat' of which swellings 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 swellings?
Because it is a formula often recommended to treat the pattern 'Toxic-Heat' of which swellings 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 swellings?
Because it is a formula often recommended to treat the pattern 'Toxic-Heat' of which swellings 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 swellings?
Because it is a formula often recommended to treat the pattern 'Toxic-Heat' of which swellings 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 swellings?
Because it is a formula often recommended to treat the pattern 'Toxic-Heat' of which swellings is a symptom.
The five Chinese Medicinal herbs most likely to help treat swellings
Why might Phellodendron Bark (Huang Bo) help with swellings?
Because it is both specifically indicated to treat swellings and also because it is an ingredient in herbal formulas known to treat swellings as a symptom (such as San Zhong Kui Jian Tang for instance).
Phellodendron Bark is a Cold herb that tastes Bitter. It targets the Bladder, the Kidney and the Large intestine.
Its main actions are: Expels Damp-Heat in the Lower Burner. Clears Kidney Yin Deficient Heat. Applied externally or toxic Fire, especially associated with Dampness.
Why might Japanese Catnip (Jing Jie) help with swellings?
Because it is both specifically indicated to treat swellings and also because it is an ingredient in herbal formulas known to treat swellings as a symptom (such as Shi Wei Bai Du San for instance).
Japanese Catnip is a Neutral herb that tastes Pungent. It targets the Liver and the Lung.
Its main actions are: Relieves the Exterior and disperses Cold or Heat depending on the other herbs used. Releases the Exterior for measles. Stops bleeding. Abates swellings.
Why might Japanese Cherry Bark (Ying Pi) help with swellings?
Because it is both specifically indicated to treat swellings and also because it is an ingredient in herbal formulas known to treat swellings as a symptom (such as Shi Wei Bai Du San for instance).
Japanese Cherry Barks is a Cool herb that tastes Bitter and Sour. It targets the Lung.
Its main actions are: Clears Toxicity, expels pus and relieves fevers. Descends Lung Qi and stops coughing.
Why might Mirabilite (Mang Xiao) help with swellings?
Because it is both specifically indicated to treat swellings and also because it is an ingredient in herbal formulas known to treat swellings as a symptom (such as Er Qing Gao for instance).
Mirabilites is a Cold herb that tastes Bitter and Salty. It targets the Stomach and the Large intestine.
Its main actions are: Purges Stagnation in the Intestines caused by Heat and Dryness, Cools Heat and abates swelling
Why might Semiaquilegia Root Tuber (Tian Kui Zi) help with swellings?
Because it is both specifically indicated to treat swellings and also because it is an ingredient in herbal formulas known to treat swellings as a symptom (such as Wu Wei Xiao Du Yin for instance).
Semiaquilegia Root Tubers is a Cold herb that tastes Bitter and Sweet. It targets the Kidney and the Liver.
Its main actions are: Clears Heat, resolves toxicity, reduces swelling and disperses Stagnation
Other symptoms often associated with swellings
Sores Carbuncles Constipation Lumps Burns Coughing Sore throat Conjunctivitis Eczema Boils