Chronic pharyngitis is a common occupational disease for teachers. They usually have a sore throat, always feels mouth dry or something gets stuck in throat, sometimes it affects singing and talking. Many people can’t be cured for a long time. Repeatedly, it has a great impact on work. And then how to cure it at home, let’s see how TCM consider it.
Most of the twelve meridians of the body have to pass through the throat, which is the passage through which the Yin and Yang of the internal organs go up and down. This shows how important throat problems are to human health!
The main symptoms of acute pharyngitis are rapid onset, dry and burning throat at first; then the throat is pain when swallowing saliva, and often more obvious than eating; it may be accompanied by fever, headache, loss of appetite and sore limbs; invasion throat, accompanied by hoarseness and cough.
The main symptoms of chronic pharyngitis are pharyngeal discomfort, dryness, itching, swelling, more secretions and burning, easy to retch, feeling something in throat, can’t come out, can’t swallow. The above symptoms are especially aggravated when talking a little more, after eating spicy foods, fatigue or weather changes.
How does traditional Chinese medicine treat pharyngitis?
Traditional Chinese medicine is about treating diseases based on syndrome differentiation and removing the root cause. For pharyngitis, it is necessary to perform dialectical treatment. First, classify different pharyngitis, and then prescribe the right medicine, so that the body can quickly recover to health.
Pharyngitis is also called “Hou Bi” in traditional Chinese medicine. The main causes of the disease are difficulty in restoring upright Qi, loss of Yin fluid, inflammation on the fire, and burning of the pharynx, causing the disease to regenerate and remain unhealed for a long time; Wind evil, lung Yin injury, Yin deficiency and lung dry, burning throat, then lead to this disease; or eating disorders, over-eating fatty and spicy foods, which makes the stomach and intestines accumulate heat and steaming the throat to cause this disease.
1. Deficiency of Lung and kidney Yi:
Symptoms:
Dry throat and pharynx, sore throat and itching, dry cough with little sputum or blood in sputum, easy to retching, same to stuff in the pharynx, or insomnia and night sweats, sore waist and knees, dry red tongue, thin coating and thready and rapid pulse.
2. Liver stagnation and heat:
Symptoms:
Discomfort in the pharynx, obvious sensation of something in throat, sometime is very unsatisfactory, red or dark red pharynx, small red particles found in the pharynx, with irritability, chest fullness and uncomfortable, frequently belching, bitter mouth, dry throat, red tongue, yellow coating, thready and rapid pulse.
3. Qi and blood stasis:
Symptoms:
The throat is dry, sore, and itchy, with burning sensation, light during the day and heavy at night, lingering and difficult to heal, and the pulse is thready and choppy.
4. Phlegm dampness combined with each other:
Symptoms:
Obviously feeling foreign body in the pharynx, such as clogged phlegm, pale red or white pharyngeal cavity, and increased formation of beads in the pharynx, translucent, white sputum attached, large amount of expectoration, chest tightness, sticky mouth, pale tongue, wiry and slippery pulse.
5. Deficiency of Kidney Yang:
Symptoms:
Tightness and stuffiness in pharynx, especially cold, pale mouth, not thirsty or like hot drinks for thirsty, pale complexion, cold limbs and fatigue, cold back pain, frequent nocturia, pale tongue, white coating, deep and slow pulse.
Treatment:
1. Diet: The food should be cool and flat, such as sugar cane, pear, water chestnut, pomegranate, etc., and increase protein intake to improve immunity. Avoid greasy and spicy food.
2. Massage: Massage is the most commonly used method of traditional Chinese medicine to treat pharyngitis. The massage acupoints include Tian Tu, Ren Ying, Lian Quan, He Gu, Dan Zhong, and Qu Chi acupoints. Massage once in the morning and evening.
3. Acupuncture: Acupuncture at San Yin Jiao, Zu San Li, He Gu, Qu Chi and other acupoints can dredge the meridians, strengthen the body, and relieve the symptoms of pharyngitis.
4. Moxibustion: Mild moxibustion, holding a lighted moxa stick, about 3-5cm away from the skin, circulating moxibustion at Fei Shu, Tian Tu, Shen Que, He Gu, Feng Chi, Xuan Zhong acupoints, 1-2 times a day, every Moxibustion for each acupoint is 15-20 minutes.
5. Swallow fluid: Put both hands gently on both thighs, eyes slightly closed, tongue on the palate, soothe the nerves, breathe naturally, pay attention to the pharynx, turn the tongue forward 18 times, reverse 18 times, accumulate fluid in the mouth, swallow it three times, and insist on once in the morning and once in the evening.
Clearing throat tea:
1. Sha Shen Mai Dong tea:
Content: Fructus Mume, Radix Glycyrrhizae, Radix Adenophorae, Radix Ophiopogonis, Radix Platycodonis, Radix Scrophularia each 50 grams.
Usage: Mash and mix well, 3 times a day, take about 15 grams each time, brew with boiling water.
2. Bai Ju Gan Cao drink
Content: 1.5 grams of Chrysanthemum, 3 grams of Radix Ophiopogonis, 3 grams of Radix Glycyrrhizae, 2 pieces of Semen Sterculiae Lychnophorae, four medicines into one package.
Usage: Put a packet of above medicine into a tea cup, pour boiling water into it, and take it as tea. Use 1-2 package daily.
3. Ju Hua Mi Tang Tea
Content: 10 grams each of Flos Lonicerae and chrysanthemum.
Usage: Decoction in water, add 2 spoons of honey after cooling down, drink it 6 times a day.
