TCM treatment of inflammation and infection can be simplified to treating the corresponding TCM patterns that reflect inflammation and infection. In general, both inflammation and infection translate to some form of “Fire,” or heat in the body. The source of the heat or fire can come from external pathogenic factors, internal emotional factors that may cause organ imbalance, or factors that are neither internal nor external, such as traumas, injuries, and dog bites.
It is difficult to identify actual or specific pathogenic factors, be it bacterial, viral, or fungal, without proper laboratory testing. Therefore, TCM treatment for both inflammation and infection is based on the pulse, the nature of the disease, and the patient’s constitution.
Pulse Diagnosis and Herbal Treatment
The pulse for Solid Heat can usually be found in the cun position, and will manifest as an overflowing, large pulse that is strong on all levels. Damp heat can be found in the guan and chi positions, manifesting as a deep pulse with a strong rebound upon pressure. If the pulse is deep, it is usually an indicator of overall dampness, or fluid in the tissues. This is also known as a Taiyin pulse. A purely damp pulse will have no rebound upon pressure, as opposed to the damp heat pulse.
Herbs that can be used to treat dampness usually have bland properties, such as Fu Ling (Poria), Cang Zhu (Rhizoma Atractylodis), and Bai Zhu (Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae). For damp heat symptoms, herbs with bitter properties need to be used to clear the heat, such as Long Dan (Radix et Rhizoma Gentianae), Huang Bo (Cortex Phellodendri Chinensis), Huang Lian Jie Du Tang (Coptis Decoction to Relieve Toxicity), Zhi Bai Di Huang Wan (Anemarrhena, Phellodendron, and Rehmannia Pill), and Long Dan Xie Gan Tang (Gentiana Decoction to Drain the Liver). Long Dan Xie Gan Tang (Gentiana Decoction to Drain the Liver) will also guide water out of the body, especially effective for the lower jiao. Another good formula to use is the formula Astringent Complex, which is a formula that can be used for all types of inflammatory disorders.
When the pulse in the right cun position is floating and forceful, it can indicate that the patient either has allergies, upper respiratory infection, excess heat in the upper jiao, headache, dryness in the large intestines, or constipation. To distinguish between them, you can check the ear for swelling and redness in the different areas. The herbal combination of Ban Zhi Lian (Herba Scutellariae Barbatae) and Bai Hua She She Cao (Herba Hedyotis) can be used for clearing the intestines. For heat in the upper respiratory tract, or an externally contracted wind-heat, use Yin Qiao San (Honeysuckle and Forsythia Powder) to clear the heat.
Floating and forceful in the right cun could also indicate a Yangming pulse. This is a case where the metal element overacts on the wood element. In this case, take the left guan pulse to check the condition of the Liver. If right cun is floating and left guan is concave, the Liver is damaged, and the patient will usually exhibit some skin problems. In this case you can use Wen Qing Yin (Warming and Clearing Decoction) and Bai Hu Tang (White Tiger Decoction) along with the formula Liver DTX. If there is a sinus infection, manifesting as solid heat in the right cun, this can be resolved by the usage of formulas Herbal ABX, Astringent Complex, and Bai Hu Tang (White Tiger Decoction).
If the right cun manifests a deficient pulse, we can distinguish between yin deficiency and yang deficiency. A yin deficient pulse is very thin, floating, but will collapse upon pressure. A yang deficient pulse is still thin, but is slight thicker than the yin deficient pulse. It is also slightly jumpy, will collapse under pressure, and has no rebound. The important thing to remember is that a normal pulse in the right cun should be of normal width, slightly floating, and should not collapse under pressure.
For yin deficiency, Da Bu Yin Wan (Great Tonify the Yin Pill) can be used. For yin deficiency with upper respiratory conditions, Qing Zao Jiu Fei Tang (Eliminate Dryness and Rescue the Lung Decoction) can be used. The Lung belongs to the metal element. The mother of metal is the earth element, or Spleen. Therefore, in cases of deficiency, it is important to also pay attention to the right guan.
About the Author
Master Jimmy Wei-Yen Chang has over 25 years of concentrated clinical experience applying his expertise in differential diagnosis and herbal prescription. The author of a pulse diagnosis manual, Pulsynergy, Master Chang currently pursues his specialties in private practice in Hacienda Heights, California, and is widely recognized for his skills in correlating expert pulse taking and herbal prescription.
To learn more about pulse diagnosis and herbs, click here [2] to view a complete list of courses by Jimmy Chang.