Chronic rhinitis is a chronic inflammatory change
of the nasal mucosa, mainly due to the protraction of acute rhinitis. Its main
symptom is nasal obstruction. This disease is called in TCM "bi zhi"
(nasal obstruction).
Major Points of Diagnosis
1. The nasal obstruction
is either alternate, intermittent or continuous.
2. The nasal mucosa swells
or becomes thick, especially that of the inferior nasal concha.
3. Hyposmia
is fluctuating.
4. There is pain and itching in the throat and tinnitus or
hypoacusis may occur.
Differentiation and Treatment of Common Syndromes
1.
Internal Treatment.
1) The Type of Qi-Deficiency of both the Lung and the
Spleen
Main symptoms and Signs: The nasal obstruction is relieved in the morning
and aggravated at night and becomes severer is exposed to cold. When the patient
lies in lateral recumbent position, it is less severe in the upper part than in
the lower one, or becomes alternate. The inferior nasal concha swells and has
slight congestion. The conchae may contract if vasoconstrictor is used. There
may be accompanying cough with thin sputum, short breath and asthenia. The tongue
is light red, and its fur is white and the pulse moderate.
Therapeutic Principle:
strengthening the spleen, warming the lung, removing cold and clearing away the
obstruction from the upper orifices.
Recipe: Pill for Warming the Lung to
Stop Running Nose with additional ingredients
ginseng, schizonepeta, chebula
fruit, platycodon root, eardust of yellow croaker, dahurian angelica root, asarum
herb, licorice root, astragalus root.
All the above herbs are to be decocted
in water for oral administration.
2) The Type of Stagnation of Qi and Blood
Stasis
Main Symptoms and Signs: The patient has continuous nasal obstruction
and hyposmia. The inferior nasal concha is hypertrophic and dark red or like moruloid
and insensitive to vasoconstrictor. There and accompanying symptoms such as dizzying,
a feeling of fullness in the ear and hypoacusis. The tongue is red or has petechiae
on it. The pulse is taut and uneven.
Therapeutic Principle: Promoting blood
circulation to remove blood stasis and resolving masses to clear away obstruction
from the upper orifices.
Recipe: Peach Kernel and Safflower Decoction of Four
Ingredients, compounded with Xanthium Powder
peach kernel, safflower, dried
rehmannia root, xanthium, peppermint, magnolia flower, Chinese angelica root,
red peony root, ligusticum rhizome, dahurian angelica root.
All the above herbs
are to be decocted in water for oral administration.
For those with severe
nasal obstruction, add 9 grams of Chinese honeylocust spine and 9 grams of pangolin
scale. For those with headache, add 9 grams of ligusticum root and 9 grams of
chastetree fruit. For those who have severe blood stasis, add 9 grams of burreed
tuber and 9 grams of zedoary. For those who have short breath and asthenia, add
15 grams of codonopsis root, 9 grams of white atractylodes rhizome and 9 grams
of amomun fruit.
2. External Treatment
1) Use Effectual Nose Drops for
nasal drip. This should be done three times a day.
2) Blow Powder of Eardust
of Yellow Croaker into the nasal cavity. Its ingredients are:
cardust of yellow
croaker, borneol, magnolia flower, asarum herb.
All the above ingredients
are to be pounded into powder and blown into the nose three times a day.
3)
Massage the nasal part. Knead with two thumbs to and fro along the back of the
nose until a sensation of enough heat is produced. Do this twice a day.
Dr.
Ming's TCM Medical Center,
Hua Xi Xiao Yuan, Hutian Developing Area,
Huaihua
city, Hunan province
China