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Hives, also known as "urticaria" is a commonly found
intense itching skin disorder, characterized mainly by
the rapid development of raised smooth patches or wheals
(area of the skin that is temporarily raised and
coloured red or pale with with red margins) on the skin.
Hives is most often a sign of an allergic reaction. It
is often caused by an allergy to certain foods,
particularly shellfish, tomatoes, strawberries, eggs,
milk, and chocolate. It can also be a reaction to drugs,
food dyes, molds, bacteria, and animal skin or hair,
etc. In addition, in a susceptible person, cold, the
rays of the sun, and vigorous exercise also can be the
cause.
(a) The onset is usually abrupt. At first, the skin
feels itchy, later wheals appear. The wheals are of
varying shapes and sizes, sometimes merged into each
other in bright red, or pink or milky white. The
skin lesions often appear and disappear alternately
and rapidly without leaving trace. The hives may
appear on small areas or all over the body.
(b) Accompanying symptoms are intense itching;
occasionally, fatigue, fever, nausea, vomiting,
stomachache, diarrhea, chest distress, pain
sensations in throat and difficulty in breathing.
(c) The course varies in different cases. Mostly, an
acute case recovers in a few days. If it continues
in a recurrent manner for over three months, it is
chronic hives, which may last several months or
years, with a continuous attack or with some
remission stages.
Chinese herbal medicine and acupuncture are effective
therapies for hives, especially for chronic hives. The
treatment usually takes between two and six months for
chronic cases.
This ailment,
according to TCM, has different syndromes. The treatment for
these syndromes using herbal medicine and acupuncture is shown
below.
Syndrome (a) The Wind-Heat
Type
The
wheals are red in colour. They emerge or become
intensified when heated, but abate when cooled down. The
skin rash gives a burning-heat sensation and causes
intense itching. Thirst and restlessness may accompany
it. The tongue is red, covered with thin, white or
yellow fur. The pulse feels floating and rapid.
To treat byHerbal
medicine Therapeutic principle: Remove the heat and expel
wind.
To treat by Acupuncture and
Moxibustion
Therapeutic principle:
Eliminate wind and clear up heat, cool the blood by
using the points mainly from the Large Intestine
meridian of Hand Yangming.
Prescription: Hegu (LI 4), Quchi (LI 6), Dazhui
(DU 14), Fengchi (GB 20), Weizhong (BL 40).
The wheals are red or milky-white, liable to attack the
patient when it is cold. The case will abate when it is
warmer, and it is inclined to be severe in winter but
milder in summer. The tongue is pale, covered with thin,
white fur, and the pulse is floating and slow.
To treat by Herbal
medicine Therapeutic principle: Expel pathogenic wind and
cold, and regulate defensive systems.
Prescription: Modified Magui Ge Ban Tang. Ephedra
(mahuang) 9g, Cinnamon twigs (guizhi) 9g, White peony
15g, Fresh ginger (shengjiang) 3g, Apricot seed
(xingren) 9g, Jujube (dazao) 6g, Ledebouriella root
(fangfeng) 9g, Schizonepeta (jingjie) 9g, Xanthium fruit
(cangerzi) 9g, Baked licorice (zhigancao) 6g, Broom
cypress fruit (difuzi) 10g.
To treat by Acupuncture and
Moxibustion
Therapeutic principle: Expel pathogenic (disease
causing) wind and cold, and regulate defensive systems
by using the points mainly from the Large Intestine
meridian of Hand Yangming.
Prescription: Hegu (LI 4), Quchi (LI 6), Fengchi
(GB 20), Fengmen (BL 12), Dazhui (DU 14), Zusanli (ST
36).
When wheals appear, they are accompanied by abdominal
pain or nausea and vomiting, and by dry stool or
diarrhea, the tongue is yellow and greasy and pulse
floating and rapid.
To treat by Herbal
medicine Therapeutic principle: Expel pathogenic wind,
relieve exterior syndrome, and remove pathogenic heat
and dampness from the stomach and intestines.
To treat by Acupuncture and
Moxibustion
Therapeutic principle: Expel pathogenic wind,
relieve exterior syndrome, and remove pathogenic heat
and dampness from the stomach and intestines by using
the points mainly from the Large Intestine meridian of
hand Yangming and Stomach meridian of Foot Yangming.
Prescription: Hegu (LI 4), Quchi (LI 6),
Sanyinjiao (SP 6), Zusanli (ST 36), Neiting (ST 44),
Lingtai (DU 19).
Syndrome (d)
The Type of Deficiency of Both Qi
and Blood
The patient is weak or has suffered from a protracted
illness; wheals relapse frequently, usually intensified
when the patient is tired or suffering from cold. Other
symptoms include listlessness, pale complexion, pale
tongue, thin and white tongue coating, weak and deep
pulse, etc.
To treat by Herbal
medicine Therapeutic principle: Nourish the blood to expel
wind, strengthen Qi to enhance the superficial power of
resistance.
To treat by Acupuncture and
Moxibustion
Therapeutic principle: Nourish the blood to expel
wind, strengthen Qi to enhance the superficial power of
resistance by using points mainly from the Spleen
meridian of Foot Taiyin, Stomach meridian of Foot
Yangmin and Ren channel.
Generally speaking, Qigong is good for healing
effect of this specific ailment, however
individual results may vary. It improves the
flow of the qi and the circulation of the blood,
so you'll experience more energy, but, you won't
see/ feel any immediate effects, as with many
exercises and therapies, it takes a few weeks or
even months of practice before you'll see any
significant improvements.
For the information of different types of Qigong
,just click a link above.
This information is for education purpose only.
We strongly advise you seek a licensed Qigong
master to learn the correct ways to conduct
these exercises before attempting them.
(b) Medicated diet
1. Mulberry Leaf(sangye) 6g, decoct it about 10
minutes and drink the soup as tea. It is
applicable to the Wind-heat type only.
2. Cinnamon twigs (guizhi) 3g, Fresh ginger
(shengjiang) 5 slices. Decoct the herbs for 30
minutes in water 1000-1500ml. Then take out the
herbs and add Polished round-grained
Rice(jingmi) 200g, make gruel. Eat 1-2 bowls a
day and take it in three days or continue more
days if necessary. It is applicable to the
Wind-cold type only.
3. Atractylodes Rhizome(cangzhu)
6g, Cape Jasmine Fruit(zhizi) 6g.
Decoct the herbs for 30 minutes in water
1000-1500ml. Then take out the herbs and add
Polished round-grained Rice(jingmi) 200g, make
gruel. Eat 1-2 bowls a day and take it in three
days or continue more days if necessary. It is
applicable to the Gastrointestinal Damp-Heat
Type only.
(c) Life style
(a)
Refrain from eating sea food like fish,
lobsters, crabs, and pungent, irritating food as
well. Alcohol should not be drunk either. When a
certain food has been found to be the cause of
the onset, it should not be eaten again.
(b) Avoid various kinds of irritating factors,
such as wearing chemical fiber clothing, cold,
scratching and mental stress.
(c) Those patients, who are hypersensitive to
pollen, should not keep flowers in their rooms.
Acknowledgments:
Healthphone.com greatly acknowledges the support
and dedication of our
Healing Centre Panel, without whom this
section would not be possible.
We also greatly acknowedge Ms. Najaf Munir,
MBBS, for her editorial support. Ms. Munir
simplified the highly technical medical
documents into easy-to-read documents, for the
enjoyment and education of our numerous
visitors.
