Ma Huang Tang

Class: Formulas for relieving superficial syndromes
Sub-class: relieve exterior with pungent and warm

Indications:

chills, fever, no sweat, aversion to cold, cough/wheeze, asthma, back/head/muscle ache 

tongue: thin white coat 

pulse: floating, tight

ma huang (herba ephedra)	9g	LU, BL; slightly bitter; warm release exterior & disperse cold by inducing sweating; circulate & descend LU Qi to stop wheezing
gui zhi (ramulus cinnamomi)	6g	HE, LU, BL; sweet; warm harmonize wei & ying qi; tonify HE yang; move yang & transform Qi; warm the channels & disperse cold
xing ren (semen armeniacae amarum)	9g	LU, LI; bitter; slightly warm; slightly toxic stop cough & calm wheezing; moisten intestines & unblocks bowels
zhi gan cao (radix et rhizoma glycyrrhizae praeparata cum melle)	3g	HE, LU, SP, ST; sweet; neutral tonify SP & Qi; moisten lungs & stop cough; clear heat & reduce toxicity; relieve spasm & alleviate pain;

Ma Huang

Yu Ping Feng San

Class: Astringent

Subclass:

Huang Qi (radix astragali membranacei)	15 g	Tonifies Qi. Raises Yang. Strengthens the Defensive-Qi. Strengthens the Exterior.
Bai Zhu (rhizoma atractylodis macrocephalae)	15 g	Tonifies Qi. Strengthens the Spleen. Dries Dampness
Fang Feng (radix ledebouriellae divaricatae)	7.5 g	Expels Wind. Releases the Exterior. Disperses Dampness.

Actions:

Restrains sweating, Strengthens the Exterior, Tonifies Qi

Indications:

Deficiency of the Exterior with weak and unstable protective Qi (Wei Qi).

Possible symptoms and diseases according to TCM:

Immune system weakness (easily catches colds)

Allergic rhinitis, Aversion to drafts, Aversion to wind
Chronic bronchitis, Flu syndrome, Respiratory tract infection
Spontaneous sweating

Tongue: pale body; white coat
Pulse:    superficial, weak

Huang Qi

Si Ni San

It's a cold, snowy day today.  The weather made me think of a friend of mine who has complained that our winter never really arrived this year.  On the few occasions that I have made it out skiing with him I discovered that while he loves being out in the snow his hands and feet get extremely cold.  It sounds like he suffers from more severe Raynaud's syndrome than I do.

Ran across the following article about Si Ni San (Frigid Extremities Powder).

Si Ni San (Counterflow Cold Powder)

Chai Hu (Bupleuri Radix)
Zhi Shi (Aurantii Fructus Immaturus)
Bai Shao (Paeoniae Radix Alba)
Zhi Gan Cao (Glycyrrhizae Radix Praeparata)

Si Ni San was originally created to treat cold extremities due to depression of yang qi, but later generations expanded its use to treat disharmony of the liver and spleen. As such, Si Ni San is one of the most important base formulas for coursing the liver and supplementing the spleen. Si Ni San is a simple formula because it contains few ingredients, but it is profound because it contains a very eloquent combination of medicinals. 

Written by:Eric Brand
Published on November 18th, 2009 @ 12:18:50 pm , using 1277 words, 2465 views

Full Article Text

Formulas that Release the Exterior

Functions:
These formulae are diaphoretics (ie/ promote sweating). They release exterior pathogens and vent rashes.

Indications:

• invasion of external pathogens (wind-cold, wind-heat, wind damp)
• chills, fever, headache, body ache, runny nose, stuffed up nose, sore throat, cough, fatigue, superficial pulse
• can also be used for early stages of rashes, measles, sores, edema, malaria

Rx Summary:

 Wind-Cold
        mild:         Cong Ci Tang
        moderate: Jing Fang Bai Du San
        severe
               XS:      Ma Huang Tang
               Xu:      Gui Zhi Tang

       W-C + interior heat in LU    --> Ma Xing Shi Gan Tang
       W-C + interior cold-phlegm --> Xiao Qing Long Tang
       W-C  causing headaches       --> Chuan Xiong Cha Tiao San
       W-C  in the summer              --> Xiang Ru San

Wind-Cold-Damp

       W-C-D + head/body ache     --> Jia Wei Qian Huo Tang
       W-C-D + cough & wheeze    --> Ma Xing Yi Gan Tang
       W-C-D + Bi Pain                   --> Ma Huang Jia Zhu Tang

Wind-Heat

       W-H - whole body                 --> Yin Qiao San
       W-H - upper respiratory       --> Sang Ju Yin
       W-H - lower respiratory       --> Yin Qiao Ma Xing Shi Gan Tang

Wind
       W causing eczema               --> Xiao Feng San

Tonify & Release Exterior

       RE w Yang Xu                     --> Zai Zao San
       RE w Qi Xu                         --> Ren Shen Bai Du San
       RE w Yin Xu                       --> Jia Jian Wei Rui Tang
       RE w Blood Xu                   --> Cong Bai Qi Wei Yin

TE5 Wai Guan / Outer Pass

5th point of Hand Shao Yang Meridian

Nature:
Luo-connecting; Confluent with YangWei

Location:
On the posterior aspect of the forearm,
midpoint of the interosseous space between
the radius and the ulna, 2 cun proximal
to the dorsal wrist crease.


Functions:

1. Dispel Heat and release exterior

• for fever, headache, red eyes and thirst due to exterior Wind-Heat
• combine with DU14, LI11, LI4

2. Regulate SanJiao, clear internal Heat and stop pain

• for migraine, hypochonriac pain, painful ears, red eyes, deafness, tinnitus due to Wind-Heat, XS Heat or Damp-Heat in LR & GB meridians
• headache/migraine due to LR Qi stagnation (temporal)
• also dispel pathogens from exterior for common-cold and seasonal allergies
• combine with GB41(Confluent with Dai) for ShaoYang disorders

3. Activate the collaterals and open meridians

• for paralysis, limited movement of arm, pain & swelling of wrist/elbow/shoulder
• Migraine!
• combine with GB8 for fast relief of migraine pain (temporal)

SI3 Hou Xi / Back Stream

The 3rd point of the Hand Tai Yang meridian



Nature:
Shu- Stream; Wood; Mother; Confluent with Du


Location:
on the ulnar side of the hand, proximal of the metacarpophalangeal joint, at the junction between palm and dorsum of hand







Functions:
1. clear heat and release the exterior

• for heat due to external pathogen (fever, febrile diseases, malaria) and internal heat
• combine with DU14

2. regulate the Du meridian, restore consciousness

• SI3 (Confluent with Du) is part of confluent pair with BL62 (Confluent with Yang Qiao) - used together to balance Yin/Yang in body
• combine with BL62 for illness of inner canthus, neck, ear, shoulder, back

      
3. activate collaterals and stop pain

• headaches!  especially those in the occiput/neck region; treats Du meridian on the neck therefore good for acute neck problems (stiffness, pain, spasm/torticollis); weaker but works on the lower back as well; also arm pain and finger numbness
•  combine with LU7 & BL10 for headache

4. consolidate body surface & stop sweating

• for night sweats (Yin Xu+Yang XS); hot flashes; 5 palm heat
• combine with HR6

5. clear heat from head and eyes

• red eyes, sore throat, swelling of the cheek due to Wind-Heat 

Clinic: August 9

Another busy day in the student clinic.  I have been observing student interns not instructors which is a little disappointing.  I guess with it being summer things are less busy.  At least the interns do still, sometimes, consult with the supervising instructor so I am able to learn that way.  Had a chance today to follow a couple different interns.

#1:   This woman has been receiving treatment for a few years for her frozen shoulder.  The treatment principle is mainly local points for the shoulder; tonify Yin & LR points to affect tendons.  I have noticed in this clinic a lot more emphasis on local points and ashi points.

#2. This was a new patient;  a 27 yo man complaining of candida.  Lots of intestinal issues, headache/dizziness with mental fog and rashes.  Main diagnosis was damp & heat.  The treatment principle was draining damp and moving Qi especially in the middle Jiao, then boost SP Qi once the damp is gone.  I had the opportunity to compound another herbal formula.  Also got to see the use of smokeless moxa stick and wheat moxa in use.

#3: An MS patient who had trouble with edema & lack of use of her legs.  This was her 2nd treatment and she was overjoyed at how much benefit her first treatment gave her.

#4. A patient I had observed on my first clinic day.  She is doing well and feels that she may be able to reduce the frequency of her visits.

 
With #3 & #4 it is great to see people's health improving from our efforts.  Sometimes it is easy to get bogged down in studying and work and forget that what we are doing really is helping.