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