Back to previous page Search again ↑

Also bright hall. An organ located in the center of the face, through which great qì (air) enters the lung; the external orifice of the lung.

Diagnosis: The nose and snivel (nasal mucus) are of diagnostic value. Flaring nostrils are associated with rapid breathing due to lung heat. Dry nostrils indicate lung heat or contraction of dryness evil. A dry parched black nose indicates intense heat toxin. Prominent blood vessels at the root of the nose in infants are a sign of a weak constitution or weakness of the organs. When this occurs during the course of an illness it indicates fright-wind. In patients suffering from measles, extremely scant papules at the sides of the nostrils indicate nondiffusion of lung qì and the incomplete outthrust of evil heat. Snivel is the humor of the lung.

Abnormalities of snivel (nasal mucus) indicate either nondiffusion of lung qì due either to the presence of evil or to lung vacuity. Nasal congestion with turbid snivel is observed in external contraction of wind-heat, whereas nasal congestion and runny nose with clear snivel indicates wind-cold invading the lung (common cold). In the latter case, it thickens and turns yellow on recovery. Thin clear snivel and pronounced sneezing indicates sniveling nose, which roughly corresponds to allergic rhinitis in Western medicine. Foul-smelling turbid yellow snivel accompanied by recurrent headaches indicates deep-source nasal congestion, which roughly corresponds to paranasal sinusitis. Compare also brain leak and brain-gripping sand.

Bleeding from the nose, called nosebleed, is the most common form of spontaneous external bleeding and is observed in lung heat, stomach fire, liver fire, head wind, liquor damage, yīn vacuity, repelled yáng, and external injury patterns.

Growths within the nasal passages, nasal polyps, also result in nasal congestion. Diseases of the exterior of the nose include acne and drinker’s nose.

Leprosy, often referred to as pestilential wind, may give rise to collapse of the nose.

Back to previous page Search again

Help us to improve our content

You found an error? Send us a feedback