Red and white wandering wind

Also wandering wind. A disease characterized by the sudden appearance, usually on the lips, eyelids, and earlobes, or the chest and abdomen or shoulder and back, of red or white cloud-shaped patches of smooth, puffy skin that feel hard to the touch, associated with burning sensation, numbness, and mild itching. Red and white wandering wind is attributed to spleen-lung dryness-heat or insecurity of exterior qì allowing wind evil to invade the interstices, cause congestion, and disturb provisioning and defense. When the evil is stagnating in the blood aspect, the patches are red in color (red wandering wind); when stagnating in the qì aspect, the patches are white (white wandering wind). Usually, there are no generalized signs, but abdominal pain, diarrhea, and vomiting may be observed.

Biomedical correspondence: angioneurotic edema (called also Quincke’s edema, Milton’s edema, wandering edema, angioedema, and giant urticaria).

Medicinal therapy: Treat by dispersing wind, clearing heat, and disinhibiting dampness, assisted by regulating provisioning and defense. Oral: Wind-Dispersing Powder (消风散 xiāo fēng sǎn). Topical: apply Jade Dew Powder (玉露散 yù lù sǎn) or Golden Yellow Powder (金黄散 jīn huáng sǎn).

See also kidney qì wandering wind.