Spontaneous bleeding of the tongue

Bleeding from the tongue not due to injury. It is attributed to heat brewing in the heart channel or spleen and kidney channel vacuity fire flaming upward.

Patterns

Heat brewing in the heart channel (心经蕴热 xīn jīng yùn rè) can cause spontaneous bleeding of the tongue marked by blood gushing from the top of the tongue and a tongue that is swollen and hard as wood.

Medicinal therapy: Clear heat and cool the blood with Coptis Toxin-Resolving Decoction (黄连解毒汤 huáng lián jiě dú tāng) plus imperata (Imperatae Rhizoma, 白茅根 bái máo gēn) and sophora flower (Sophorae Flos, 槐花 huái huā) for mild cases and Rhinoceros Horn and Rehmannia Decoction (犀角地黄汤 xī jiǎo dì huáng tāng) plus child’s urine (Infantis Urina, 童便 tóng biàn) for severe cases.

Acumoxatherapy: Select PC-8 (Palace of Toil, 劳宫 láo gōng), HT-8 (Lesser Mansion, 少府 shào fǔ), PC-9 (Central Hub, 中冲 zhōng chōng), PC-4 (Cleft Gate, 郄门 xī mén), GV-26 (Water Trough, 水沟 shuǐ gōu); and KI-3 (Great Ravine, 太溪 tài xī), needle with drainage, or prick to bleed with a three-edged needle.

Spleen and kidney channel vacuity fire flaming upward (脾肾二经虚火上炎 pí shèn èr jīng xū huǒ shàng yán) causes spontaneous bleeding of the tongue characterized by oozing of blood from the upper surface of the tongue often accompanied by tidal heat and night sweating.

Medicinal therapy: Oral: Enrich yīn and cool the blood with Six-Ingredient Rehmannia Pill (六味地黄丸 liù wèi dì huáng wán) plus white peony (Paeoniae Radix Alba, 白芍药 bái sháo yào) and licorice (Glycyrrhizae Radix, 甘草 gān cǎo). Topical: Apply a concentrated decoction of sumac gallnut (Galla Chinensis, 五倍子 wǔ bèi zǐ) on a ball of gauze, or apply sophora flower (Sophorae Flos, 槐花 huái huā), stir-fried typha pollen (Typhae Pollen, 蒲黄 pú huáng), and charred human hair (Crinis Carbonisatus, 血余炭 xuè yú tàn) in powder form. Persistent bleeding may call for cauterization.

Acumoxatherapy: Base treatment mainly the three yīn channels of the foot. Select KI-3 (Great Ravine, 太溪 tài xī), KI-6 (Shining Sea, 照海 zhào hǎi), KI-2 (Blazing Valley, 然谷 rán gǔ), KI-1 (Gushing Spring, 湧泉 yǒng quán), SP-6 (Three Yīn Intersection, 三阴交 sān yīn jiāo), SP-10 (Sea of Blood, 血海 xuè hǎi), LR-3 (Supreme Surge, 太冲 tài chōng), LR-2 (Moving Between, 行间 xíng jiān), and ST-44 (Inner Court, 内庭 nèi tíng); needle with even supplementation and drainage.