Throat lichen

Lichen (xiǎn) in the throat; so called because it appears as a moss or lichen growing in the throat. Throat lichen is attributable either to liver-kidney depletion or to stomach heat fuming the lung. It starts with a dry itchy, slightly sore throat that appears dark and gloomy in complexionand is covered with red threads, like the veins of a Chinese flowering crabapple leaf hǎi táng yè. Subsequently, the affected area begins to putrefy and take on the appearance of being coated with moss or lichen. Other signs include pain on swallowing that is mild in the morning, more pronounced in the evening, and most severe at night, and a hoarse voice.

Biomedical correspondence: membranous pharyngitis.

Patterns

Liver-kidney depletion (肝肾虚亏 gān shèn xū kuī) causes throat lichen when it causes ascendant hyperactivity of the ministerial fire that in turn causes wear on lung yīn.

Medicinal therapy: Enrich yīn and downbear fire with Anemarrhena, Phellodendron, and Rehmannia Pill (知柏地黄丸 zhī bǎi dì huáng wán) prepared as a decoction, or Four Agents Decoction (四物汤 sì wù tāng) plus ligustrum (Ligustri Lucidi Fructus, 女贞子 nǚ zhēn zǐ), scrophularia (Scrophulariae Radix, 玄参 xuán shēn), and ginseng (Ginseng Radix, 人参 rén shēn), etc.

Stomach heat fuming the lung (胃火熏肺 wèi huǒ xūn fèi) results from excessive consumption of rich fatty fried foods and liquor that causes the accumulation of heat in the stomach.

Medicinal therapy: Clear heat and resolve toxin with Universal Aid Toxin-Dispersing Beverage (普济消毒饮 pǔ jì xiāo dú yǐn) or Diaphragm-Cooling Powder (凉膈散 liáng gé sǎn).