Throat-entwining wind

Throat wind in which the neck that is rigid as if entwined by a snake. Throat-entwining wind is attributed to accumulated heat in the bowels and viscera and wind-phlegm welling upward. There is redness, soreness, and swelling inside and outside the throat pass, with local numbness and itching that may spread as far as the anterior chest. The neck is rigid as if entwined by a snake. The swelling spreads deep down into the throat to the epiglottis and larynx, causing hasty labored breathing, phlegm rale, qì tightness in the chest and diaphragm, green-blue finger nails, vigorous heat [effusion] in the hearts of the palms, hypertonicity of the jaw, and difficulty in swallowing fluids. In severe cases, blockage of the throat can threaten death by asphyxiation.

Biomedical correspondence: parapharyngeal abscess; suppurative submaxillaritis.

Medicinal therapy: Resolve toxin and discharge heat; disperse swelling and disinhibit the throat. Use Scourge-Clearing Toxin-Vanquishing Beverage (清瘟败毒饮 qīng wēn bài dú yǐn). Modern methods may be necessary to maintain respiration.

Acumoxatherapy: Base treatment mainly on LI, LU, and ST. Select LI-4 (Union Valley, 合谷 hé gǔ), LI-11 (Pool at the Bend, 曲池 qū chí), LU-5 (Cubit Marsh, 尺泽 chǐ zé), ST-44 (Inner Court, 内庭 nèi tíng), CV-22 (Celestial Chimney, 天突 tiān tú), LU-10 (Fish Border, 鱼际 yú jì), ST-40 (Bountiful Bulge, 丰隆 fēng lóng), CV-24 (Sauce Receptacle, 承浆 chéng jiāng), and ST-6 (Cheek Carriage, 颊车 jiá chē); needle with drainage, and prick LU-11 (Lesser Shang, 少商 shào shāng), and LI-1 (Shang Yáng, 商阳 shāng yáng) to bleed.

See throat wind.