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Cinnabar eye

眼丹 〔眼丹〕yǎn dān

A condition in which the eyelid becomes red, swollen, hot, and painful, and which in the later stages may suppurate and rupture and cause pronounced generalized signs. Cinnabar eye can develop from sties or damage to skin and is traced to brewing accumulation of spleen-stomach heat toxin and externally contracted wind evil, combining to transform into fire, which binds in the eyelid, obstructs the network vessels, and scorches the fluids. At onset, the upper eyelid suddenly becomes red, swollen, and painful. Gradually, the whole of the area of the eyelids is affected by diffuse swelling that prevents full opening of the eye. The skin is red or purplish red in color and is tender. Other signs include heat effusion and aversion to cold, headache, and general discomfort. As pus gathers, the skin gradually becomes thinner and turns a yellow white in color, and rippling can be felt under the touch. After rupture, it heals. If pus is excessively abundant and is not discharged easily, the condition may spread.

Biomedical correspondence: palpebral cellulitis.

Patterns

Wind toxin fettering the outer body (风毒外束 fēng dú wài shù): Signs include diffuse swelling soft to the touch, diffuse redness, pain, and itching. These signs are accompanied by aversion to wind, headache, dizziness, general discomfort, pale tongue with yellow fur, and tight floating pulse.

Medicinal therapy: Course wind and resolve toxin with variations of Schizonepeta and Saposhnikovia Toxin-Vanquishing Powder (荆防败毒散 jīng fáng bài dú sǎn).

Acumoxatherapy: Base treatment mainly on LI. Select GB-20 (Wind Pool, 风池 fēng chí), LI-4 (Union Valley, 合谷 hé gǔ), LI-11 (Pool at the Bend, 曲池 qū chí), TB-5 (Outer Pass, 外关 wài guān), GV-14 (Great Hammer, 大椎 dà zhuī), and BL-2 (Bamboo Gathering, 攒竹 zǎn zhú); needle with drainage and prick Greater yáng (tài yáng) (太阳 tài yáng), LU-11 (Lesser Shang, 少商 shào shāng), GV-23 (Upper Star, 上星 shàng xīng), SP-10 (Sea of Blood, 血海 xuè hǎi), and BL-40 (Bend Center, 委中 wěi zhōng) to bleed.

Heat toxin congesting internally (热毒内蕴 rè dú nèi yùn): Signs include hard diffuse swelling that is red in color as though smeared with cinnabar and with fire-like scorching pain. General signs include thirst and constipation, a red tongue with yellow fur, and large surging pulse.

Medicinal therapy: Clear heat and resolve toxin with Immortal Formula Life-Giving Beverage (仙方活命饮 xiān fāng huó mìng yǐn).

Acumoxatherapy: Base treatment mainly on LI, ST, and PC. Select LI-4 (Union Valley, 合谷 hé gǔ), LI-11 (Pool at the Bend, 曲池 qū chí), PC-6 (Inner Pass, 内关 nèi guān), ST-36 (Leg Three Lǐ, 足三里 zú sān lǐ), SP-6 (Three Yīn Intersection, 三阴交 sān yīn jiāo), needle with drainage and prick BL-40 (Bend Center, 委中 wěi zhōng), SP-10 (Sea of Blood, 血海 xuè hǎi), and Greater yáng (tài yáng) (太阳 tài yáng) to bleed.

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