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Cocoon lip

茧唇 〔繭唇〕jiǎn chún

A disease of the mouth that starts with a bean-like hard lump on the lip (usually the lower lip), which gradually grows larger and whose skin becomes white and fissured, giving it the appearance of a cocoon, an everted flower, ganoderma or other fungus. It can rupture to exude bloody fluid, leaving an ulceration with an uneven surface that forms scabs. In the final stages, there is dry mouth and throat, and emaciation. Patterns include intense internal spleen fire, spleen-stomach repletion heat, and intense yīn vacuity fire.

Biomedical correspondence: cancer of the lip.

Patterns

Intense internal spleen fire (脾火内炽 pí huǒ nèi chì): The swelling is elevated and hardand may be ulcerated and painful. It is accompanied by thirst, yellow urine, red tongue with yellow fur, and a rapid fine pulse.

Medicinal therapy: Clear fire and resolve toxin; nourish yīn and engender liquid. Use variations of Cool Clearing Sweet Dew Beverage (清凉甘露饮 qīng liáng gān lù yǐn).

Spleen-stomach repletion heat (脾胃实热 pí wèi shí rè): The swelling is scorching and painful, and the lips are dry and cracked. There is thirst, constipation, yellow urine, and a dry yellow fur, and forceful slippery rapid pulse.

Medicinal therapy: Free the bowels and discharge heat; resolve toxin and transform phlegm. Use Diaphragm-Cooling Powder (凉膈散 liáng gé sǎn) plus silkworm (Bombyx Batryticatus, 白僵蚕 bái jiāng cán) and bearded scutellaria (Scutellariae Barbatae Herba, 半枝莲 bàn zhī lián).

Intense yīn vacuity fire (阴虚火炽 yīn xū huǒ chì): The lesion is painful and burns like fire. It is deep dull purple in color and periodically exudes blood water. Other signs include reddening of the checks, heat in the hearts of the palms and soles, a red tongue without fur, and a rapid fine pulse.

Medicinal therapy: Nourish yīn and downbear fire with Anemarrhena, Phellodendron, and Rehmannia Pill (知柏地黄丸 zhī bǎi dì huáng wán).

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