external med

Question 1

boils represent

Answer 1

always show internal or external heat
may also experience alternating chills and fever
this is because path heat is in the wei level
may appear anywhere but mostly face, head and limbs

Question 2

if the heat penetrates the pericardium and turns to toxic heat the boils will develop

Answer 2

red lines around the edges
this is a serious condition

Question 3

treating boils

Answer 3

Du 10 to treat boils
Du 14 to clear heat condition
clear fire, resolve damp, move qi and blood of the affected channel

Question 4

closed sac with a distinct membrane around it, painless and easy to move

Answer 4

a cyst

Question 5

treating cysts

Answer 5

move qi and blood along the channel, resolve damp

Question 6

small, red, raised, itchy bumps or wheals
sudden onset, spreads quickly
may have direct trigger; allergic or food contact

Answer 6

hives (urticaria)

Question 7

treating hives

Answer 7

expel wind, clear heat, resolve dampness

Question 8

wind heat hives

Answer 8

severe itching and spreading widely
expel wind, clear heat

Question 9

wind damp hives

Answer 9

stagnation of damp trapped between skin and muscles
expel wind, resolve damp

Question 10

damp heat in stomach/intestines hives

Answer 10

red, itchy wheals, rather than small pinprick rash
resolve dampness, disperse wind, clear heat

Question 11

fire in stomach/intestines hives

Answer 11

red, itchy wheals like damp heat but drier
clear fire from stomach/intestines

Question 12

toxic heat hives

Answer 12

extreme heat in the blood, extreme burning itch, large red wheals, possibly over whole body. associated with longterm antibiotics or infections
clear toxins clear heat and cool blood

Question 13

wei qi xu hives

Answer 13

small rash after sweating
disperse wind, tonify wei and nutritive qi

Question 14

acute, highly infectious bacterial skin infection
caused by strep bacteria that causes sore throat

Answer 14

eripselas

Question 15

eripselas treatment

Answer 15

invasion of damp heat in spleen and stomach
clear heat, resolve damp, cool blood
plum blossom needle around perimeter of rash
prick to bleed 12 jing-well points bilaterally

Question 16

typically presents as red raised rash or red cluster of blisters with burning or tingling pain

Answer 16

shingles/herpes zoster

Question 17

shingles treatment

Answer 17

begins as external pathogenic wind heat
expel pathogen, clear heat, expel wind
plum blossom around head and tail of rash
honeysuckle tea to expel wind heat

Question 18

chronic shingles treatment

Answer 18

originally starts the same, but now has gone deeper and affected zangfu, typically liver and gallbladder (damp heat/fire)

Question 19

if shingles are no/small rash

Answer 19

its not damp heat, it has stayed as wind heat or turned to LV/GB fire

Question 20

typically occur during postpartum breast feeding, could occur mid cycle/premenstrually, localized collection of pus caused by bacterial infection. Painful, red, warm breast with palpable lump or swelling

Answer 20

breast abscess

Question 21

breast abscess TCM diagnosis

Answer 21

liver qi stag, heat stag in stomach or invasion of external toxic fire

Question 22

acute disorder affecting large or small intestine, caused by irregular eating habits, retention of food, or running after a big meal

Answer 22

intestinal abscess

Question 23

enlarged thyroid gland causing swelling at front of the neck, painless, without change in skin colour or texture

Answer 23

goiter

Question 24

qi goiter is caused by

Answer 24

liver qi stag

Question 25

flesh goiter is caused by

Answer 25

phlegm damp accumulation

Question 26

soft swelling on the front of the neck, gradually increase size with unclear margins, size will fluctuate with emotional state, no pain or discolouration, may cause difficulty breathing and hoarse voice if large enough

Answer 26

Qi goiter

Question 27

tends to occur under 40, more common in women, fatigue, depression, aversion to cold, constipation, pallor, facial edema, brittle nails, dry hair, alopecia, memory loss

Answer 27

flesh goiter

Question 28

acne triggers include

Answer 28

emotions (heat in blood, liver and heart root) diet (lungs and stomach damp heat) diet (lungs and stomach damp heat) hormones (imbalance in chong and ren)

Question 29

location of acne: forehead

Answer 29

stomach and heart

Question 30

location of acne: cheek

Answer 30

right cheek - liver left cheek - lung

Question 31

location of acne: mouth and nose

Answer 31

spleen and stomach

Question 32

location of acne: lower jaw

Answer 32

disharmony of chong and ren

Question 33

location of acne: chest

Answer 33

chong

Question 34

location of acne: upper back

Answer 34

du

Question 35

predominately damp, no sig heat

Answer 35

blackheads

Question 36

predominately heat with damp

Answer 36

whiteheads

Question 37

qi and blood stasis

Answer 37

nodules

Question 38

phlegm and blood stasis

Answer 38

pustules

Question 39

typically indicates lung and kidney xu, lung governs the pores, kidney nourishes and moistens the skin, kidney essence is closely linked to the corporeal soul of the lung, which is believed to be the force behind sensory feedback, particularly pain and itching on the skin

Answer 39

eczema

Question 40

acute eczema is always caused by

Answer 40

external pathogen, sudden onset, bilateral red, itchy, dry and rash - wind heat red, itchy, oozing and blistered - damp heat

Question 41

intense itching, acute and sudden onset, red rash comes and goes, upper body, neck, shoulders, arms, typically affects elbow crease and forearms, tongue red, coating thin, yellow, pulse superficial and rapid

Answer 41

wind heat eczema

Question 42

chronic condition following acute, pale purple, thick scaly leisons, dry and flaky skin, dry hair, brittle nails, dull pale complexion, tongue pale, purple hue, pulse thready

Answer 42

blood xu

Question 43

blood xu treatment principle

Answer 43

nourish blood r4, st36, sp6,10, pc6, sp4, lv8, ht3

Question 44

chronic condition following repeated acute attacks, light colour blisters, no red, blisters have a thin white discharge, loose stool, poor appetite, fatigue, heaviness, no thirst, tongue teethmarks, swollen, coating greasy, pulse sluppery

Answer 44

spleen qi xu with damp

Question 45

spleen qi xu with damp

Answer 45

drain damp to create space for spleen qi to increase, tonify spleen sp9 lg7, sp5, r9,5, st40, sj4 sp3, st36, bl20, r10, lv13, sp21, r17

Question 46

most common between 15-30 and 50-60 years old, autoimmune disorder that causes skin cells to grow too quickly, causing patches of thickening, patches with clearly defined edges, skin is dry, scaly, white or silvery, if scales peel away the skin under is thin papery and semi transparent, if it bleeds, blood is usually dark

Answer 46

psoriasis

Question 47

similar to wind heat eczema, fast developing, severe itchy skin, red film over scales, bleeding, tongue red, coating yellow thin, pulse rapid

Answer 47

wind heat

Question 48

wind heat treatment plan

Answer 48

expel wind, clear heat

Question 49

typically accompanies arthritis and fibrosis, stiffness in morning, inflamed and deformed joints, tongue red, coating yellow

Answer 49

damp heat/fire

Question 50

damp heat/fire treatment plan

Answer 50

clear fire, expel wind, drain damp

Question 51

whole body is affected, widespread pattern, often associated with autoimmune, inflammatory conditions, red skin, painful, inflamed, deformed joints, tongue red/purple, pulse rapid, weak

Answer 51

blood heat and stasis

Question 52

blood heat and stasis treatment plan

Answer 52

clear heat, cool blood, move blood

Question 53

psoriasis is typically a

Answer 53

xu condition

Question 54

chronic condition, slow response to treatment, very dry lesions, seen in elderly or with lifetime eczema, tongue pale purple/red, coating thin/peeled

Answer 54

blood and yin xu

Question 55

blood and yin xu treatment plan

Answer 55

tonify blood and yin, clear empty heat, cool blood

Question 56

itching over the whole body or in localized spots, without the presence of visible lesions and without accompanying illness, worse at night, chronic condition most common in elderly

Answer 56

cutaneous puritits

Question 57

happens mainly in winter, itchy skin, significant dryness, interior heat creates hot and dry environment, absorbs moisture from the air and consumes yin

Answer 57

wind dryness

Question 58

wind dryness treatment

Answer 58

expel wind, nourish yin and BF

Question 59

typically happens in summer, whole body itchy, accumulates in sweaty areas, hot, red itchy and raw feeling blisters

Answer 59

damp heat

Question 60

damp heat treatment plan

Answer 60

drain damp, clear fire

Question 61

affects the central third of face, worsened by heat, exercise, sunlight, cold, spicy food, alcohol, menopause, starts as red skin, when chronic the skin becomes rough, thick, swollen, often the nose becomes enlarged

Answer 61

rosacea

Question 62

early stage rosacea

Answer 62

erythema

Question 63

redness on or around the nose, fades to white with pressure, often with oily skin, history of constipation, irregular diet, dry mouth, thirst, excess alcohol consumption, tongue red, coating yellow, pulse rapid, wiry, reflects heat in lung and stomach

Answer 63

early stage rosacea

Question 64

early stage rosacea treatment plan

Answer 64

clear heat from lung and stomach, yang mind li6, st40

Question 65

second stage of rosacea after initial reddening, affected area turns to papules which may have some pus, concentrated on nose and cheeks, constipation, dark and scanty urine, tongue dark red, pulse full and rapid

Answer 65

accumulated toxic heat

Question 66

accumulated toxic heat treatment plan

Answer 66

cool blood, clear toxic heat

Question 67

last stage rosacea, prolonged increased blood flow to area, results in swollen and enlarged skin, typically nose, skin is rough and thickened with enlarged pores, skin is purple red colour, more common in men, tongue dark red/ purple, pulse choppy

Answer 67

blood stasis

Question 68

blood stasis treatment plan

Answer 68

move qi and blood stasis, cool blood