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An easy to implement one:
5 Chinese medicine tips to soothe a sore throat
Peppermint tea with lemon and honey.
It seems there are some sore throats going around at the moment which is characteristic of a time when there is change in the weather. (Just think about above-average high temperatures, windy days and sometimes a drop off in temperature after a storm.) In addition we all get a lot more social out and about in spring this increases our risk of picking up a spring/summer cold virus. And this all happens when many of us are run down from a very busy year, pushing through to the Christmas/New Year break.
A sore throat is often your first warning sign that you have picked up a bug. Act immediately on your treatment to prevent the sore throat developing into a full blown cold or to at least lessen the severity of one.
If you have picked up a sore throat (often termed a wind-heat attack in Chinese medicine as symptoms are sudden and usually hot in nature – feverish, sweating, yellow/green phlegm).
Here’s my top five tips to put out the fire and soften the razor blades of a sore throat:
- Salt water gargles. Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt to a small glass of warm water. Gargle as many times per day as you can.
- Peppermint tea with a squeeze of lemon and a dash of honey. Lemon and peppermint are cooling but peppermint also helps to promote the release of the ‘wind-heat pathogen’ by opening the pores and honey will moisten a dry throat. Drink this likes it’s water as you will need to keep your fluids up anyway. Mulberry leaves and chrysanthemum may also be added to the tea.
- Pear anything. Eat fresh pears, cook them or juice them (small amounts regularly). Pears are used in Chinese medicine to cool and moisten a sore throat. Watermelon and figs are other sore throat favourites.
- Herbal medicine. The big guns! A personalised herbal formula can be made up for your individual symptoms. Often your formula can be gargled so that you get the local action of the herbs prior to swallowing. A herbal throat spray can also be convenient and welcome relief.
- Acupuncture. We have some excellent acupuncture techniques for taking the heat out of a sore throat quickly and addressing other symptoms like sinus congestion.
If you have come down with a common cold or flu check out these cold and flu tips to manage your other symptoms.
And remember at the first sign of a sore throat use these tips immediately!
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A more lifestyle reminder one:
Here are some simple home remedies for acute sore throat:
- Drink a lot of water, and gargle with warm salt water. Use sea salt. You can gargle with salt water once per hour but at minimum twice a day.
- Use essential oils of oregano and/or thyme. Oregano and thyme essential oils have antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, and antiseptic properties, making them a good choice for stimulating the immune system and protecting the respiratory system. Essential oils are extremely potent, so you only need one or two drops per dose. To use, place in your diffuser, inhale the aroma directly from your palms, or drink in a glass of water.
- For a dry sore throat, take as spoonful of honey in a glass of warm water and drink. Honey works naturally to neutralize toxins and relieve pain. Honey moistens dryness, and treats dry or hoarse throat and dry cough. According to Eastern medical theory, honey has a neutral energy (neither cooling nor heating) and is therefore balanced in terms of yin and yang. You can also add Chinese Wolfberry (Gou Qi Zi) before steaming.
- Make steamed pear with rock sugar. In Eastern nutrition, pears are great for a sore throat, dry throat, dry cough, loss of voice, and excess mucus. Asian pears are preferable if you can manage to get your hands on them. Skin and dice the pears, placing them in a deep bowl with some rock sugar (or honey, if you can’t find rock sugar). Place the bowl in a steamer and steam for 10-15 minutes or until the pear is slightly translucent. Note that Asian pears, which are more dense, may take longer to cook. Eat while warm.
Here are some general nutrition guidelines according to the Eastern principles of nutrition:
- Eat foods with a neutral or cool energy, to help soothe sore hot throat. This includes lettuce, radish, cucumber, celery, button mushroom, asparagus, Swiss chard, eggplant, spinach, summer squash, cabbage (green, purple, or Napa), bok choy, broccoli, cauliflower, sweet corn, zucchini, soy milk, tofu, mung beans and their sprouts, alfalfa sprouts, millet, amaranth, pears, apples, persimmon, lemon, watermelon, tomato, peppermint, dandelion greens, honeysuckle flowers, nettles, lemon balm, white peppercorn, cilantro, marjoram,
- Avoid foods with a warm or hot thermal nature, as they will exacerbate a sore throat. This includes alcohol, parsnip, parsley, mustard greens, winter squash, sweet potato, kale, onion, leek, chive, garlic, scallion, cherry, citrus peel, date, oats, spelt, quinoa, sunflower seed, sesame seed, walnut, pine nut, chestnut, fennel, dill, anise, caraway, carob pod, cumin, sweet brown rice and its products such as mochi, ginger, hot peppers, cinnamon, cloves, basil, rosemary, and angelica root.
- If dryness predominates, eat foods that are moistening. This includes pears, figs, soybean products (tofu, tempeh, soy milk), spinach, barley, millet, pear, apple, persimmon, loquat, seaweed, black and white fungus, almond, pine nut, peanut, sesame seed, and honey (cooked).
- If there is mucus, avoid products that contribute to more mucus and phlegm. This includes dairy products, mammal meats, peanuts, eggs, and soy products. Instead, eat more foods that dry mucus, such as lettuce, celery, turnip, kohlrabi, amaranth, aduki bean, wild blue-green micro-alga, asparagus, white pepper, alfalfa, pumpkin, vinegar, papaya, and bitter herbs: chaparral, pau d’arco, valerian, chamomile.
- Use cooking methods that are more neutral, such as boiling and steaming. Avoid baking, sauteeing, and deep frying.
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An existing TCM product, for throat and cough combined symptoms:
Chinese herbal syrup Nin Jiom Pei Pa Koa is a favourite remedy of many Singaporeans - and apparently, of American singer-songwriter Jason Mraz as well.
The two-time Grammy winner takes a cup of mint tea with the "very delicious" syrup in it during his pre-show rituals.
The tasty syrup can be used in food and drinks
Medicine is supposed to taste bad, but no one passed that memo to the makers of Pei Pa Koa. The tasty syrup can be used in food and drinks, like at the World Gourmet Summit in 2007.
Dr Diana Tan, a foodie interviewed by The Sunday Times in 2008, said of a meal she had by chef Jeremy Leung: "I especially liked the dessert, which was a steamed pear served with ice cream. It came with pi pa gao (a Chinese herbal cough syrup) and almond cream, and the contrast of warm and cold created the most delightful sensations on my taste buds.”
More recently, The New Paper asked bartender Louis Tan at L’Aiglon to come up with a Chinese New Year-inspired cocktail. Of his creation, which included Pei Pa Koa, TNP said: "And who knew dark rum and Pei Pa Koa would be a match made in heaven?"
Source: https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/5-things-about-chinese-herbal-syrup-nin-jiom-pei-pa-koa----
A more academic one:
TREATMENT OF THROAT AND VOICE DISORDERS
WITH CHINESE MEDICINE
WITH CHINESE MEDICINE
BACKGROUND
The throat is subject to a number of disorders including infections, hoarseness, vocal cord polyps and nodules, irritation (sometimes the result of gastric reflux and postnasal drip), and cancer. In Chinese medical texts, throat (Chinese: yan or hou) disorders are mentioned secondarily to other syndromes, such as common cold or a feverish disease, but are not a focus of specific discourse. Therefore, information about treatments for throat disorders must be culled from sparse sources, including medical reports from specialists and recommendations from texts devoted to modern medical specialties, such as otolaryngology, each providing some clues that may be useful in understanding the treatment principles.
There is a traditional Chinese herb formula that has become well-known in modern times for treating throat disorders as a result of Japanese research efforts: Pinellia and Magnolia Combination (Banxia Houpu Tang). It was presented in the Jingui Laoyue (1), a treatise composed at the end of the Han Dynasty (ca. 220 A.D.). The text addresses miscellaneous disorders, mostly those suffered by women. It includes this brief statement: "A woman who feels as if a piece of broiled meat is stuck in her throat should take Banxia Houpu Tang." This statement has been interpreted to mean that the woman is suffering from globus hystericus, the feeling of a lump (globus) resulting from hysteria (a state of mind originally thought to be associated with the uterus). The Chinese later described the sensation as that of a plum pit caught in the throat. The plum commonly used in China and Japan, known by the local names wume and umeboshi respectively, has a small pit that can become lodged in the throat; it has rough edges that contribute to the sensation being described. The syndrome is called "plum pit qi" (meihe qi), indicating that bound-up qi feels like a plum pit. Its cause was attributed to the emotions coupled with stagnation of phlegm (20).
The applications of Pinellia and Magnolia Combination have been expanded to include both the sensation of a lump that is without obvious physical cause and several physical disorders, such as esophageal spasms or difficulty swallowing. Expanding the applications of traditional formulas is a common procedure, based on the concept that the formulas address the basic pattern of symptoms and associated conditions (in this case, qi stagnation) and not necessarily the specific cause of the disorder as understood in modern terms. As a result, formulas designed for acute ailments that may have arisen from infections, climatic influences, or emotional disorders may be applied, for example, to the treatment of chronic diseases that are understood today to be related to metabolic, genetic, circulatory, or other disorders.
In Japan, where traditional formulas from the Han Dynasty form a large part of the modern prescription range (in what is called Kampo Medicine), Pinellia and Magnolia Combination is frequently prescribed for numerous throat disorders in both men and women, not just for plum pit qi. The book Commonly Used Chinese Herb Formulas with Illustrations (2) presents the Kampo indications for the formula, which include esophageal spasms and hoarseness due to the common cold. In two recent studies conducted in Japan, the formula was proclaimed beneficial in treating swallowing difficulty in the elderly. It was used to improve the swallowing reflex in those who suffered from aspiration pneumonia (3), stroke (19), and progression of Parkinson's disease (4). The mechanism of its action in these cases remains to be established.
PINELLIA AND MAGNOLIA COMBINATION AND THE THROAT
In modern Chinese texts, Pinellia and Magnolia Combination is classified with the qi regulating formulas, even though none of the herb ingredients are classified in the materia medica as having the primary property of being qi regulators. A typical presentation of its ingredients and quantities is (5):
| Pinellia and Magnolia Combination | |
| Pinellia | 12 g |
| Hoelen | 12 g |
| Magnolia | 9 g |
| Fresh ginger | 9 g |
| Perilla | 6 g |
From the traditional Chinese point of view, both magnolia bark and perilla leaf regulate the flow of qi (as secondary properties) and this is attributed to their fragrant components that have a dispersing effect. These herbs alleviate the neurotic and depressive syndromes that lead to plum pit qi. The qi regulating formulas in general, and the ingredient perilla leaf in particular, are recommended in China for treatment of depression and anxiety. In a recent laboratory evaluation, Pinellia and Magnolia Combination was reported to have antidepressant activities (6), confirming this application.
In a Japanese report on treatment of 45 patients with abnormal sensations in the throat (sense of pressure, swelling, or, in most cases, something stuck in the throat), relayed by Dr. Hong-yen Hsu (20), 21 of the patients of "weak" constitution were given Pinellia and Magnolia Combination, while 13 patients of "firm" constitution were given Bupleurum and Dragon Bone Combination (Chaihu Jia Longgu Muli Tang). A few patients received miscellaneous other formulas. Bupleurum and Dragon Bone Combination is categorized as a sedative formula and is commonly administered for neurotic disorders. It includes pinellia, hoelen, and ginger in common with Pinellia and Magnolia Combination.
Pinellia, hoelen, and ginger are the ingredients of another formula from the same original text: Pinellia and Hoelen Combination (Xiao Banxia Jia Fuling Tang). This prescription is administered for a condition of phlegm-damp accumulation in the stomach, leading to tendency to have vomiting or gastric reflux. Reflux of stomach acid is one of the potential irritants to the throat; it can cause the sufferer to frequently try to clear the throat, even though there is nothing there to expectorate. This formula is prescribed in Japan for the morning sickness of pregnancy that involves lack of appetite and vomiting (7). Its function, from the traditional viewpoint, is to clear the dampness and to lower the stomach qi that is pushing upward, rejecting food. This three-herb formula was later transformed into the most widely used of the prescriptions for phlegm-damp: Citrus and Pinellia Combination (Erchen Tang; with the addition of citrus and licorice, and sometimes including mume, the plum).
Throat polyps, from the Chinese view, are lumps in the throat that have a phlegm-damp quality (soft masses fit this broad category). The cause of the lumps is thought to be stagnation of the qi circulation, usually secondary to overuse of the throat. Hence, Pinellia and Magnolia Combination is also a potential treatment for that condition, though other treatments have been devised recently, as will be presented below. Throat nodules, somewhat harder lumps that may occur as the result of overuse of the voice, are classified as blood stasis masses, and are thus treated not by Pinellia and Magnolia Combination, but by formulas that vitalize blood circulation and crack static blood.
THROAT HERBS
The herbs in Pinellia and Magnolia Combination treat a syndrome that can affect the throat, but the individual herbs are not depicted as being specific for throat disorders. By contrast, there are some herbs used by Chinese herbalists that have developed a reputation as being more specific for treating the throat area, as displayed in Table 1, relying on information from Oriental Materia Medica (8). These herbs may make up the foundation of formulas for throat disorders or may be added to formulas that are aimed at treating the syndrome that causes or includes a throat disorder. The herbs are listed in the table according to the Materia Medica category that they belong to, with four basic categories, plus miscellaneous others.
TABLE 1. Individual herbs noted for their effect on throat disorders.
| Herb Name (Common; Pinyin) | Indications Related to Throat |
| Surface Relieving Herbs | |
| chive (congbai) | sore throat |
| arctium (niubangzi) | sore throat |
| cicada (chantui) | aphonia, laryngitis |
| cimicifuga (shengma) | sore throat |
| eriocaulum (gujingcao) | laryngitis |
| mentha (bohe) | sore throat |
| Heat Clearing Herbs | |
| gardenia (shanzhizi) | esophagitis, tonsillitis |
| gypsum (shigao) | dry throat |
| phragmites (lugen) | dry throat |
| rehmannia, raw (shengdi) | sore throat |
| scrophularia (xuanshen) | swollen and sore throat |
| gentiana (longdancao) | swollen and sore throat |
| abrus (xiangsizigen) | swollen and sore throat |
| andrographis (chuanxinlian) | tonsillitis |
| isatis leaf (daqingye) | pharyngitis |
| isatis root (banlangen) | swollen and sore throat |
| belamcanda (shegan) | swollen and sore throat |
| bidens (xianfengcao) | swollen and sore throat |
| lashiosphaera (mabo) | pharyngitis, sore throat |
| oldenlandia (baihuasheshecao) | laryngitis, tonsillitis |
| scutellaria (banzhilian) | sore throat |
| subprostrata (shandougen) | painful swelling in throat |
| Yin Tonics | |
| adenophora (nanshashen) | dry and sore throat |
| asparagus (tianmendong) | dry throat |
| yu-chu (yuzhu) | dry throat |
| Phlegm Resolving and Antitussive Herbs | |
| sterculia (pangdahai) | aphonia due to sore throat |
| trichosanthes root (gualougen) | sore throat |
| centipeda (shihusui) | sore throat |
| gleditsia fruit (zaojia) | sore throat |
| platycodon (jiegeng) | sore throat |
| tussilago (kuandonghua) | sore throat |
| oroxylum (muhudie) | aphonia |
| egg shell lining (fenghuangyi) | hoarseness due to sore throat |
| Miscellaneous Others | |
| licorice (gancao); qi tonic | sore throat |
| silkworm (baijiangcao); wind calming | painful swelling in throat; aphonia |
| terminalia (hezi); astringent | aphonia due to prolonged cough |
The large number of heat-clearing herbs in this listing is associated with their ability to inhibit infections that can cause sore and swollen throat. A few of the herbs, such as gypsum (a mineral), scrophularia, raw rehmannia, and phragmites, have a moisturizing and soothing effect for dry throat rather than an anti-infection action; these, and the three yin tonic herbs listed separately, are often used to treat chronic and recurrent sore throats that are thought to arise from yin-deficiency heat syndromes. Surface relieving herbs are usually administered for acute ailments, though mentha and arctium are also used for chronic throat irritation that may not be related to infections. Phlegm resolving herbs play a role in normalizing the throat surface, presumably smoothing the flow of mucus over the throat tissues and alleviating irritation.
TRADITIONAL FORMULAS
Some traditional formulas are indicated for treatment of sore throat, dry throat, or other throat disorders as one of several potential applications. The formulas in Table 2 are indicated for throat disorders; the herb ingredients listed in Table 1 are specified and the indications are from Commonly Used Herb Formulas with Illustrations.
Table 2. Formulas indicated for throat disorders.
| Formula Name (Common; Pinyin) | Ingredients from Table 1 | Indications Related to Throat |
| Lonicera and Forsythia Formula (Yin Qiao San) | arctium, mentha, phragmites, platycodon, licorice | sore throat due to infection |
| Bupleurum and Rehmannia Comb. (Chaihu Qinggan Tang) | arctium, mentha, gardenia, platycodon, trichosanthes, licorice, raw rehmannia | chronic tonsillitis |
| Arctium Combination (Qingyan Lige Tang) | arctium, mentha, gardenia, scrophularia, platycodon, licorice | swollen, aching throat; laryngitis, tonsillitis |
| Forsythia and Rhubarb Formula (Liangge San) | mentha, gardenia, licorice | sore throat |
| Rehmannia and Lonicera Formula (Baidu San) | arctium, mentha, raw rehmannia, scrophularia, platycodon, trichosanthes root, gypsum, licorice | sore throat, laryngitis |
| Scute and Cimicifuga Combination (Puji Xiaodu Yin) | mentha, arctium, cimicifuga, isatis root, lashiosphaera, scrophularia, platycodon, licorice | sore throat |
| Gardenia and Mentha Combination (Qingliang Yin) | mentha, gardenia, raw rehmannia, platycodon, licorice | sore throat, tonsillitis, pharyngitis |
| Scrophularia and Ophiopogon Comb. (Zengye Tang) | scrophularia, raw rehmannia | dry throat |
| Platycodon and Fritillaria Comb. (Qingfei Tang) | gardenia, asparagus, platycodon, licorice | sore and itching throat, hoarseness |
| Gasping Formula (Xiangsheng Podi Wan) | mentha, platycodon, licorice, terminalia | hoarseness |
| Fritillaria and Trichosanthes Formula (Beimu Gualou San) | trichosanthes root, platycodon | dry throat |
| Platycodon Combination (Jiegeng Tang) | platycodon, licorice (only ingredients in formula) | tonsillitis |
| Schizonepeta and Forsythia Comb. (Jingjie Lianqiao Tang) | mentha, gardenia, raw rehmannia, platycodon, licorice | tonsillitis |
The herbs used most consistently in these 13 formulas are mentha (included 9 times), platycodon (11 times), and licorice (11 times). Gasping Formula (Xiangsheng Podi Wan, literally: the pill for people whose voices sound like a broken whistle) is a prescription for hoarseness. In Kampo medicine it is often applied for speakers and singers who become hoarse due to overuse of their vocal cords. It contains these three ingredients plus the throat soothing and voice restoring herb terminalia; these four key herbs make up 60% (by weight) of a relatively small prescription (powdered herbs made into a pill). The complete formula is:
| Gasping Formula | |
| Mentha | 15 g |
| Platycodon | 9 g |
| Licorice | 9 g |
| Terminalia | 3 g |
| Forsythia | 9 g |
| Catechu | 6 g |
| Cnidium | 3 g |
| Cardamon | 3 g |
| Rhubarb | 3 g |
A modern patent medicine used for throat swelling due to infection is Qingyan Wan, which includes platycodon, mentha, licorice, and terminalia, as in the above formulation. The patent also has anti-infection herbs (mainly qingdai, a derivative of isatis, made by isolating the purple dye fraction, known as indigo) and other strong-acting herbs for treating swellings (borax, borneol, and calcite; these ingredients are often applied topically over the throat rather than taken internally). A therapy recommended for vocal edema (21) is to combine terminallia, platycodon, adenophora, and borax, make it into a honey pill and dissolve slowly in the mouth. It is classified as an external treatment, because it acts directly on the throat as the dissolved material is slowly swallowed.
A small Qing Dynasty text (Yihouqian Lun) on epidemic diseases that cause sore throat presents formulas that alleviate throat swelling. A typical formula is this one, that relies on mentha, platycodon, and licorice along with herbs for relieving the surface to treat acute diseases (10):
| Qingyan Tang (Throat Clearing Decoction) | |
| Platycodon | 5 g |
| Mentha | 3 g |
| Licorice | 3 g |
| Arctium | 3 g |
| Apricot seed | 10 g |
| Siler | 5 g |
| Schizonepeta | 5 g |
| Chih-ko | 3 g |
| Spirodela | 3 g |
| Peucedanum | 5 g |
| Silkworm | 6 g |
| Olive | 3 seeds |
A similar formulation is presented in the book Traditional Chinese Treatment of Otolaryngologic Diseases (21):
| Decoction for Sore Throat | |
| Platycodon | 6 g |
| Mentha | 9 g |
| Licorice | 6 g |
| Arctium | 9 g |
| Fritillaria | 9 g |
| Trichosanthes root | 15 g |
| Scrophularia | 15 g |
| Phragmites | 15 g |
| Lonicera | 15 g |
| Forsythia | 15 g |
| Schizonepeta | 9 g |
| Peucedanum | 9 g |
| Silkworm | 9 g |
| Tussilago | 9 g |
In the treatment of vocal cord polyps, the principle of removing dampness is relied upon. As an example:
| Vocal Cord Polyps Formula | |
| Hoelen | 15 g |
| Atractylodes | 9 g |
| Alisma | 15 g |
| Polyporus | 9 g |
| Coix | 30 g |
| Ginseng | 9 g |
| Scrophularia | 15 g |
| Sterculia | 9 g |
| Cicada | 4.5 g |
| Licorice | 6 g |
The first five herbs listed are moisture dispelling agents, and ginseng aids the spleen in dispersing moisture; the remaining four herbs are specific for treatment of throat distress, listed in Table 1. Unlike Pinellia and Magnolia Combination, this formula is not aimed at treating emotional disturbance, but only the fluid accumulation in the form of a polyp, the excess fluid resulting from weakness of the lung and spleen. For nodules, the moisture resolving herbs alisma, polyporus, and coix are deleted, replaced by blood vitalizing herbs, such as tang-kuei, cnidium, red peony, persica, and carthamus.
Chinese herbs are also applied in treatment of post-surgical throat symptoms, mainly hoarseness, from removal of vocal cord polyps or from other vocal cord surgeries (e.g., separation of vocal cord adhesions). In a report on treatment for post-surgical vocal cord swelling and/or congestion or incomplete closure of the glottis, the following base formula that includes terminalia, platycodon, and licorice was administered, with additions dependent on particular signs and symptoms (16):
| Codonopsis | 9-15 g |
| Astragalus | 9-15 g |
| Hoelen | 9 g |
| Terminalia | 5-9 g |
| Egg shell lining | 5-9 g |
| Platycodon | 5 g |
| Licorice | 5 g |
| Citrus | 5 g |
The herbs were administered in decoction form daily for 15-16 days to obtain notable improvements in the condition of the vocal cords, while some individuals had to be treated for up to two months to gain satisfactory results. The combination of codonopsis, astragalus, hoelen, and citrus was included to tonify qi to help the repair mechanisms; these herbs are not specific for throat disorders.
SPECIALTY FORMULAS DEVELOPED IN JAPAN
Workers in Japan have developed some small prescriptions for treating throat disorders. The main ones are:
- Pinellia and Gardenia Combination (Lige Tang) formulated by Genyi Nagoya (2). It contains three ingredients: pinellia, gardenia, and aconite, and is used for treatment of esophageal stenosis, esophageal polyps, esophageal spasms, and throat obstruction. Keisetsu Otsuka suggests combining this formula with licorice and dry ginger (20).
- Platycodon and Gypsum Combination (Jiegeng Shigao Tang) formulated by Nagakura, who founded one of the famous herb medicine factories of Japan (2). It contains just the two herbs mentioned in the formula name. The formula is indicated for pharyngitis.
- Gardenia and Licorice Combination (Zhizi Gancao Tang), a recommendation of Keisetsu Otsuka, made with the two herbs in a ratio of 2.5:1. This is for difficulty swallowing resulting from esophagitis and constriction of the esophagus (20).
These formulas include the herbs gardenia, gypsum, platycodon, and licorice, which are known for their effects on the throat. The combination of aconite and pinellia in the first formula is a pair of herbs that are believed to "clash" and be somewhat toxic, so it is to be used for a short time to yield dramatic effects.
SUMMARY AND CONCLUDING REMARKS REGARDING HERB THERAPIES
A relatively small number of formulas, incorporating certain herbs repeatedly, are used to treat a range of common throat disorders of various origins. Of the three dozen herbs listed in Table 1 as being specifically described as effective for throat disorders, only about a dozen ingredients appear repeatedly in traditional and modern formulas that are specified as treating throat diseases, namely mentha, arctium, gardenia, gypsum, phragmites, raw rehmannia, scrophularia, trichosanthes root, platycodon, terminalia, and licorice. In addition, pinellia (an ingredient of Pinellia and Magnolia Combination) is found in some of the formulas, particularly those that resolve phlegm accumulation disorders. While Pinellia and Magnolia Combination is the only formula that has been subjected to several clinical evaluations, the other herbs mentioned here may be of substantial value.
In Western medicine, mentha (peppermint), in the form of its main active component, menthol, is an approved ingredient for over-the-counter sore throat lozenges and syrups. Licorice is well known worldwide for its throat soothing effects. The combination of menthol and licorice is made into a popular over-the-counter remedy for cough and sore throat (called Fisherman's Friend, produced in England). Gardenia, raw rehmannia, and scrophularia all contain iridoid glycosides that may be responsible for anti-inflammatory actions that could affect the throat (as well as other parts of the body). Trichosanthes root, platycodon, and licorice all contain triterpenes that may smooth the flow of mucus and reduce inflammation. The calcium compounds (oxides, sulfates and others) in gypsum and the fatty acids in arctium may soothe the throat by providing substances that aid the formation and flow of mucus. Thus, there are some promising therapies among the Chinese herbs and traditional formulas for improving throat conditions.
ACUPUNCTURE FOR THROAT DISORDERS
Just as there are herbs that are deemed to have specific therapeutic benefits for the throat area, certain acupuncture points are selected when the throat has been affected by some adverse influences. The principal points are local points, those that are on the neck, but there are certain distal points that are said to influence the throat because the meridians on which they are found pass through the throat or because they resolve factors that contribute to throat disease. Following is a review of recent medical reports on acupuncture for throat disorders; these treatments should only be performed by experienced acupuncturists.
Shen Canruo (11) promotes the use yansixue (= throat four points) that are located around the laryngeal protuberance (Adam's apple). They are not traditional acupuncture points, but they are located near the stomach meridian. These points are 2 cun lateral to the Adam's apple (the stomach meridian is 1.5 cun from the Adam's apple) and are the same as or near the extra points qiangyin (strong sound) and zengyin (increase sound), designated as head-neck extra points 25 and 26 respectively. Those extra points are indicated for aphasia due to diseases of the vocal cords, but are deemed useful for other throat and vocalization disorders.
The yansixue points are needled with perpendicular insertion of the needles to a depth of about 0.5 to 1.2 cun, having the needles retained for 20-30 minutes, with manipulations (low frequency twirling) performed every 3-5 minutes. There are certain precautions to follow, including avoiding needling into the carotid artery (especially with the upper point). It is necessary to avoid excessive needle depth (causing facial reddening or coughing, in which case the needles need to be withdrawn far enough to eliminate these reactions) or excessively strong or fast manipulation (which can cause needle pain). In the article about Shen's application of this treatment, three cases are mentioned: dysphonia due to radiotherapy for cancer, paralysis of the vocal cord, and hoarseness due to overuse of the voice (number of daily treatments for these cases was 40, 15, and 1, respectively). In each case, yansixue points were needled along with some distal points, mainly the large intestine points quchi (LI-11) and hegu (LI-4), the lung point chize (LU-5), and the kidney point zhaohai (KI-6). The lung point lieque (LU-7) was also recommended as useful.
A similar example of use of local points is needling kaiyin yihao xue (= open the voice, acupuncture point number one). This point is recommended by Xie Qiang (12, 22), a specialist in eye-ear-nose-throat (ENT) disorders. It is located 0.5 cun lateral to renying (ST-9), hence 2 cun lateral to the Adam's apple, and close by qiangyin. Needling is towards the aryepiglottic plica. The yansixue and kaiyin yihao points are located along the margin of a band of cartilage, referred to as the thyroid cartilage. As an adjunctive point for treatment of vocal cord nodules, hegu (LI-4) was also needled and an herb formula was administered orally while another herb formula was prepared hot and used as a source of vapors to be breathed in through the mouth (see Appendix for formula details).
The use of a local point to promote circulation through the throat area is illustrated also by treatment of a type of plum-pit qi syndrome, referred to by the author as hysteric aphonia (in this, case, the person is unable to speak, as the apparent result of emotional factors). Dr. Shen Xiaolei (13) reported on use of acupuncture to treat this disorder, relying mainly on futu (LI-18), a point on the neck located lateral to renying (ST-9), but 3 cun from the Adam's apple, at the posterior margin of the sternocleidomastoid muscle. Secondary points used in the treatments were jingqu (LU-8) and xingjian (LV-2) for cases of qi stagnation dominant, or taiyuan LU-9 and zusanli (ST-36) for cases of qi deficiency dominant.
In the treatment of bulbar and pseudobulbar palsy, a disorder of the throat functions (speech, swallowing) that occurs because of a stroke or injury to the brain, a local point recommended is tiantu (CV-22), located at the base of the neck. The traditional functions of this point are described as (18): "facilitates and regulates movement of lung qi, cools the throat, and clears the voice." The authors of a report on treating the disorder, describe their selection of points this way (14):
TCM hold that the pathogenesis [of bulbar palsy] is stagnation of wind, phlegm, qi, and blood which obstructs the channels and collaterals, giving rise to unsmooth circulation of qi in the lung channel, and resulting in such symptoms as dysphonia, cough, choke, and vomiting on drinking and eating....Acupuncture at tiantu (CV-22) may eliminate the obstruction and improve local circulation of qi and blood; the reducing maneuver used will instantly open the laryngeal orifice and eliminate stagnation of phlegm and blood; and hence taintu point is located at an important position, the needle should not be retained. Lieque (LU-7) is one of the eight confluence points, communicating at the throat and middle part of the gastric cavity with the conception channel. The yinqiao channel originates from zhaohai [KI-6, another one of the eight confluence points; located at the ankle] and runs directly to the throat. Acupuncture at the latter two points in combination can treat diseases of the throat, lung, diaphragm, and chest. Reinforcing maneuver should be adopted and performed for supplementing qi, nourishing yin, soothing the chest, promoting the action of the diaphragm, and dredging the laryngeal orifice.
For polyps and nodules of the vocal cord, the local acupuncture points renying (ST-9), suitu (ST-10), tiantu (CV-22) and lianquan (CV-23) are recommended in the book Traditional Chinese Treatment of Otolaryngologic Diseases (21). Distal points recommended include fenglong (ST-40), a point on the leg that is used for phlegm accumulation disorders, zhaohai (KI-6), specifically indicated for treatment of throat disorders, and hegu (LI-4), used to clear heat and swelling in the neck and head areas.
A local point on the back of the neck, opposite the Adam's apple, has also been used to treat vocal cord ailments, including congestion, edema, nodules, hypertrophy, early polyps, and inadequate muscular tonicity (15). Chen Peifang, working at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, treated the yangsheng (raise the voice) point in 110 cases of voice ailments, the largest group (41 of the performers) having hypertrophic protuberances as the cause of the disorder. The point is located 1 to 1.5 cun lateral (about 1-1.2 cun for women and 1.2 to 1.5 cun for men, since men have broader necks) to the interspinal space between C6 and C7. To access the point, the person sits with head bent forward about 25 degrees. The needle is inserted to a depth dependent on the thickness of musculature of the neck, generally 1.5 cun for women and 2 cun for men.
The needle is twisted and rotated in small amplitude movements to get the typical acupuncture needle sensation (deqi) but not to produce excessive pain or tenderness in the neck muscles. The needle is retained for 20 minutes, and six daily sessions is a course of treatment. Some improvements are expected within the first six sessions. It is recommended that at least six sessions be utilized, even if a marked improvement occurs more quickly, to assure continued relief afterward.
Needling therapy in the neck area often makes the patient nervous (23), so it is recommended to limit the number of throat points needled at one time and to have the patient lie down if nervous to prevent possible fainting. Pillows can be used to make sure the head and neck are in the proper position, and patients should be advised about the nature of the expected needling sensations for points on the meridians. For example, at futu (LI-18), typical sensations are tingling and numbness transmitted from the neck to the shoulder and forearm; sensation of electrical shock passing from the neck through the shoulder and arm to the thumb and index finger; and sensation of distension radiating from the neck into the chest. In addition, all of these feelings may be transmitted from the site of needling to the Adam's apple. For persons who do not like the acupuncture therapy, massage therapy may be substituted, so long as the practitioner is experienced in this method.
Gu Lide, at the Department of Laryngology of Artists Hospital of Shanghai, pointed out that laryngeal massage had been used at their hospital since about 1960 in treating singers (24). In the treatment of incomplete closure of the glottis, which causes disruption of singing quality, he described the following massage technique and its potential effects:
The patient lies supine with a pillow under the shoulders so that the neck is well extended and the head slightly inclined backward. The doctor uses one finger massage and up and down kneading to massage the bilateral renying (ST-9) and shuitu (ST-10) points upward and down for 10-15 minutes. The patient is then asked to sit upright while the doctor, using both hands, employs one finger massage on both sides of the fengchi points (GB-20) for 3-5 minutes. The same method is used to massage fengfu (GV-16) and yamen (GV-15) points for another 3-5 minutes. Finally, the fengchi point is massaged and the sternocleidomastoideus muscles of both sides are kneaded up and down for 2-3 minutes....Massage may relax spasm, promote blood circulation, enhance metabolism, relieve fatigue, increase mucus secretion, lubricate the vocal cords, and invigorate the elasticity and mobility of muscles and ligaments. It gives patients a feeling of well being, relaxes the laryngeal muscles, improves the voice quality, and eases phonation.
These treatments were given in courses of six sessions each, with patients receiving from 2 to 18 courses of therapy. The author cautions that: "laryngeal massage should be performed briskly, gently, yet powerfully and persistently, but never roughly....If a patient shows no apparent improvement after one or two courses of massage [e.g., 6-12 sessions], it is advisable to consider combining massage with other therapeutic measures or shifting over to other therapy."
Chen Peifang also described the use of massage therapy for the voice ailments (17). The massage includes local treatments in the front and back of the neck, and whole body treatments, but especially massage of the arms near the points that have been recommended for acupuncture therapy, such as the large intestine points quchi (LI-11) and hegu (LI-4) and the lung points chize (LU-5) and yuji (LU-10). He emphasized the following:
- Massage is useful in cases of extra- or intra-laryngeal muscular spasm due to excessive or improper use of the vocal cords.
- Voice-care massage before going on to the stage promotes flexibility of the laryngeal muscles and coordination of antagonistic muscles necessary for good singing effects. Massage after the performance relieves fatigue of the throat.
- Massage along the channels dredges the channels and promotes circulation of qi and blood, thus clearing the throat for satisfactory singing.
- During massage, special emphasis is placed on tender points of the neck. This relieves pain from exertion of the laryngeal muscles, eliminates inflammation due to accumulation of waste material in the muscles, and facilitates repair of wear and tear in the laryngeal muscles.
- Massage on the cricothyroid articulation and muscles helps reduce the distance between the cricoid and thyroid cartilages to facilitate utterance of high pitch voices, while it indirectly increases the length and tonicity of the vocal cords. Massage on the arytenoid region is conducive to proper approximation of the vocal cords.
- The vocal organs in the throat are tender structures that demand gentle manipulations and avoidance of abrupt excessive pressure during massage.
SUMMARY OF ACUPUNCTURE THERAPIES
Acupuncture therapies involve needling the neck to promote circulation of qi and blood in the immediate region. Some "extra points" have been selected for this purpose, mostly located 2 cun on either side of the Adam's apple (see Figure 1). The treatments are administered daily or every other day for chronic disorders, and effects of a single treatment or a series of just five or six treatments may be notable. Secondary points are mainly hegu (LI-4), lung points on the forearm arm and hand (LU-5 through LU-11), and the leg points zhaohai (KI-6) and fenglong (ST-40). Massage therapy can also be used as an aid to treating and preventing vocal disorders, particularly those suffered by performers who use their voices for singing or acting (see Figure 2). Massage therapy can sometimes be administered under circumstances where acupuncture is not practical, so that the person with vocal disorders has several opportunities to get regular effective therapy.
Source: http://www.itmonline.org/arts/throat.htm
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As a believer of all good things regardless East or West are consistent, western herbal remedies do turn out to prove this again. Here's a quote using western natural remedies:
A friend of mine who is a professional singer recently asked me if there was any herbs or foods that can be taken for Aphonia – which is the medical term for loss of voice.
Indeed there is and it’s the same treatment that is recommended for acute Laryngitis – which is the inflammation of the vocal cords. This can be caused by many things, talking or singing too much in the case of my friend, but vocal cord inflammation can also be caused by smoking, the common cold, influenza and other viral and bacterial infections. The symptoms can present where that voice is husky or absent(Aphonia) and where talking or singing causes pain.
The treatment will include first and foremost the prescription to stop talking and singing for two days and rest the vocal cords. This may not be always a viable option for a professional singer that must keep important performance dates. Its important however not to push ones voice beyond its limits as this can rouse infection and invade the windpipe and bronchi resulting in croup - which is alerted by high fever and characteristic cough, requiring hospital treatment.
But generally acute Laryngitis is self inflicted and will abate itself or ‘self-limit’ when one rests for a few days, however here are some traditional remedies that help if you lose your voice:
- Make an infusion(tea) of the leaves of garden sage, garden thyme or raspberry leaves. Drink three cups daily.
- As a gargle, make a tea of equal parts sage and raspberry leaves, let cool, gargle and swallow, or gargle and spit.
- Herbal capsules made from Lobelia and Island moss will help.
- 3-5 drops of a tincture of cinnamon quills added to a spoon of raw honey is an old remedy to ease the voice box.
- Steep one ounce of scraped Horseradish root in cold water for two hours. Add two teaspoons of runny honey. Take 2-3 teaspoons every two hours.
- Steam inhalation can also be beneficial, using the essential oils of Bergamot, Eucalyptus, Niaouli, Geranium, Lavender or Sandlewood. Instruction on how to do a steam inhalation is as follows: Pour boiling water into a basin that is placed on a table. Let the steam evaporate off for a few seconds and then add one or more of the above essential oils to the water. Sit on a chair in front of the basin and tilt head directly over the basin and cover head and basin with a towel. Inhale deep and slowly through the mouth for 10 minutes. This will have a relaxing effect on the vocal cords and a clearing effect on the sinus and respiratory system.
- Broth soup. Broth soup made from boiling the meat and bones of chicken, lamb or beef, with some vegetables and herbs has an amazing healing effect on the mucus membranes that line the area in the vicinity of the vocal cords. A great recommendation for convalescence for any illness is to eat broth soup exclusively for a number of days.
- Chronic Laryngitis is hoarseness or loss of ones voice from the malfunction of the vocal cords by disease such as stroke, stress or nerve damage and the treatment protocol is different to above.
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咽喉肿痛是常见的一个症状，虽然不是什么大病，但是给生活也带来了极大的困扰，如不及时治疗也会引发很多的并发症，那么喉咙痛该如何治疗呢?下面就为大家介绍改善喉咙痛的几个土方法。
咽喉疼痛代表着咽喉处的经络不通，血循环不好，多数是身体内有虚火又受了凉的情况下会出现咽喉疼痛，在孩子只要是吃鱼、虾多的孩子非常容易患上扁桃体发炎，咽喉疼痛；成人喜欢吃炒货的、吃辣椒的、吃膨化食品的、吃鱼多的，受凉后很容易咽喉疼痛，所以当咽喉疼痛时，既要去除身体内的寒湿，又要去掉身体内的虚火，再配合疏通经络，才能缓解咽喉的疼痛。
一: 治咽喉痛小偏方
1: 用双手提起两耳的耳垂，然后放下，有节奏地连续提放100次;之后，喝适量白开水。每日3次，便会使咽喉的疼痛减轻。
2: 咽喉炎致使咽喉肿痛、嗓子燥痒、吞咽有异物感，可采取舌根运动法，能收到良好的疗效。即：闭口、舌尖抵牙齿，正转18次，反转18次，然后将口中津液分三次咽下，早晚坚持各做一次。
3: 口舌干燥、咽喉肿痛，可泡浓绿茶1杯，加蜂蜜l汤匙搅拌，待蜂蜜完全搅匀后，用以漱口，然后缓慢咽下。每日3次，数次后便能使咽喉肿痛症状消失。
4: 蒸“蜜汁梨”吃，把梨洗净，从梨蒂下方约二厘米左右切下一个小“盖”，然后把梨核用小勺挖出，里面倒入二分之一的蜂蜜，然后放在锅屉上蒸20分钟左右即可，也是连梨带蜜一起吃掉。“蜜汁梨”可以治疗咳嗽和喉咙干痛，也可以预防咽喉痛，还具有去火功效。
5: 冰糖专家表示，冰糖性平偏凉，具有补中益气、养阴润肺、止咳化痰的功效。此外，冰糖也常被加在中药中用来引出药效。
6: 梨子梨具有润喉的作用，可减轻咽喉疼痛的症状。将一个梨子切片榨汁，更易入口，怕冷或容易腹泻的孩子，最好饮用温热的梨子汁。
7: 金橘喉咙痛也可以吃一些金橘。金橘营养丰富，含维生素A、B1、B2、C及钙等，有消除喉咙发炎的作用。
二: 咽喉炎可能出现的并发
包括：耳部感染、乳突炎、鼻窦炎、扁桃体周围脓肿。如果，您开始喉咙痛，几天后仍然没有缓解，或者您开始发高烧，脖子上的淋巴结肿大，或有皮疹，如果你的喉咙痛伴随呼吸困难，应立即就医治疗。
食疗为主方：
1、蒸“蜜汁梨”吃，把梨洗净，从梨蒂下方约二厘米左右切下一个小“盖”，然后把梨核用小勺挖出，里面倒入二分之一的蜂蜜，然后放在锅屉上蒸20分钟左右即可，也是连梨带蜜一起吃掉。“蜜汁梨”可以治疗咳嗽和喉咙干痛，也可以预防咽喉痛，还具有去火功效。
2、滴风油精2～4滴，口服慢墁咽下(注意不可用水送下，否则会影响治疗效果)，每日4～5次，老人、幼儿用量酌减。此法治疗咽炎及喉痒干咳也有效果。
3、咽喉炎致使咽喉肿痛、嗓子燥痒、吞咽有异物感，可采取舌根运动法，能收到良好的疗效。即：闭口、舌尖抵牙齿，正转18次，反转18次，然后将口中津液分三次咽下，早晚坚持各做一次。
4、口舌干燥、咽喉肿痛，可泡浓绿茶1杯，加蜂蜜l汤匙搅拌，待蜂蜜完全搅匀后，用以漱口，然后缓慢咽下。每日3次，能够治疗喉咙痛。
5、用双手提起两耳的耳垂，然后放下，有节奏地连续提放100次；之后，喝适量白开水。每日3次，便会使咽喉的疼痛减轻。
6、萝卜1个，葱白6根，生姜15克。用水三碗先将萝卜煮熟，再放葱白，姜，煮剩一碗汤。连渣一次服。宣肺解表，化痰止咳。治风寒喉咙痛，痰多泡沫，伴畏寒，身倦酸痛等。
7、红糖30克，鲜姜15克，红枣30克。以水三碗煎至过半。顿服，服后出微汗即愈。驱风散寒。治伤风喉咙痛，胃寒刺痛，产后受寒腹泻，恶阴等。
8、芜荽香菜30克，饴糖30克，大米100克。先将大米洗净，加水煮汤。取大米汤三汤匙与芜荽，饴糖搅拌后蒸10分钟。趁热一次服，注意避风寒。发汗透表。治伤风感冒引起的喉咙痛。
9、大白萝卜1个，蜂蜜30克，白胡椒5粒，麻黄2克。将萝卜洗净，切片，放入碗内，倒入蜂蜜及白胡椒，麻黄等共蒸半小时趁热顿服，卧床见汗即愈。发汗散寒，止咳化痰。治风寒喉咙痛。
10、熟羊脂250克，熟羊髓250克，白沙蜜250克，生姜汁100毫升，生地黄汁500毫升。羊脂煎，令沸；次下羊髓，又令沸；次下蜜，地黄，生姜汁，不住手搅，微火熬数沸成膏。每日空腹温酒调1匙，或做姜汤或做粥食亦可。补虚润肺，祛风化毒。治阴虚发热，骨蒸劳热，虚劳瘦弱，咳嗽肺痿，还有润肺润肤的功效。
11、鲜梨500克，贝母末6克，白糖30克。将梨去皮剖开，去核，把贝母末及白糖填入，合起放在碗内蒸熟。早晚分食。清热化痰，散结解表。用治喉咙痛或肺痈，症见胸痛，寒战，喉咙痛，发热，口干，咽燥，痰黄腥臭或脓血痰等。
12、鲜马乳300毫升，白糖适量。将马乳煮沸；饮时加白糖。据介绍，马乳“止渴疗热”，有补血生津，润燥止嗽的功效肺结核的喉咙痛，潮热有良好的辅助治疗作用。
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