Sore throat is a primary symptom of pathologies in the oropharynx and pharynx, characterized by redness, swelling, and pain in the throat, along with discomfort when swallowing. Sore throat is seen in Western medicine conditions such as acute tonsillitis, acute pharyngitis, and laryngitis, as well as peritonsillar abscess. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, sore throat is commonly categorized under "deficient fire throat bi" and "plum pit qi." Clinically, there are internal and external causes for this condition. External causes are often due to exposure to wind-cold that transforms into heat after being restrained, or exposure to wind-heat. Internal causes are often due to a pre-existing yin deficiency, coupled with a preference for spicy and fried foods, leading to the accumulation of phlegm and heat that scorches the throat, or long-term consumption of the yin of the lungs and kidneys, leading to a rise of deficient fire that scorches body fluids into phlegm. This phlegm heat follows the meridians and disturbs the throat, causing the loss of clear communication pathways.
Wind-Heat Obstructing the Lungs Type: The throat is red, swollen, and painful, with a sensation of dryness and burning heat. It may be accompanied by fever and sweating, headache, cough with phlegm, and yellow urine; the tongue is red, the coating is thin and white or slightly yellow, and the pulse is floating and rapid.
Yin Deficiency and Excessive Fire Type: The throat is dry with sharp pain, a sensation of a foreign body, itchy and dry cough, sticky and scanty phlegm, restlessness and heat in the afternoon, burning sensation in the epigastrium and dry mouth; the tongue is red, the coating is yellow and dry, and the pulse is thin and rapid.
Phlegm Blockage and Blood Stasis Type: The throat is dry and painful, with thick and sticky phlegm that is difficult to cough up, leading to a desire to cough and nausea, and even swelling, follicular hyperplasia, hoarseness, tidal fever, and sore waist; the tongue is red, the coating is thin and yellow, and the pulse is slippery and rapid.
Stomach Fire and Phlegm Excess Type: The throat is red and swollen, with a burning pain, a sensation of blockage in the throat, high fever, thirst with a desire to drink, headache, yellow and thick phlegm, constipation, and short and dark urine; the tongue is red, the coating is yellow, and the pulse is forceful and rapid.
It is recommended to perform moxibustion once a day, targeting 2 to 3 acupoints each time, with each acupoint being treated for 30 to 40 minutes. Rotate the points treated, with a 10-day period constituting one course of treatment, and then rest for 2 to 3 days before continuing with the next course. (If time permits and there is a need, more acupoints can be treated with moxibustion. The specific duration should be adjusted according to one's own physical needs.)
1. To prevent the onset of throat swelling and pain, it is important to actively treat diseases of the nose, oral cavity, lower respiratory tract, and dental diseases. 2. To prevent the onset of throat swelling and pain, it is necessary to control voice usage appropriately. Improper or excessive voice use, and long-term continuous speaking and singing are detrimental to the treatment of throat swelling and pain. 3. Tea Therapy Recipe: Mint Tea. 3 grams of mint, 10 grams of Xuan Shen (Scrophularia ningpoensis), 10 grams of Mai Dong (Ophiopogon japonicus), and 20 grams of honey. Mint, Xuan Shen, and Mai Dong are boiled in an appropriate amount of water over low heat for 15 minutes, the residue is removed, and the juice is mixed with honey. Continue to heat until it boils, and then serve warm and consume frequently.