You Feng (油风), commonly known as “ghost-licked head” or “ghost-shaved head,” is referred to in Western medicine as alopecia areata, patchy alopecia, or circular hair loss. It is a localized, patchy form of hair loss that begins suddenly, progresses slowly, and tends to recur. Clinically, it is characterized by patchy hair loss, normal-appearing scalp skin…
Eczema (Shi Chuang) corresponds to eczema in Western medicine. It is an allergic inflammatory skin reaction with a marked tendency to exudation, caused by various internal and external factors. The condition may persist for a long time and is prone to recurrence. The rash is polymorphic, prone to exudation, and symmetrically distributed. In the chronic…
Vitiligo is a common primary disorder involving loss of pigment in the skin and mucous membranes, characterized by localized or widespread complete depigmentation. Also known as “vitiligo,” it is clinically characterized by lightened or white patches with clearly defined borders and no subjective symptoms. It can occur at any age, with a roughly equal incidence…
Bai Bi (white psoriasis) is a chronic inflammatory skin disorder in which lesions resemble pine bark, look like a rash or scabies, and shed white scales when scratched. It is characterized clinically by infiltrated erythema covered with multiple layers of bran-like scales; scraping may reveal a thin membrane and pinpoint bleeding. The condition can affect…
Snake-shaped sores (shechuan chuang) correspond to herpes zoster in modern medicine. This common skin condition is characterized by clusters of blisters distributed in a band on one side of the body and accompanied by pain of varying intensity. TCM Pattern Differentiation and Medication Reference References
Acne (fen ci) is a chronic inflammatory skin condition involving the hair follicles and sebaceous glands, occurring on the face, neck, chest, and back. It is characterized by pinhead- or rice-grain-sized papules on the face, chest, and back, or by blackheads, pustules, nodules, and even cysts. Sometimes, squeezing may express white, grainy material resembling crushed…
Rouying (肉瘿, “flesh goiter”) is a relatively common type of goiter. Its clinical features include a round or oval nodule in the front of the neck at the level of the larynx. The nodule is slightly firm, moves up and down with swallowing, is usually solitary, and develops slowly. In Western medicine, this corresponds to…
Scrofula is a chronic suppurative disease affecting the neck. It is so named because the nodules occur in clusters, resembling a string of beads. It is also known as “scrofula of the neck” or “rat sore,” and corresponds to cervical tuberculous lymphadenitis in Western medicine. TCM Pattern Identification and Medication Reference References
A furuncle is an acute suppurative infection of a single hair follicle and its associated sebaceous gland. Furunculosis refers to recurrent episodes of multiple furuncles in a particular area or scattered across the body. Lesions may resolve in one area only to appear elsewhere; the condition may persist over time, and treatment may not prevent…
Chronic leg ulcer (lian chuang) refers to a chronic skin ulcer occurring over the shin area. Historical texts also refer to it as “trouser-cuff sores,” “skirt wind,” or “rotten leg”; it is commonly known as a long-standing, non-healing leg ulcer. The condition is more common in people who stand or walk for prolonged periods and…
Chronic prostatitis (CP) refers to a group of conditions characterized by symptoms and signs such as pain or discomfort in the pelvic region and urinary abnormalities. It can be classified as chronic bacterial prostatitis (Category II), chronic abacterial inflammatory prostatitis (Category IIIA), chronic abacterial non-inflammatory prostatitis (Category IIIB), and asymptomatic prostatitis (Category IV). The condition…
