Flat warts are benign growths that develop on the surface of the skin. They are usually found on the face, backs of the hands, and arms, and often appear in linear arrangements. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), they are called bian hou (flat warts). The Ling Shu (Spiritual Pivot), in the “Jing Mai” (Meridians) chapter,…
Sjögren’s syndrome (SS) is a chronic inflammatory autoimmune disease with a relatively high incidence. It primarily affects the body’s exocrine glands. In addition to signs and symptoms such as dry mouth and dry eyes, which result from impaired salivary and lacrimal gland function, it may also involve multiple systems, including the respiratory, urinary, nervous, hematologic,…
Atopic dermatitis (AD) is an inflammatory, itchy, chronic, and relapsing skin disease. It is more common in children but can also occur in adults, and is often seen in people with a personal or family history of atopic diseases (asthma and/or allergic rhinitis).In traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), atopic dermatitis falls into categories such as Siwan…
Primary myelofibrosis (PMF), also known as chronic idiopathic myelofibrosis, is a clonal hematopoietic stem cell disorder characterized by panmyelosis with morphologically normal cells across all lineages, bone marrow fibrosis, splenomegaly, and extramedullary hematopoiesis in various organs. TCM Pattern Identification and Medication Reference References
Eczema is an itchy skin disorder caused by a variety of internal and external factors. In the acute phase, it is characterized mainly by papulovesicles; in the chronic phase, by epidermal thickening and lichenification. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), eczema is called “damp sores” (湿疮). Historical TCM texts used different names according to the type…
Erythema nodosum (EN) is a painful nodular vasculitis syndrome that occurs most commonly in young women. It is a reactive inflammatory condition affecting the blood vessels of the dermis and the subcutaneous fat, and it commonly appears on the fronts of the lower legs as red or purplish-red nodules. It is a non-suppurative skin condition…
Psoriasis vulgaris is a common, relapsing chronic inflammatory skin disease caused by various internal and external factors. It is characterized by red inflammatory papules, papulosquamous lesions, and plaques of varying sizes covered with multiple layers of silvery-white scales. Scraping off the scales may reveal a shiny, thin membrane, with pinpoint bleeding sometimes visible beneath it.In…
Melasma (chloasma) is a pigmentary skin disorder that occurs most commonly on the face of women in early or middle adulthood. In traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) literature, melasma has also been referred to as “dark facial pigmentation,” “liver-related facial pigmentation,” “facial dust,” and “pregnancy spots.” When attributed to liver disease, it is also called “liver…
