Jaundice

Jaundice is a medical condition characterized by the yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes due to elevated levels of bilirubin in the bloodstream. It is often a symptom of an underlying health issue, such as liver disease, hepatitis, or hemolytic anemia. Chinese medicine offers a unique approach to treating jaundice by focusing on the root causes of the condition and addressing the symptoms through a combination of herbal remedies and dietary recommendations. In this article, we will explore the different types of jaundice in Chinese medicine and their corresponding treatments.

1. Superficial Dampness-Heat with More Heat than Dampness

This type of jaundice is characterized by symptoms such as abdominal pain, burning sensations in the genitals or anus, congested chest, diarrhea with forceful discharge of stools, edema, excessive perspiration, feeling miserable, hot sensations in the body, low fever, pain in the joints of the four limbs with swelling and heaviness, and reddish and scant urine.

Treatment: The goal of treatment is to clear heat, sedate fire, remove dampness, and relax the liver. The recommended herbal formula is Vin-Chen-Hao-Tang. Dietary recommendations include consuming foods such as carp, celery, horse bean, jellyfish skin, Job's-tears, prickly ash, hyacinth bean, oregano, sweet basil, adzuki bean, bamboo shoot, soybean sprouts, rosin, banana, bitter endive, black fungus, salt, spinach, strawberry, cucumber, leaf beet, mung bean, peppermint, and purslane.

2. Superficial Dampness-Heat with More Dampness than Heat

This type of jaundice is characterized by symptoms such as abdominal pain, burning sensations and itch in the genitals or anus, diarrhea with forceful discharge of stools, discharge of watery stools, edema, excessive perspiration, heavy sensations in the body, itch and pain in the vulva frequently, low fever, no thirst, pain in the joints of the four limbs with swelling and heaviness, perspiration on hands and feet or the head, poor appetite, and retention of urine.

Treatment: The goal of treatment is to remove dampness and clear heat. The recommended herbal formula is Vin-Chen-Wu-Ling-San. Dietary recommendations include consuming foods such as carp, celery, horse bean, jellyfish skin, Job's-tears, prickly ash, hyacinth bean, oregano, sweet basil, adzuki bean, bamboo shoot, soybean sprouts, rosin, banana, bitter endive, black fungus, salt, spinach, strawberry, cucumber, leaf beet, mung bean, peppermint, and purslane.

3. Hot Jaundice

This type of jaundice is characterized by symptoms such as acute jaundice, both the body and eyes in a fresh yellowish color, burning sensation and itch in the genitals, constipation, discharge of blood from the anus, dry lips or dry teeth, high fever, limbs are warm, love of cold drink, nosebleed, pain in the inner part of the stomach becoming acute after meals and fond of cold, psychological depression, reddish complexion, eyes, or urine, stools with an extremely bad smell, thirst with an incessant desire to drink, and urine with an extremely bad smell.

Treatment: The goal of treatment is to clear toxic heat, cool the blood, and rescue the yin. The recommended herbal formulas are Qian-Jin-Xi-Jiao-San or Ju-Fang-Zhi-Bao-Dan. Dietary recommendations include consuming foods such as banana, bitter endive, black fungus, salt, spinach, strawberry, bamboo shoot, cucumber, Job's-tears, laver, leaf beet, mung bean, peppermint, and purslane.

4. Cold-Dampness Jaundice

This type of jaundice is characterized by symptoms such as absence of perspiration in hot weather, body and eyes in a dark-yellowish color, clear urine, cough, coughing out sputum with a low sound, diarrhea, discharge of sputum that can be coughed out easily, dysentery, edema in the four limbs, headache, movement difficulty, pain in the body, pain in the joints, soft stools, and stomachache.

Treatment: The goal of treatment is to warm the yang and expel dampness, as well as to relax the liver and transform blood coagulations. The recommended herbal formula is Vin-Chen-Zhu-Fu-Tang. Dietary recommendations include consuming foods such as cayenne pepper, dill seed, fennel, fresh ginger, mustard seed, prickly ash, star anise, white or yellow mustard, wine, carp, celery, horse bean, jellyfish skin, Job's-tears, hyacinth bean, oregano, sweet basil, adzuki bean, bamboo shoot, soybean sprouts, and rosin.

Conclusion

Chinese medicine offers a holistic approach to treating jaundice by addressing the root causes and associated symptoms. The key to successful treatment lies in identifying the type of jaundice and tailoring the herbal formulas and dietary recommendations accordingly. If you suspect you have jaundice or are experiencing any of the symptoms mentioned above, it is important to consult with a healthcare professional or a practitioner of Chinese medicine for proper diagnosis and treatment.