One of the great things about hanging out with experienced doctors, especially guys like Chang Bu-Tao, is that you get to see how a tuned and savvy doc works. Doc Chang’s ample waiting room empties and refills like a Zen bamboo water pipe; seeing 200 patients in a day is not uncommon. He is one of the senior docs in Taipei city with over 20 books to his name, students from down the street and across the world, and a reputation that drifted far, far out from his fourth floor clinic just south of Peace and Harmony East Road.
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Like all experienced doctors, he has this ways of using the classic formulas in ways that don’t quite match the first glanced at list of actions and functions in our formula books. This is a darned good reason to read the Discussion of Cold Damage (傷寒論 Shäng hán lùn) and the works of various authors who have gone deep into that tradition.
Dr. Chang has his own way of thinking about Formula Families, and sees Puerariae Radix (gé gën) as being a family of its own. Here are a couple gems from his book that explains Shang Han Lun formulas.
Treatment of spasms:
Because Puerariae Radix (gé gën) functions to control tremors, when used together with Paeoniae Radix alba (bái sháo), Jujubae Fructus (dà zâo), and Glycyrrhizae Radix (gän câo) its ability to relief spasms is even more pronounced. As written in the Yellow Emperor’s Inner Classic “sour astringes, bitter dries dampness, sweetness relaxes tightness…,” [thus we understand how] Glycyrrhizae Radix (gän câo), Jujubae Fructus (dà zâo), and Paeoniae Radix alba (bái sháo) have the effect of softening and relaxing tightness. For tightness and pain in the head, shoulders and neck, and especially for numbness due to problems with the facial nerves use of Puerariae Radix (gé gën) with peony, dates and licorice works rapidly to relax these symptoms and improve the patients condition.
Treatment of allergic rhinitis:
Kudzu Decoction (gé gën täng) can be used to good effect in the treatment of allergic rhinitis and sinus infections. Taiwan has the typical climate of an island, as it is surrounded by ocean it is usually quite humid; especially so in March when it is still bothersomely on the cool side and frequently drizzles. Due to these environmental factors there is an increase in the instances of the common cold and allergic rhinitis. Western medicine commonly uses antihistamines to treat allergic rhinitis. Although it is effective, drowsiness is one of the side effects.
I remember one year during the Chinese New Year going on a group tour to New Zealand. At that time the tour leader experienced a flare up of allergic rhinitis and was quite uncomfortable. One of the members of the tour happened to have some antihistamines, which he gave to the tour leader. This resulted in our leader constantly dozing off wherever we went. If these drugs were taken before driving, it was difficult to avoid nodding off while driving, which was quite a danger to the safety of all involved.
For nasal allergies due to climatic factors, I use Kudzu Decoction (gé gën täng) as the primary formula, and add the anti-allergy medicinals Schizonepetae Herba (jïng jiè), Saposhnikoviae Radix (fáng fëng), Cicadae Periostracum (chán tuì) and Coicis Semen (yì yî rén); the clinical effect is quite good. Should the patient also have itchy eyes, then add Equiseti hiemalis Herba (mù zéi) as well.
Treatment of sties:
Sties are a type of ophthalmologic disease. Because people these days often eat rich, fried or roasted foods and as they rely on the computer and spend long hours staring at the screen, visual acuity diminishes and there are pathological changes to the tissue of the eyes. Sties are one result of these changes.
Western medicine uses surgical procedures to treat this problem. We Chinese doctors, however, use the thought process found in the Yellow Emperor’s Inner Classic to differential illness. In the Inner Classic we find that the blood vessels that go from above to below are considered to belong to the tài yáng meridian. Those which go from below to above belong to the yáng míng meridian, and those that radiate sideways are associated with illnesses of the shào yáng meridian. In line with these relationships we select a formula representative of the yáng míng meridian; Kudzu Decoction (gé gën täng). Which is then modified with ophthalmologic medicinals such as Celosiae Semen (qïng xiäng zî), Cassiae Semen (jué míng zî), Leonuri Fructus (chöng wèi zî), and Plantaginis Semen (chë qián zî). It is quite good for treating sties!