With autumn upon us, the number of patients visiting traditional Chinese medical clinics for sneezing, nasal congestion, runny noses, and asthma attacks, has increased by around 50 to 60 percent. For some people this is because of a naturally weak constitution, while for some it might be from drinking too many cold beverages, which can subsequently cause sickness due to gastrointestinal failure to absorb nutrients and lowered immunity.
Liao Hsiang-lin, a doctor of internal medicine at China Medical University Hospital’s Department of Chinese Medicine, says that the nose is supposed to make air warmer and more humid, but that when environmental factors change or the body loses its ability to regulate certain functions, the nose will quickly show symptoms. Liao says that many of his patients enjoy drinking cold beverages, which can cause gastrointestinal disorders, decreasing one’s ability to absorb nutrients and lowering immunity, so that when sudden changes in temperatures occur, people might experience nasal congestion, runny noses, loose stools, fatigue, get a cold, have prolonged coughing, or even asthma attacks.
A 28-year-old patient of Liao’s, who is a pink-collar worker, had a naturally weak constitution, has suffered menstrual pains since she was in elementary school, often has cold hands and feet, likes drinking cold beverages and typically stays in cold air-conditioned rooms when summer hits, and had been taking Western medicine to treat her symptoms for many years. This year, however, as soon as fall arrived, her symptoms became unmanageable. When she came to see Liao two weeks ago, he prescribed minor bupleurum formula with cassia cinnamon to quickly alleviate her symptoms, which improved significantly after taking the remedy.
Photo: Tsai Shu-yuan, Liberty Times
照片:自由時報記者蔡淑媛
Liao says that if you rub specific pressure points on the hands located between the thumbs and index fingers and another one at the wings of the nose for several minutes each, it can prevent and alleviate nasal allergies, adding that since some people might have mixed weak and strong constitutions, experience dry mouth despite feeling cold, and have excessive heat in the body after eating supplements, they should consult a doctor before taking any supplements.
(Liberty Times, Translated by Kyle Jeffcoat)
入秋以來,中醫門診看診鼻過敏症狀患者增加五、六成,打噴嚏、鼻塞、流鼻水、甚至氣喘發作,有些因體質虛寒、天生怕冷造成,有些人則是愛喝冷飲,導致腸胃吸收功能差,抵抗力不足罹病。
Photo: Tsai Shu-yuan, Liberty Times
照片:自由時報記者蔡淑媛
中國醫藥大學附設醫院中醫內科醫師廖祥琳指出,鼻子是維持溫度和濕度的器官,一旦外在環境和體溫調節不當,容易在鼻子表現出症狀。許多患者愛喝冷飲,造成腸胃功能不佳,吸收營養能力差,抵抗力就不足,一旦溫差大,鼻塞、流鼻水、打噴嚏一起發作,大便不成形,也容易疲倦感冒、久咳不癒,甚至氣喘發作。
一名二十八歲粉領族體質偏寒怕冷,從小學就經痛、手腳冰冷,但夏季又愛喝冷飲,常待在冷氣房,每逢秋冬交替就鼻過敏,長年吃西藥抑制症狀,今年入秋後症狀一發不可收拾,二週前求助中醫,廖祥琳為她開立柴胡桂枝湯先治標救急,症狀大為改善。
廖祥琳指出,起床前,併指揉按兩手位於虎口處的合谷穴共三分鐘,再加上揉按鼻翼兩側的迎香穴三分鐘,能預防、緩解鼻過敏。另外有些人體質寒熱夾雜,怕冷卻會口乾舌燥,吃補容易上火,進補前最好詢問醫師。
(自由時報記者蔡淑媛)
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