DYSPHAGIA (YI GE)

Clinical Manifestations
Treatment Principle
Herb Formulas
  • For Yin damage following radiotherapy: Wu Zhi An Zhong Yin + Liang Ge San modified
  • Chinese Patent Medicines:
    Lan Han Guo Chong Ji
    With Kidney Yin Deficiency: Liu Wei Di Huang Wan
    With Stomach Qi and Yin Deficiency: Gu Ben Wan
Points
Clinical Manifestations
  • Fever and chills (chills predominant)
  • Anhidrosis
  • Cough
  • Wheezing (asthma)
  • Copious, white, stringy, difficult to expectorate sputum
  • Stifling sensation in the chest
  • Lacrimation
  • General heaviness (especially upper body)
  • General body aches
  • No thirst
  • Floating edema (severe)
  • Considerable difficulty breathing while lying down (severe)
  • Intolerance of Cold
  • Periorbital edema
  • Dyspnea
  • Vomiting of frothy saliva during pregnancy
  • Chest distention
  • Dry heaves
  • Decreased urine
  • Subcardiac edema
  • Stridor
  • Occasional chills on the back
  • Hiccups
  • Retching
  • Dysphagia
  • Diarrhea
  • Dysuria
  • Decreased urination
  • Flushed face
  • Dizziness
  • Headache
  • Inflammation of the tear ducts
  • T: Pink
  • C: Moist or White and greasy
  • P: Superficial and tight
Treatment Principle
  • Release the Exterior
  • Transform congested Fluids (Thin Mucus)
  • Transform Phlegm
  • Warm the Lungs
  • Descend Qi
  • Relieve wheezing and cough
Herb Formulas
Points
Clinical Manifestations
  • Fever and chills (chills predominant)
  • Irritability
  • Anhidrosis
  • Cough
  • Wheezing (asthma)
  • Copious, white, stringy, difficult to expectorate sputum
  • Stifling sensation in the chest
  • Lacrimation
  • General heaviness (especially upper body)
  • General body aches
  • No thirst
  • Floating edema (severe)
  • Considerable difficulty breathing while lying down (severe)
  • Intolerance of Cold
  • Periorbital edema
  • Dyspnea
  • Vomiting of frothy saliva during pregnancy
  • Edema
  • Chest and abdominal distention
  • Dry heaves
  • Decreased urine
  • Subcardiac edema
  • Stridor
  • Occasional chills on the back
  • Hiccups
  • Retching
  • Dysphagia
  • Diarrhea
  • Dysuria
  • Flushed face
  • Dizziness
  • Headache
  • Inflammation of the tear ducts
  • Lacrimation
  • T: Pink
  • C: Moist or White and greasy or Yellow and greasy
  • P: Superficial, tight and rapid
Treatment Principle
  • Release the Exterior
  • Transform congested Fluids (Thin Mucus)
  • Transform Phlegm
  • Warm the Lungs
  • Descend Qi
  • Relieve wheezing and coughing
  • Clear Heat
Herb Formulas
Points
Clinical Manifestations
  • Severe, dry hacking cough
  • No sputum expectorated
  • Small amounts of difficult to expectorate sputum
  • Blood tinged sputum (when Yin Deficiency Fire is present)
  • Afternoon fever
  • Night sweats
  • Malar flush (especially in afternoon)
  • Five Sole Heat
  • Dry mouth and throat
  • Itching in throat
  • Hoarse voice, low voice or loss of voice
  • Emaciation
  • No appetite or
  • Famished but with no desire to eat
  • Abdominal distention after meals
  • Dry stools
  • Irritability with low grade fever
  • Maybe dry retching or
  • Hiccups
  • T: Red
  • C: Little and dry
  • P: Thready and rapid
Treatment Principle
  • Clear and Nourish the Lungs and Stomach
  • Generate Fluids
  • Moisten Dryness
Herb Formulas
Points
Clinical Manifestations
  • Difficulty swallowing
  • Sallow complexion
  • Anorexia (maybe with vomiting)
  • Four limbs feel tired and heavy
  • Abdominal and epigastric distention after eating
  • Maybe acid regurgitation or vomiting
  • Loose stools or watery stools containing undigested food
  • Shortness of breath
  • Pain in the epigastrium with cold sensations (pain is relieved by warmth)
  • Cold limbs
  • Feeling chilled
  • Frequent, clear urination
  • Mental fatigue
  • Maybe scanty urine with edema
  • Maybe clear, watery vaginal discharge
  • T: Pale
  • C: Thin and white
  • P: Deep and weak
Treatment Principle
  • Warm the Center
  • Dispel Cold
Herb Formulas
Points
Clinical Manifestations
  • Progressive dysphagia
  • Vomiting after eating
  • Frequent epigastric and abdominal distention and fullness which is worse after eating
  • Vomiting of partially digested food about twelve hours after eating
  • Vomiting relieves the abdominal discomfort
  • The vomitus may have thick or thin frothy mucus
  • Maybe epigastric masses and/or splash on palpation
  • Stuffiness in the chest
  • General weakness
  • Acid regurgitation
  • Nausea
  • Mild constant epigastric pain; relieved by warmth and pressure
  • Anorexia
  • Loose, unformed stools
  • Excessive salivation
  • Cold limbs
  • Lassitude
  • Weakness
  • Sallow or pale, dull complexion
  • Maybe edema
  • Maybe scanty urination
  • Maybe clear, watery, copious vaginal discharge
  • T: Pale
  • C: White and greasy
  • P: Deep, thready and forceless
Treatment Principle
  • Strengthen the Spleen
  • Warm Yang
  • Warm the Center
  • Dispel Cold
Herb Formulas
Points
Clinical Manifestations
  • Dysphagia
  • Esophagus obstructed and swollen
  • Emaciation
  • Dry skin
  • Hot sensations in the Stomach
  • Dry throat
  • Thirst
  • Hacking cough with scanty sputum
  • Low grade fever
  • Epigastric pain
  • Dry stools
  • Constipation
  • Scanty urination
  • Restlessness
  • T: Red
  • C: Little, maybe dry
  • P: Thready and rapid
Treatment Principle
  • Clear and Nourish the Lungs and Stomach
  • Generate Fluids
  • Moisten Dryness
Herb Formulas
Points
Clinical Manifestations
  • Feeling of obstruction in throat as if a slice of roast meat were stuck there which cannot be coughed up nor swallowed down. This sensation becomes more prominent during emotional upset and subsides when relaxed
  • Distention and pain in the sides or flanks
  • Suffocating sensation in the chest
  • Tendency to sigh
  • Melancholy
  • Depression
  • Irritability
  • Inappropriate anger
  • Irregular menses
  • Dysmenorrhea
  • Breast distention and pain before and during menses
  • T: Pink
  • C: Thin and white
  • P: Slippery and wiry (slippery due to Phlegm)
Treatment Principle
  • Spread Qi
  • Resolve Phlegm
Herb Formulas
Points
Clinical Manifestations
  • Dizziness and vertigo to the point of falling over
  • Headache with a drawing sensation
  • Numbness and tremor of limbs
  • Twitching and involuntary writhing of hands and feet
  • Dysphasia
  • Unsteady gait
  • With Wind-Stroke:
    Sudden loss of consciousness
    Tongue stiffness with aphasia
    Facial paralysis
    Hemiplegia
  • Maybe coma
  • Sometimes death
  • T: Red
  • P: Thready and wiry
Treatment Principle
  • Nourish Yin
  • Pacify the Liver
  • Subdue Wind
Herb Formulas
Points
Clinical Manifestations
  • Difficulty swallowing
  • Lumbago: low back feels cold, weak and aching
  • Feeling chilled
  • Aversion to Cold
  • Cold limbs
  • General debility
  • Pale face
  • Urinary frequency with abundant, clear urine or
  • Oliguria with edema
  • Maybe nocturia
  • Lassitude
  • Withdrawn, subdued behavior
  • Knees feel cold and aching
  • Dizziness
  • Tinnitus
  • Impotence
  • Spermatorrhea
  • Premature ejaculation
  • Low libido
  • Female infertility ("uterus cold and infertile")
  • Maybe anorexia
  • Maybe loose stools
  • Maybe chronic diarrhea or "cock crow" diarrhea
  • T: Pale and swollen
  • C: Thin and white
  • P: Deep and thready - maybe slow
Treatment Principle
  • Warm and Reinforce Kidney Yang
Herb Formulas
  • You Gui Wan
  • Chinese Patent Medicines: Jin Gui Shen Qi Wan
Points
Clinical Manifestations
  • Difficulty swallowing
  • Aphasia
  • Leg paralysis
  • A stiff tongue
  • A dry mouth with no desire to drink
  • Loss of speech
  • T: Pink or Pale
  • C: Moist or Greasy
  • P: Deep, thready and weak or Deep slow, thready and weak
Treatment Principle
  • Enrich Kidney Yin
  • Tonify Kidney Yang
  • Resolve Phlegm
  • Open the Orifices
Herb Formulas
Points
Clinical Manifestations
  • Difficulty swallowing
  • Dizziness
  • Tinnitus or deafness
  • Poor memory
  • Aching, soreness or weakness of the low back
  • Spermatorrhea or
  • Premature ejaculation
  • Aching in the bones
  • Aching in the leg and heel
  • Dry mouth
  • Thirst
  • Night sweats
  • Five Sole Heat
  • Malar flush
  • Low grade fever in the afternoon
  • Dry throat, maybe recurrent sore throat
  • Dry stools and/or
  • Constipation
  • Urine short and red
  • Heightened libido
  • Blurred vision
  • Palpitations
  • Insomnia
  • Dry skin
  • Dry hair
  • Poor memory
  • Paleness
  • Fatigue
  • Scanty periods
  • T: Variable
  • C: Thin, white and dry or Little or None
  • P: Thready and rapid or Weak
Treatment Principle
  • Tonify Qi
  • Nourish Yin
  • Nourish Blood
  • Invigorate the Blood
  • Clear Heat
  • Clear Deficiency Fire
  • Astringe Fluids
Herb Formulas
Points
Clinical Manifestations
  • Difficulty swallowing maybe with a burning of painful sensation
  • Food is difficult to swallow but Fluids are easy
  • After eating, the bulk of the ingested food may be vomited up, possibly mixed with mucus
  • Gradual weight loss
  • Dryness oft the mouth and throat
  • Dry skin
  • Thirst
  • Pain in the chest and upper back
  • An uncomfortable burning sensation in the epigastrium
  • A hoarse or croaky voice
  • Five-Sole-Heat
  • Low-grade afternoon fever
  • Nightsweats
  • Facial flushing
  • A tendency toward constipation
  • T: Red and dry with multiple surface cracks
  • C: Maybe yellow
  • P: Wiry, thready and rapid
Treatment Principle
  • Nourish and moisten Yin and Fluids
  • Clear Heat
  • Disperse accumulations
Herb Formulas
  • Wu Zhi An Zhong Yin
    With severe Dryness, constipation and lack of saliva: + Zeng Ye Tang  modified
  • Chinese Patent Medicines:
    Lan Han Guo Chong Ji
    With Kidney Yin Deficiency: Liu Wei Di Huang Wan
    With Stomach Qi and Yin Deficiency: Gu Ben Wan
Points
Clinical Manifestations
  • Difficulty swallowing
  • Food obstructing the esophagus
  • May only be able to ingest Fluids
  • Frequent spitting of saliva and gastric fluids
  • Weight loss
  • Emaciation
  • Severe fatigue, exhaustion and weakness
  • Pale, sallow complexion
  • Cold intolerance
  • Cold extremities
  • Hyper-salivation
  • Drooling
  • Shortness of breath
  • Edema of the face and ankles or
  • Generalized edema
  • Abdominal distension
  • Chronic difficulty swallowing food and fluid
  • Pale-white face
  • Tiredness
  • Shortness of breath
  • Excessive phlegm
  • Frequent belching with clear mucus
  • Cold body
  • Face and ankle swelling
  • Sometimes abdominal swelling
  • T: Pale and swollen
  • C: White
  • P:Thready, weak and imperceptible
Treatment Principle
  • Tonify Qi
  • Strengthen the Spleen
  • Harmonize the Stomach
  • Clear Damp
Herb Formulas
Points
Clinical Manifestations
  • Difficulty swallowing
  • Pallid or sallow complexion
  • Palpitations with anxiety that may be continuous
  • Reduced appetite
  • Shortness of breath
  • Laconic speech
  • Easily fatigued extremities
  • Light-headedness and/or vertigo
  • Dizziness
  • Anorexia
  • Thirst
  • Course skin
  • Headache
  • Blurred vision
  • Lassitude
  • Severe chills and fever
  • Under weight
  • Midline pain in women
  • Lower abdominal pain
  • Lower abdominal distention
  • Lumbago in women
  • Severe chills and fever
  • Irregular menstruation
  • Weight loss
  • Abscesses that neither suppurate nor improve
  • Continuous spotting from uterine bleeding
  • Weakness of the limbs
  • Itching
  • T: Pale
  • C: Thin and white
  • P: Thin and frail or Large and Deficient without strength
Treatment Principle
  • Tonify and augment Qi and Blood
Herb Formulas
Points
Clinical Manifestations
  • Progressive dysphagia
  • Vomiting after eating
  • Dry stools
  • Chest distention
  • General debility
  • A localized pricking sensation in the chest and back
  • Maybe hematemesis
  • Melaena
  • T: Dark blue or red with echymoses
  • C: Thick and greasy
  • P: Deep, sluggish and choppy or Choppy and uneven
Treatment Principle
  • Purge accumulations
  • Moisten the Intestines
  • Invigorate the Blood
  • Promote the movement of Qi
  • Descend Rebellious Qi
  • Clear Heat
  • Relieve toxicity
  • Alleviate pain
Herb Formulas
Points
Clinical Manifestations
  • Progressive dysphagia
  • Ingestion of food is prevented
  • Vomiting immediately after eating
  • Vomiting of saliva and undigested food
  • Vomiting with constipation (severe)
  • Chest pain (severe)
  • Swallowing eventually becomes impossible
  • Emaciation with dry skin (severe)
  • Loss of appetite, especially for meat
  • Stomach distention
  • A sensation of obstruction in the throat
  • Diminished saliva
  • Maybe fever due to pulmonary infection
  • Maybe aortic erosion
  • Liquids or semi-solids are sustained
  • Dizziness
  • Dry muscles and skin
  • Definite obstruction between the pharynx and diaphragm
  • Hard stools
  • Dull pain
  • Burning pain
  • A rancid taste in the mouth
  • Precordial discomfort
  • Constipation
  • A pale complexion
  • Pale nails
  • Pale lips
  • Maybe severe coughing
  • Maybe aspiration of Fluids
  • T: Normal or Cyanotic or Red or Pale
  • C: Little or Non
  • P: Weak and choppy or Thready and rapid
Treatment Principle
  • Nourish the Blood
  • Invigorate the Blood
  • Dispel Blood Stasis
  • Clear Heat
  • Cool the Blood
Herb Formulas
Points
Clinical Manifestations
  • Difficult to swallow food (often with an emotional component)
  • Swallowing with a choking sensation
  • Swallowing eventually becomes impossible
  • Dull or burning pain
  • Distention with indistinct pain that is relieved by belching, dry retching or spitting up of Phlegm or mucus
  • A feeling of esophageal constriction
  • Dry mouth and throat
  • Focal distention of the chest and diaphragm or
  • Dull chest pain
  • Hiccups
  • Acid reflux
  • Vomiting of a mucus-like material of food streaked with mucus
  • dry mouth and throat
  • Difficult bowel movements
  • Severe weight loss
  • Gradual emaciation
  • Sometimes acute pain
  • Maybe severe coughing
  • Maybe aspiration of fluids
  • Maybe fever
  • Maybe aortic erosion
  • T: Normal or Red or Red with red edges
  • C: White or Greasy and white or Greasy and yellow
  • P: Thready and wiry or Wiry and slippery or Thready and rapid
Treatment Principle
  • Regulate Qi
  • Soothe and soften the Liver
  • Moisten Dryness
  • Clear Heat
Herb Formulas
  • Qi Ge San
  • Ban Xia Hou Po Tang
  • With Liver Qi Stagnation dominant: Xiao Yao San  modified
  • With rebellious Stomach Qi: Xuan Fu Dai Zhe Tang  modified
  • Chinese Patent Medicines:
    Xiao Yao Wan
    Jia Wei Xiao Yao Wan
    For Phlegm masses: + Hai Zao Wan
    For Phlegm and blood Stagnation masses: + Nei Xiao Lan Li Wan
Points
Clinical Manifestations
  • Difficulty swallowing
  • In severe cases, the patient is unable to eat solid food at all
  • Even Fluids may be difficult to swallow
  • Vomiting may follow attempts to eat
  • The vomitus may be watery and red or brown tinged
  • Localized, possibly sharp or piercing chest pain
  • A tendency toward constipation
  • Hard, dry stools
  • Possibly black, tarry stools
  • Weight loss
  • Emaciation
  • Dry, scaly skin
  • Brittle, pitted nails
  • Spider naevi on the face and chest
  • Dark, distended vessels on the legs and abdomen
  • A dull, sallow or darkish complexion
  • Dark or purplish lips and conjunctiva
  • Dark rings around the eyes
  • T: Purplish or Purple with brown petechial spots with distended, dark sublingual veins
  • C: Little or None
  • P: Thready and choppy
Treatment Principle
  • Invigorate the Blood
  • Break up Blood Stasis
  • Disperse masses
  • Nourish and supplement Yin and Blood
Herb Formulas
  • Tong You Tang
  • Chinese Patent Medicines:
    Xue Fu Zhu Yu Wan

    She Dan Chuan Bei Ye
    For Phlegm and Blood Stagnation masses: Nei Xiao Lan Li Wan
    For Phlegm masses: Hai Zao Wan
Points
Clinical Manifestations
  • Upper abdominal pain
  • Discomfort in the upper abdomen
  • Anorexia
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Sticky sputum
  • Weight loss
  • Melaena
  • Edema
  • Abdominal distention
  • Chest and hypochondriac distention
  • Dizziness
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Vertigo
  • Ascites
  • Anemia
  • Difficulty swallowing food
  • Hepatomegaly
  • Abdominal tumor
  • The tumor is firm and irregular
  • Thirst with no desire to drink
  • Maybe no thirst
  • Palpitations
  • Shortness of Breath
  • T: Normal
  • C: Thick and slippery
  • P: Slippery, full and maybe wiry
Treatment Principle
  • Dry Dampness
  • Transform Phlegm
  • Warm the channels
  • Descend Rebellious Qi
  • Stop vomiting
  • Harmonize the Stomach
  • Dissipate nodules
  • Reduce Stagnation
Herb Formulas
Points
Clinical Manifestations
  • Difficulty swallowing
  • Paralysis
  • Numbness
  • Slurred speech
  • Deviated eyes
  • Deviated mouth (wry mouth)
  • Dizziness
  • Tinnitus
  • Sputum in the throat
  • Chest fullness and distention
  • Epigastric fullness and distention
  • Hypertension
  • Stroke
  • T: Deviated and trembling
  • C: Thick
  • P: Slippery and maybe wiry
Treatment Principle
  • Resolve Phlegm
  • Subdue Wind
Herb Formulas
Points
Clinical Manifestations
  • Difficulty swallowing
  • Cough with sticky, yellow, difficult to expectorate sputum
  • Rapid breathing with a harsh voice
  • Focal distention in the chest and epigastrium with or without nodules which is painful when pressed
  • Burning epigastric pain
  • Retrosternal discomfort
  • Heartburn
  • A bitter taste in the mouth
  • Restless fever
  • Sore throat
  • Constipation
  • Dry stools
  • Mania
  • Shortness of breath
  • Dyspnea
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Chest and/or epigastric fullness
  • Pain in the ribs
  • T: Scarlet
  • C: Yellow or Yellow and greasy or Yellow and smooth
  • P: Rapid and smooth or Slippery and rapid
Treatment Principle
  • Clear Heat
  • Resolve Phlegm
Herb Formulas
Points
Clinical Manifestations
  • Whole body numbness
  • Deviation of mouth and eyes
  • Numbness of skin
  • Dysphagia due to stiffness of the tongue
  • Hemiplegia
  • Rigidity of the extremities
  • Spasms of the extremities
  • Aversion to Cold
  • Fever
  • Chills
  • Aching joints
  • Tingling of the skin
  • Paralysis of the extremities
  • Numbness and lack of sensation in the hands and feet
  • Common cold (with above symptoms)
  • Inability to walk
  • Wandering joints pain
  • T: Pink or Red
  • C: White or Thin yellow
  • P: Superficial or Superficial and wiry or superficial and tight or Wiry and thin
Treatment Principle
  • Dispel Wind
  • Clear Heat
  • Circulate Qi
  • Dredge the channels
  • Nourish and invigorate the Blood
  • Harmonize the Ying and Wei
Herb Formulas
Points