Cold invading the Large Intestine
The information provided here is not a replacement for a doctor. You shouldn't use it for the purpose of self-diagnosing or self-medicating but rather so you can have a more informed discussion with a professional TCM practitioner.
At a glance
Preliminary reading: What is a pattern? The concept of Cold The Large Intestine in Chinese Medicine
Key attributes
Chinese name: 寒犯大肠 Pinyin name: Hán Fàn Dà Cháng
Pattern nature: Full
Causes
Precursor patterns: Spleen Yang Deficiency
Common causes: Cold environment
Diagnosis
Common symptoms: Diarrhea Abdominal pain Feeling of cold Cold sensation in abdomen
Pulse type(s): Deep (Chen), Tight (Jin)
Tongue description: Thick white coating
Treatment
Treatment principle: Expel Cold from the Large Intestine, warm the Lower Burner.
Common formulas: Liang Fu Wan Tao Hua Tang
Pathology
Like the Stomach and the Uterus, the large Intestine is one of the three Organs that the external Cold can invade directly. It is a Full Cold pattern and the Cold Evil penetrates the Defensive Qi and resides in the Large Intestine. The Cold then impairs the Qi circulation of the Lower Burner, hence the symptoms of sudden abdominal pain and cold sensation in the abdomen. The Cold also disturbs the Large Intestine's function of absorbing Body Fluids and it causes diarrhoea with pain.
The thick tongue coating indicates a Pernicious Influence sudden invasion. The Deep pulse reflects this Pernicious Influence is in the Interior and the Tight pulse suggests there are actual Full Cold.
Causes
Precursor patterns: Cold invading the Large Intestine can derive from Spleen Yang Deficiency
Cold environment: This pattern happens if the patients' abdomens are exposed to cold weather without being covered properly or they spend a long time sitting on cold or wet surfaces.
Diagnosing Cold invading the Large Intestine
Diagnosing a pattern in Chinese Medicine is no easy feat and should be left to professional practitioners. In particular one has to know how to differentiate between different types of pulses and tongue coatings, shapes and colors as well as learn to read from a long list of seemingly unrelated symptoms.
Pulse type(s): Deep (Chen) or tight (Jin)
Tongue description: Thick white coating
Main symptoms: Diarrhea Abdominal pain Feeling of cold Cold sensation in abdomen
Diagnosis commentary: Key characteristic symptoms of this pattern are the sudden abdominal pain, diarrhoea and feeling of cold.
Treating Cold invading the Large Intestine
Treatment principle
Expel Cold from the Large Intestine, warm the Lower Burner.
Herbal formulas used to treat Cold invading the Large Intestine
Liang Fu Wan
Source date: 1842 AD
Number of ingredients: 2 herbs
Key actions: Warms the Middle Burner. Dispels Cold. Promotes the movement of Qi. Alleviates Pain.
Formula summary
Liang Fu Wan is a 2-ingredient Chinese Medicine formula. Invented in 1842 AD, it belongs to the category of formulas that promote Qi movement.
Besides Cold invading the Large Intestine, Liang Fu Wan is also used to treat Cold invading the Stomach or Large Intestine Cold.
Tao Hua Tang
Source date: 220 AD
Number of ingredients: 3 herbs
Key actions: Warms the Middle. Dispels Cold. Binds up the bowels and stops dysenteric disorders.
Formula summary
Tao Hua Tang is a 3-ingredient Chinese Medicine formula. Invented in 220 AD, it belongs to the category of formulas that bind up Intestines and secure abandoned conditions.
Besides Cold invading the Large Intestine, Tao Hua Tang is also used to treat Large Intestine Cold or Kidney and Spleen Yang Deficiency with Empty Cold.
Consequence patterns
Cold in the Large Intestine can harm Yang and causes Spleen Yang Deficiency.