Fire-Poison from the Intestines.

Ge Gen clears Heat and stops diarrhoea.

Shan Zha and Shen Qu resolve food accumulation. Shan Zha also

stops diarrhoea.

Gan Cao harmonizes.

This patient reported a remarkable improvement even after only one

dose and required a daily decoction for 10 days to clear the problem

completely.

Prognosis and Prevention

The combination of acupuncture and herbal medicine is very effective in treating exterior
invasions of Wind. The beauty of Chinese medicine in the treatment of colds and influenza is
that, if the treatment is absolutely right, the Exterior is released and the pathogenic factor
expelled completely. It also shortens the course of the disease and prevents complications and
injury of Qi or Yin. The use of antibiotics during exterior invasion of Wind or at the Qi level,
should definitely be discouraged. Although the common cold and influenza are caused by viruses
against which antibiotics are ineffective, they are often prescribed for secondary bacterial
infections of the throat or tonsils, for example. In many cases, the use of antibiotics in these
conditions leads to the development of a residual pathogenic factor, also because they weaken
Stomach-Qi which is the source of Qi and Blood of the body, so that the body's defences are
enfeebled rather than strengthened. Of course, in some situations intervention with antibiotic
therapy is necessary, as when Chinese medicine might be too slow to act. For example, if a small
child develops pneumonia following influenza it is obviously important to administer antibiotics
to act quickly and prevent injury of Yin from Heat or the development of Wind from Heat.
Moreover, a small child with pneumonia will have a very high temperature and probably
delirium so that it would be very difficult to administer herbs in any case.

At the Defensive-Qi Level, acupuncture is as effective as herbal medicine, but treatment
definitely needs to be given every day and, in severe cases, even twice a day. Thus, treatment
with herbs or patent remedies is easier as it can be carried out by the patient himself or herself at
home.

At the Qi level, herbal medicine (with herbs or patent remedies) is more effective than
acupuncture, especially in the case of Fire which needs draining by purging. For example, to
treat Stomach-Fire affecting the Intestines and causing constipation and abdominal pain, herbal
medicine is more effective and more reliable than acupuncture.

It is essential that the patient be advised to take care and rest during an invasion of Wind. He or