Clear the Upper & Relieve Pain - Qing Shang Juan Tong Tang

Formula Type

Extract

TCM Pattern

This formula treats wind-cold invasion attacking the head and eyes and resulting in pain.

Therapeutic Functions

Courses wind, disperses cold, clears heat and relieves pain.*

Clinical Indications

Headache (including sinus headaches, whole-head headaches and migraine headaches), trigeminal neuralgia, high blood pressure.

Symptoms & Signs

This formula treats wind-cold headaches. These are characterized by aversion to wind and cold, pain that is worse with exposure to cold or wind and intense pain. Some modern practitioners use this formula to address headaches associated with high blood pressure when these fit the pattern of invasion of wind-cold-damp. Note that some modern texts interpret this formula as one that treats wind-heat headache patterns. The formula’s inclusion of a large number of warm and drying herbs, they propose, is offset by the its use of Huang Qin (Scutellaria baikal root), Ju Hua (Chrysanthemum flower) and Man Jing Zi (Vitex fruit), all of which are cold or cool. Thus, one can consider this formula for wind-heat patterns as well as long as the patient does not exhibit signs of yin or fluid vacuity. It may be advisable to combine this formula with Yin Qiao San (Lonicera & Forsythia Combination) if acute wind-heat is indeed the pattern involved. The source text does not shed light on this issue as it simply states that the formula, “treats all penetrating pain, there is no need to ask if the pain is on the left or the right [side of the head], or both, or if it is acute or chronic. The formula is effective for them all.”

Precautions

This formula is contraindicated in patients with vacuity of yin, blood or qi. Special attention should be paid to make sure the patient’s pattern is not one of ascendant liver yang for which this formula is also contraindicated.

Pulse Quality

Acute patterns - floating and tense; Chronic patterns – slow, deep and tense.

Tongue Appearance

Pale-purple with a white fur.