Canker sores, also known as "snow mouth" or "goose mouth," refer to lesions characterized by white erosions on the oral and tongue mucosa of infants. This condition is commonly seen in breastfeeding infants. Below, we will teach you some massage techniques for treating canker sores.
Causes and Pathogenesis of Canker Sores
The main cause of this condition is stagnation of heat in the heart and spleen, and deficiency of qi and yin.
The spleen opens into the mouth, and both the foot yangming stomach meridian and the hand yangming large intestine meridian pass through the mouth. The tongue is the sprout of the heart, and the spleen meridians are connected to the mouth. When there is stagnation of heat in the heart, spleen, and stomach meridians, the pathogenic heat follows the meridians and rises, causing fumigation of the mouth and tongue and resulting in canker sores. In infants with congenital deficiencies or after prolonged illness, weakness of the spleen and stomach, damage to stomach yin, and deficiency of qi and yin can lead to imbalance between water and fire, causing the eruption of canker sores.
Massage for Canker Sores with Stagnation of Heat in the Heart and Spleen
Clinical symptoms: The oral and tongue surfaces are covered with white flakes, the face and lips are red, the child is restless and irritable, crying and screaming, dry mouth or thirst, dry and hard stools, short and yellow urine, red tongue, slippery pulse, and purple fingerprints.
Treatment principle: Clearing heat and resolving stagnation in the heart and spleen.
Treatment method: Massage the spleen meridian, clear the stomach meridian, clear the heart meridian, rub the kidney lines, rub the small horizontal lines, tonify kidney water, clear the small intestine, differentiate yin and yang, "scoop the bright moon from the bottom of the water," rub the small heavenly heart, clear the celestial river water, retreat the six fu organs, and spread the wings like a phoenix.
Massage analysis: According to "Wai Ke Zheng Zong," canker sores are caused by the upward attack of heat in the heart and spleen meridians. Therefore, the massage techniques of clearing the heart meridian, rubbing the small heavenly heart, small horizontal lines, kidney lines, "scoop the bright moon from the bottom of the water," and spreading the wings like a phoenix are used to disperse the heat toxin in the mouth and tongue. Clearing the celestial river water, retreating the six fu organs, and differentiating yin and yang are used to clear the heat in the fu organs. According to "Yi Men Bu Yao," the disease is caused by "stagnation of heat in the spleen and stomach, steaming upward." Therefore, the massage techniques of massaging the spleen meridian and the door panel are used to clear the damp and hot pathogenic factors in the middle burner. Tonifying kidney water and purging the small intestine nourish yin and moisten dryness, which helps to eliminate the heat pathogen through urine.
Massage for Canker Sores with Floating Deficiency Fire
Clinical symptoms: The mouth and tongue have sparse white flakes, with a red halo around them, or the mouth and tongue are ulcerated. The child is weak, with a pale face and flushed cheeks, tiredness, dry mouth without thirst, or loose stools. The tongue is tender and red, the pulse is thin, and the fingerprints are purple.
Treatment principle: Nourish yin and subdue yang, guide fire back to its source.
Treatment method: Pinch and rub the two gate points, two people on horseback, tonify the kidney meridian, spleen meridian, rub kidney shu points, spleen shu points, rub the small horizontal lines, four horizontal lines, kidney lines, kidney top, bladder meridian, move the inner eight trigrams, rub yunran valley, and tai xi.
Massage analysis: Pinching and rubbing the two gate points and having two people on horseback nourishes yin and tonifies the kidneys, strengthens the spleen, and boosts qi, while also retreating the heat in the zang-fu organs. Tonifying the kidney meridian and rubbing the kidney shu points have the function of warming and tonifying the kidney essence. Tonifying the spleen meridian and rubbing the spleen shu points promote qi and resolve dampness. Together, they achieve the effect of nourishing both pre-heaven and post-heaven, and can relieve the symptoms of weakness, tiredness, and loose stools. "Rubbing the small horizontal lines, four horizontal lines, and pushing the spine" can clear deficiency heat. The movement of the inner eight trigrams from the kun meridian to the dui meridian is the process of earth generating metal, and metal generating water. It has the function of nourishing both metal and water, which is the method of clearing heat and nourishing yin. Tai xi is the original point and luo point of the kidney meridian of the foot shaoyin. It can guide the movement of kidney qi and distribute it throughout the body, nourishing kidney yin and retreating deficiency heat. Rubbing yunran valley and tai xi can nourish yin and blood, connect yang qi, and achieve the effect of nourishing blood and promoting circulation, relieving the symptoms of disordered mouth and tongue.
Care and Precautions for Pediatric Canker Sores
1. The breastfeeding mother should avoid consuming spicy and hot foods and acid and spicy stimulating substances.
2. Pay attention to maintaining oral hygiene in infants to prevent damage to the oral mucosa; avoid long-term use of certain antibiotics or sulfa drugs.
3. Boil and disinfect the infant's feeding utensils to avoid infection.
4. For weak infants, attention should be paid to nutrition and care.
5. When a child with a long-term illness develops canker sores, it is often a part of systemic fungal infection and should be highly monitored.
