Qianghuo is a traditional Chinese medicine that has the effect of dispelling cold and dampness. It has a good ability to promote sweating and eliminate dampness. It has a beneficial regulatory and health maintenance effect on our bladder and kidneys. Let's take a look at the efficacy and function of Qianghuo!
【Efficacy and Function of Qianghuo】
1. Dispelling wind and cold (wind-cold exterior syndrome): It is used to treat wind-cold with dampness syndrome. Symptoms include chills, fever, lack of sweating, severe headache, and body aches. It can be combined with Fangfeng and Xixin, such as Jiawei Qianghuo Decoction. This herb is dry and has a strong odor. It is good at relieving pain and is often chosen for cases with severe pain in wind-cold exterior syndrome.
2. Dispelling wind and dampness (wind-cold damp arthralgia): It is used to treat half-body wind-cold damp arthralgia, shoulder and arm joint pain, such as Juanbi Decoction. It is especially effective in relieving pain in the head, neck, shoulders, and arms. If it is used for headache, it is often combined with Fangfeng and Gaoben, such as Qianghuo Shengshi Decoction. Due to its strong and dry nature, it should not be used in large quantities.
【Methods of Using Qianghuo】
For treating rheumatism with restlessness, unbearable pain, inability to flex or extend the body, or slight swelling and numbness: Qianghuo (without lugs), Fuzi (processed, without navel skin), Baizhu, and Gancao (processed), equal parts. Take 20 grams each time, add one and a half bowls of water, and add five slices of fresh ginger. Simmer until seven-tenths of the liquid remains, remove the residue, and take it warm at any time.
For treating headache along the Taiyang meridian: Take 1 gram of Fangfeng, 1.5 grams of Qianghuo, and two red beans. Grind them into powder and sniff it into the nose.
For treating shoulder and back pain that cannot be turned back, severe pain in the spine, and a feeling of the waist being broken and the neck being pulled: Take one qian each of Qianghuo and Duhuo, 2.5 grams each of Gaoben, Fangfeng, and Gancao (processed), and 1.5 grams of Manjingzi. Prepare it as one dose, add two bowls of water, simmer until one bowl of liquid remains, remove the residue, and take it warm on an empty stomach before meals.
【Contraindications of Qianghuo】
1. This herb has a strong warm and dry nature, so it should be used with caution in those with yin deficiency and blood deficiency.
2. It should not be used for blood deficiency and pain.
3. It should not be used for blood deficiency headache, general body pain, bone pain accompanied by cold and fever, as these are internal conditions and the misuse of Qianghuo may worsen the symptoms.
