External Therapies

External therapies refer to a therapeutic method in which drugs or surgery plus certain instruments are used to function directly on the sick region for therapeutic purpose. External therapies include three categories of drug therapy, surgical therapy and other therapies.

Drug Therapy

The drug therapy is supposed to prepare the herbal drugs into different forms of drugs and use directly on the sick region for the therapeutic purpose. This therapy is divided into plaster, ointment, oil lotion, application, powder, water lotion, tincture, suspension, etc.

Plaster

The plaster is prepared by adding certain proportion of red lead into the medicated oil extracted from herbal decoction, which is decocted in the pot after the herbal drugs are soaked in the vegetable oil for a certain period of time upon formula. In application, the plaster is applied on the sick region and altered once per one to two days usually. "Tai Yi Plaster" and "Qian Chui Plaster" can clear away fire and dissolve toxins, resolve accumulation, and diminish tumefaction, and are suitable for boils and sores of yang syndromes. "Yang He Jie Ning Plaster" can warm the meridians and disperse cold, resolve phlegm and dredge the collaterals and is suitable for boils and sores of yin syndromes. Usually, it is mostly used for boils and sores at the stage of tumefaction and ulceration and also can be used in combination with herbal powder. If pruritus occurs on the skin after application, it is not advisable to use it again for the allergic patients.

Ointment

Traditionally, the ointment is prepared by adding yellow wax or white wax into the medicated oil extracted from the decoction, which is decocted in the pot after the herbal drugs of the herbal formula are soaked in the oil for a certain period of time. At present, the ointment is prepared after the herbal drugs are ground into powder and mixed with Vaseline in certain proportion. Because of its remarkable therapeutic effect, and soft and moist nature and better adaptability to the skin, the ointment is used extensively. "Jin Huang Ointment", "Yu Lu Ointment" and "Qing Fu Ointment" can clear away heat to dissolve toxins as well as diminish tumefaction to stop pain, and can be used for the early stage of boils and sores of yang syndromes. "Hui Yang Yu Long Ointment" can warm yang and disperse cold as well as dissolve toxins and diminish tumefaction, and can be used for boils and sores of yin syndromes. "Chong He Ointment" can be used for semi-yin and semi-yang syndrome. "Hong You Ointment" can promote suppuration and discharge pus, and diminish tumefaction and stop pain, and can used on the wound of ulceration. "Sheng Ji Yu Hong Ointment" that can dissolve toxins and discharge pus, activate blood and stop pain and "Sheng Ji Bai Yu Ointment" that can promote granulation and heal the wound can both be used in the moment when the pus is almost discharged completely and the growing granulation starts to heal the wound. Besides, hemorrhoids can   be treated with "Xiao Zhi Ointment" to relieve hemorrhoids, diminish tumefaction and stop pain. The dermal eczema can be treated with "Qing Dai Powder Ointment" to clear away heat and dissolve toxins and to dry up dampness and stop itching. Psoriasis can be treated with "Feng You Gao" to moisten the dryness, kill parasites and stop itching. For local tumefaction without ulceration, the ointment is usually changed once every one to two days.  For ulcerated wound, the ointment is changed once each day.


Oil Lotion

The oil agent can be prepared by extracting the decoction cooked after the herbal drugs are soaked in oil and also can be prepared by mixing the herbal powder with medicated oil or vegetable oil into a paste. The oil agent possesses mostly the functions of dissolving toxins, moistening the muscles, stopping itching and astringent ability and are suitable for subacute dermal diseases with the dermal lesion of erosion, effusion, scale, pustule, and ulceration. The commonly used oil agents are "Dan Huang Oil Lotion", "Zicao Oil Lotion", "Qing Dai Powder Oil Lotion" and "San Shi Powder Oil Lotion". In application, the oil agent is applied for 2 - 3 times each day.
 
Application

It means that after the herbal drugs of the formula are ground into the coarse powder, the herbal powder is mixed with hydrophilic solution into a paste for local application. This agent possesses the functions of dispersing accumulation, diminishing tumefaction, healing the wound and stopping pain and is suitable for those with tumefaction and ulceration or whose ulceration and hard tumefaction have not been eliminated. For boils and sores of yang syndromes, there are "Jin Huang Powder", "Yu Lu Powder" and "Qing Fu Powder", etc. For yin syndromes, there is "Hui Yang Yu Long Powder". For semi-yin and semi-yang syndrome, there is "Chong He Powder". For boils and sores of yang syndromes, it is advisable to choose fresh herbs to pound juice, choose juice of chrysanthemum leaves, juice of luffa leaves and cold tea for preparing herbal paste. For boils and sores of yin syndromes, it is advisable to choose ginger juice, green onion juice, rice wine and vinegar for preparing herbal paste. In the topical application of the herbal paste, it is necessary to maintain the herbal paste moist. Otherwise, it is easy to influence the therapeutic effect and also cause uncomfortable sensation in the skin.

Powder

The powder refers to an herbal agent prepared by grinding the herbal drugs into fine powder. Because of the different functions, it can be used for the different diseases or the different pathological stage of a disease.

Dispersing Powder

This type of powder is often used in combination with the plaster, ointment and topical dressing. In the application, the aforesaid herbal agents are stuck on the infected areas, after spreading with the powder. "Yang Du Nei Xi- ao Powder", "Hong Ling Pellet", etc, are used for boils and sores of yang syndromes. "Yin Du Nei Xiao Powder", "Gui She Powder", "Hei Tui Xiao", etc. are