I. Overview of the disease

"Herpes pharyngitis is like too much 'heat and dampness' in the body, leading to inflammation and ulcers in the throat, and Chinese medicine helps children expel toxins through 'heat-clearing and dampness-inducing' ingredient regimens.

Herpes pharyngitis is an acute infectious disease caused by enterovirus, with fecal-oral or respiratory tract as the main means of transmission, with a high incidence in summer and fall, and children aged 1-7 years old as the main susceptible population. Clinically, it is characterized by fever, sore throat, herpes ulcers in the pharyngeal isthmus, and red halo spots can be seen at the back of the soft palate, pharynx, tonsils and other places. It is surrounded by characteristic blisters or white papules. The course of the disease is usually 4-6 days and may be prolonged to 2 weeks in severe cases. Chinese medicine believes that the pathogenesis is damp-heat in the lungs and spleen, and exogenous epidemic, which needs to be regulated by clearing heat and removing toxins and resolving dampness to benefit the pharynx.

The main manifestations of the disease are acute fever, which may be sustained or recurrent, sore throat, especially when swallowing, sometimes complaining of headache, abdominal pain or myalgia. Within 2 days of the onset of the disease, a few small (1~2mm in diameter) gray-white herpes appear on the oral mucosa, surrounded by a red halo. They are most often found on the anterior tonsils, but can also be located on the soft palate, tonsils, uvula, and tongue. In the next 24 hours the blisters break into shallow ulcers, usually less than 5 mm in diameter, and heal within 1-5 days.

According to Chinese medicine, herpes pharyngitis is mostly caused by damp-heat in the lungs and spleen, and by external infection of seasonal evils and epidemics.

---

Second, therapeutic formula recommendations

1.Honeysuckle and Fatty Sea Watermelon Peel Drink

Recipe:Honeysuckle 10g, Fatty Sai Hai 10g, Fresh Watermelon Peel 100g (if no Fatty Sai Hai can be replaced by Luo Han Guo)
practice: Decoct water for 30 minutes, drink as tea
effect: Clearing lung and throat, clearing heat and dampness. Fatty sea water is cold in nature and should not be consumed for a long period of time, discontinue use after symptoms are relieved.
be applicable: Those with fever, reddish throat herpes, and visible blisters at the beginning of the illness.

2.three-pronged soup

Recipe:: 30g of leucaena leucocephala root, 30g of Pueraria lobata root, 30g of rehmannia glutinosa root
practice: Decoct water for 30 minutes, take warm
effect: relieving muscles and fever, dispelling dampness and relieving sore throat
be applicable: Fever, red, swollen and painful throat, dry mouth and yellow urine caused by external evils of dampness and heat.

3.Improved Three Bean Drink

Recipe:: 50g each of adzuki beans, mung beans, black beans, 10g of raw licorice, 15g of umeboshi (if your child doesn't like it, add a little rock sugar or honey for flavor).
practiceSoak beans for 1 hour and cook for 2 hours until smooth, add licorice, umeboshi and rock sugar to taste.
effect: clearing heat and promoting dampness, detoxifying and promoting the production of fluids, red kidney beans dispelling dampness, mung beans clearing heat, and black beans tonifying the kidneys.
be applicable: Mild herpes or prophylactic use, with a sweet and sour taste that is easy to accept.

---

III. Points for daily protection

1.dietary counseling

• ​edible: Ingredients that clear heat and resolve dampness, such as kudzu, barley, lotus seeds (heart), winter melon, adzuki beans, amaranth, bitter melon, and honeysuckle.
• ​avoid eating: Spicy, greasy, seafood and other hairy foods to avoid aggravating the condition.

2.Isolation and Sterilization

• Herpes pharyngitis is highly infectious, spreads rapidly, and is disseminated or epidemic, so isolation measures should be taken to avoid cross-infection.
• Children need to be isolated until herpes crusts over (at least 1 week) and close contacts observed for 1 week.
• Viruses hide in children's saliva and feces, so it's important to wash your hands and sanitize toys and utensils!
• Expose clothing to the sun and keep the room ventilated.

3.Symptom care

• Oral cleansing: rinse mouth with light salt water after meals and avoid irritating foods.
• Physical hypothermia: Prefer warm water baths below 38.5°C and avoid alcohol rubs.

4.strengthen immunity

• Regular routine, moderate outdoor activities and sun exposure promote vitamin D synthesis.
• Tui Na massage (e.g., clearing Tianhe Shui and rubbing Yongquan points) is recommended to assist in reducing fever.

---

IV. External treatment with traditional Chinese medicine

◇How to correctly nudge fever-reducing acupressure points?

1.clear water from the Qingtian River

• ​localization: a straight line from the transverse wrist line (the point of the common tendon) to the transverse elbow line (the point of the Hongchi) in the middle of the inner forearm135The
• ​manipulate: Push straight from the wrist to the elbow with the belly of the index and middle fingers, 100-300 times.
• ​effectClearing away heat and relieving symptoms, applicable to all kinds of fever (both weak and solid)510The

2.surrender from the six bowels of the heart (TCM)

• ​localization: the ulnar side of the inner forearm (pinky side), in a straight line from the transverse elbow stripe to the transverse wrist stripe145The
• ​manipulate: Push straight from the elbow to the wrist with your thumb or index or middle finger 100-300 times.
• ​effect: Clearing heat and cooling blood, suitable for signs of actual heat (e.g. high fever, thirst, constipation)510The

3.cleanse the lungs

• ​localization: End threaded surface of ring finger (i.e., fingertip toward palm)345The
• ​manipulate: Push straight from the root of the finger to the tip of the finger with the thumb, 100-300 times.
• ​effect: Promoting lung circulation and clearing heat, relieving sore throat and coughing510The

4.massage the major vertebrae points (TCM)

• ​localization: Subacromial recess of the spinous process of the 7th cervical vertebra (highest point in the back of the neck when the head is bowed)410The
• ​manipulate: Rub 30-50 times with your thumb or the root of your palm.
• ​effect: disperses Yang energy and is effective in reducing fever.

• ​Gua Sha/Flash Cans: Scraping along the bladder meridian and the large vertebrae points to draw the evil out.

​Precautions：

• ​Tui Na Taboo::
  • Do not operate on broken or infected skin.
  • Bloodletting is contraindicated in children with weakness, anemia or coagulation disorders.
• ​Operating Points::
  Apply baby oil or talcum powder before pushing to reduce friction.
  Keep the room temperature above 25°C to avoid your child getting cold.
  Avoid bathing for 3 hours after pushing.
• complementary therapy
  ◇acupressure: Apply heat-clearing and detoxifying medicinal patches to the Yongquan acupoints to induce heat to flow downward.
  ◇Chinese medicine atomization: Decoction of honeysuckle and forsythia is nebulized to relieve sore throat.
  ◇hemotherapy: Tap and bleed for quick relief of sore throat.(requires specialized physician)
  1.Shaoshang point (outside of the thumb)
  ☆localization: 0.1 inch next to the corner of the nail on the radial side of the thumb67The
  ☆Operation: rapid puncture with a three-pronged needle, squeeze out 3-5 drops of blood67The
  2.Shangyang point (outside of index finger)
  ☆localization: 0.1 inch next to the corner of the nail on the radial side of the index finger6The
  ☆Operation: same as Shaoshang point, squeeze out 3-5 drops of blood6The
  3.Tip of the ear point (highest point of the auricle)
  ☆localization: Tip above the earwheel6The
  ☆Operation: puncture and bleed after sterilization, squeeze out 3-5 drops of blood

---

V. When to seek medical attention?

Q: "Can I use fever-reducing medication if my child has a high fever?"
A: "Ibuprofen or acetaminophen may be used for temperatures over 38.5°C, but no more than four times in 24 hours! If the fever persists for more than 24 hours, immediate medical attention is needed."

If symptoms such as persistent high fever (>39°C), depression, shaking of limbs, and respiratory distress occur, immediate medical attention is required. Severely ill children may require a combination of western and Chinese medicine, such as intravenous antiviral drugs or hormones.

---

concluding remarks
Although herpes pharyngitis is self-limiting, Chinese medicine can shorten the course of the disease and reduce symptoms. Dietary remedies to clear internal heat, daily protection against infections, external treatments to relieve discomfort, and physical conditioning to strengthen immunity are effective strategies to cope with herpes pharyngitis in a scientific manner. Parents need to closely observe the changes of the disease for early detection and intervention.