A patient came in recently with the beginnings of a stye. Her left eye hurt and if she pulled her upper eyelid up, she was able to see enough minor inflammation to cause concern. “It always happens around this time of year,” she said. Why? Why?
Why did her eye stye fly (upwards)?
The eyes—especially and specifically the eyelids—are surrounded by the stomach vessel (this is why there are so many ophthalmological complications around diabetes). Insofar as circulatory directionality in the body, it is the stomach’s job (as well as the large intestine’s) to descend gases and fluids down and out; in contrast to its partners, the pancreas and spleen’s functionality to take food, transform it into nutrients, and send them UP. I digress.
In fall fluids and gases naturally want to descend. If we are not metabolically rooted or strong enough our body will fail to attract them downward. If inflammation is hyperactive in the upper portion of the body our body will fail to attract them downward. This is part of the reason fall allergies occur. It was also, in my opinion, the reason for this patient’s stye.
Because she was able to come twice in the same week, we ended up not needing herbs.
Based on pulse and pattern diagnosis this patient fell more into the former category: Digestion and energy were weak, both of which exacerbated by her menses—prone to dizziness and cramping, either implicating a deficiency of blood.
I needled the large intestine vessel’s point on the hand whose neurological pathway connects to the face, as well as the same vessel’s point by the elbow, whose pathway clears inflammatory heat (flaring upwards). These points alone should suffice in clearing the heat above. For the “vacuity below” I used Stomach 36, logically, to engender ample digestive enzymes and acids to attract (potentially) inflammatory gases downward. Since it is the liver vessel’s job to then SEND our manufactured blood UP to lubricate orifices, such as ophthalmologically, I used Liver 3, then finally the third eye point, Yin Tang, for local circulation, plus to calm the understandable anxiety one feels on the precipice of pain or crisis. Between treatments the patient was diligent about avoiding spicy foods and using warm compresses, and by the end of the week, VIOLA! No doctor’s visit or antibiotics necessary.
When gastric acids, enzymes, and/or blood are weak or thinned, it is only a matter of time before some manifestation of inflammatory and/or dry heat flares upwards. Chinese medicine understands this relationship better than most—it is also why a predominantly great diet and lifestyle are imperative.
Had this patient not recovered from her own self-care and our acupuncture, potential herbal ingredients could include chrysanthemum and/or mint flowers, gypsum stone if the eye felt burning or dry and she had thirst for cold drinks, angelica and chuanxiong root at low doses if she experienced much bloating or lack of appetite, but a high dose otherwise; finally, figwort root if there was additional dryness of the throat. If you or anyone you know is dealing with any ophthalmological issues, please consider holistic medicine to treat not just the symptom!
