OBSERVATION OF THE THROAT AND NECK

Chapter 10


imageOBSERVATION OF THE THROAT AND NECK




CHANNELS INFLUENCING THE THROAT AND NECK


Practically all channels, with the exception of the Bladder, flow through the throat but the most important channels involved in the various symptoms and signs of this area are the Directing Vessel for the front of the neck (throat area), the Stomach and Large Intestine for the sides of the throat, the Triple Burner and Gall-Bladder for the sides of the neck and the Governing Vessel and Bladder channel for the back of the neck.


The pathways of the channels flowing through the neck are illustrated in Figure 10.1 and summarized in Box 10.1.



BOX 10.1   CHANNELS INFLUENCING THE THROAT AND NECK





The symptoms and signs related to throat and neck are discussed in Chapters 59 and 62 respectively in Part 5.



THROAT






Observation of the pharynx


Symptoms and Signs, Chapter 59


To observe the pharynx, ask the patient to open the mouth; press the tongue down firmly with a disposable tongue blade, far enough back to get a good view of the pharynx but not so far as to cause gagging. Simultaneously ask the patient to say ‘ah’ or to yawn. Inspect the palate, the tonsils and the pharynx at this time (Fig. 10.3).



image


Fig. 10.3 Pharynx


The pharynx should always be observed when a patient complains of acute or chronic ‘sore throat’: if the pharynx mucous membrane is red, it indicates Heat or Empty-Heat. In the many cases when patients complain of sore throat but there is no redness of the pharynx, the cause is often either stagnation of Qi (of the Liver or Lungs) or Yin deficiency (of the Lungs or Kidneys, or both).


If the pharynx is deep red on observation, it indicates Full-Heat, which may be exterior or interior. The inside of the throat may become red in acute invasions of Wind-Heat affecting the Lung channel and this is especially common in children. In interior conditions, a redness of the inside of the throat may be due to Full-Heat in the Lungs or Stomach and Intestines, the latter being more common in children. If the inside of the throat is pale red, this indicates Empty Heat affecting the Lung or Kidney channel, or both.


Erosion, redness and swelling of the pharynx indicate Toxic Heat; this is seen more frequently in children suffering from acute upper respiratory infections.


Erosion, swelling and a yellowish-red colour of the pharynx, together with foul breath and a thick-yellow tongue coating, indicate Full Heat in the Stomach and Intestines, which, again, is more common in children.


A chronic erosion of the pharynx that comes and goes is usually due to Empty-Heat, which may affect Stomach, Lungs or Kidneys.


Chronic erosion and dryness of the pharynx that come and go with greyish ulcers, no swelling and a dry but not painful throat indicate chronic, severe Yin deficiency.


Chronic erosion of the pharynx with ulcers that have raised, hard edges indicates Blood stasis mixed with Phlegm-Heat.


Box 10.2 summarizes these pharynx signs.



BOX 10.2   PHARYNX SIGNS



Related posts:

  1. OBSERVATION OF THE GENITALIA
  2. MENSTRUAL SYMPTOMS
  3. DIAGNOSIS BY HEARING
  4. MENTAL AND EMOTIONAL SYMPTOMS

Stay updated, free articles. Join our Telegram channel
Tags:
Apr 15, 2017 | Posted by in GENERAL & FAMILY MEDICINE | Comments Off on OBSERVATION OF THE THROAT AND NECK

Full access? Get Clinical Tree
Get Clinical Tree app for offline access