Traditional Chinese Medicine for Medical Emergencies

When talking about medical emergencies, few people would think of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

However, TCM can also be used for emergencies - it has actually been a go-to for practitioners for thousands of years! Among them, patent medicines such as: Angong Niuhuang Pills 安宫牛黄丸, Purple Snow Zi Xue Pill 紫雪丹, Yu Shu Pills 玉枢丹, Su Xiao Jiu Xin Pills 速效救心丸, and Zhi Bao Dan 至宝丹 are well known. Traditional Chinese Medicine experts pointed out that Angong Niuhuang Pill 安宫牛黄丸 is currently the most commonly used.

Many Chinese households would in fact rely on keeping Angong Niuhuang Pill 安宫牛黄丸 at home/on hand in case for emergencies. Why? This is explained below:

Angong Niuhuang Wan 安宫牛黄丸

Angong Niuhuang Pills 安宫牛黄丸 is a TCM first-aid medicine, especially suitable for patients with prone to strokes, hemiplegia, and hyperthermic coma. It is also widely used in craniocerebral injury disorders, severe pneumonia in young children, febrile convulsions, toxic dysentery, and brain hypoplasia. For emergencies such as high fever, coma, convulsions and other crises, this pill has been known since ancient times as "rescuing in an instant and reversing critical emergencies".

Angong Niuhuang Pills was created by Wu Ju Tong 吴鞠通, a renown doctor in the Qing Dynasty, on the basis of inheriting ancient prescriptions. It was recorded in Volume 1 of "Tiao Bian of Febrile Diseases". It was later introduced to Tong Ren Tang from the Qing Palace and is still in use today, helping countless people in the world. "An Gong 安宫" means "Palace of Peace", and "An Gong/Palace" means the pericardium, which is the home of the heart. TCM believes that the heart is like a monarch in the human body, and the pericardium is the palace of the heart. Angong Niuhuang Wan is composed of medicines that clear away heat, cool blood and detoxify, purge fire, remove phlegm, clear the heart, calm convulsions, detox and revive the mind. It is a prescription used to treat coma and closed orifices.

It is composed of:

• Bezoar (20%)
• Buffalo horn (20%)
• Turmeric (15%)
• Musk (5%)
• Coptis chinensis
• Pearl, supplemented by skullcap, gardenia, borneol, cinnabar, and realgar. The above medicines are ground into very fine powder and refined into pills with honey (accounting for 15% of the total weight), covered with gold foil and protected with white wax.

TCM calls it "Liangkai Sanbao" together with Zhi Bao Dan and Zi Xue Dan, and regards it as the first of the three treasures, with the highest status.

In addition, there is a kind of "Dushen Decoction 独参汤" that also has first-aid effects. The method is: 30 grams of ginseng, decoct* for about 30 minutes, take the juice and take it. In case of emergency, it can be taken by mouth or chewed directly. It has the function of greatly replenishing vitality, restoring yang and stabilizing yang, and nourishing and activating blood circulation. It is a first aid for postpartum coma caused by excessive postpartum blood loss and deficient yang qi.

*Decoction of Chinese medicine refers to a cooking method of putting Chinese medicinal materials into a casserole. You can add cold drinking water and soak for 20 to 30 minutes. Add water to the point of covering the medicine. Put the medicine casserole on the fire and cook it over medium heat. Generally, it is decocted in two steps. After the first decoction, pour out 150 to 200 ml of the medicinal liquid, which is called the lead/first decoction 头煎药: then, add an appropriate amount of warm water (if the medicinal residue is cooled before the second decoction, cold water should be added) , which is called the second decoction 二煎药. After the second decoction, combine the two decoction liquids, mix evenly and take it in divided doses. Under normal circumstances, it is best to cover the pot during decoction. It is not advised to open the lid frequently, otherwise the smell will be easily lost and the efficacy of the medicine will be reduced.

Another very convenient, fast, and safe method is acupuncture. For example, utilizing the Renzhong acupoint during shock.

The Efficient First Aid Effect of "Renzhong Point 人中穴位"

The Renzhong point 人中穴位 is located on the face, at the intersection of the upper 1/3 and middle 1/3 of the Renzhong sulcus. It is an important first aid acupoint. Pinch or acupuncture this point can be used to treat stroke, heatstroke, poisoning, allergies, as well as coma, respiratory arrest, drop in blood pressure, shock, etc. that occur during surgical anesthesia.

Why does stimulating the Renzhong acupoint have a first-aid effect? ​​This is because rhythmic, continuous weak or strong stimulation of the Renzhong can increase arterial blood pressure, and in critical situations, increasing blood pressure can ensure the health of all important organs of the body. A stronger blood supply maintains vitality. Stimulating the philtrum acupuncture points can also affect people's respiratory activities. If continuous stimulation of the philtrum can cause continuous suppression of exhalation, appropriate rhythmic stimulation can be beneficial to the operation of rhythmic breathing activities.

In actual operation: use the tip of your thumb to pinch or acupuncture the Renzhong point (be careful not to use nails to avoid pinching the skin), and support the lower end of the chin with the remaining four fingers; then press or twist the needle 20-40 times per minute, preferably for 0.5-1 second each time.

Disclaimer: Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read without extensive research and professional guidance.

If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor, go to the emergency department, or call 911 immediately. Medicine and methods explained in this article are the most beneficial when users have extensive knowledge of their health history as well as the medication, combined with the experience of a qualified healthcare provider.