Nasal Discharge

How Chinese medicine differentiates nasal discharge in general — distinct from Postnasal Drip and Congested Nose already covered, which focus on flow direction and blockage rather than colour and texture — the six patterns you'll actually meet in practice, and the points for each. Acupuncture only — no herbs.

This page is educational, for practitioners and students — it is not a diagnostic tool and does not replace a proper in-person assessment. Nasal discharge with facial pain, high fever, or lasting beyond 10 days needs medical evaluation before assuming a simple pattern.

General Acupuncture Points

Acupuncture points traditionally used for nasal discharge — 13 key points, used across the patterns below rather than tied to just one.

Point	Key action
ST-36	Benefits Stomach and Spleen. Tonifies Qi and Blood.
SP-6	Strengthens the Spleen. Resolves Dampness.
BL-13	Stimulates the diffusing and descending of Lung-Qi. Tonifies Lung-Qi.
BL-20	Tonifies Spleen and Stomach. Resolves Dampness.
LU-7	Promotes the descending and diffusing of Lung-Qi. Releases the Exterior and expels exterior Wind. Opens the nose.
L.I.-20	Expels exterior Wind. Opens the nose. Removes obstructions from the channel.
L.I.-4	Expels exterior Wind. Removes obstructions from the channel. Benefits the eyes, nose, ears and mouth.
G.B.-20	Expels exterior Wind. Extinguishes interior Wind. Clears Heat.
L.I.-11	Clears Heat and cools Blood. Regulates the Intestines.
BL-23	Tonifies the Kidneys and nourishes Kidney-Essence.
DU-4	Tonifies Kidney-Yang and warms the Gate of Life (Ming Men).
KI-3	Tonifies the Kidneys (both Yin and Yang). Benefits Essence.
T.B.-5	Expels Wind-Heat. Benefits the ears. Clears Heat in the head.

The Six Patterns

↑ reinforcing ↓ reducing ⊥ even method.

1. Spleen and Lung Qi Deficiency View full pattern →

Clinical manifestations: Chronic clear watery nasal discharge, fatigue worsening after activity, poor appetite with bloating and loose stools, pale complexion, frequent colds.

Tongue: Pale, puffy tongue with teeth marks and thin white slippery coating. Pulse: Weak, forceless.

Treatment principle: Strengthen Lung and Spleen Qi to restore fluid management and prevent overflow.

ST-36 ↑ SP-6 ↑ BL-13 ↑ BL-20 ↑

Note: moxa applicable throughout. Direct exact-name match with this site's own Spleen-and-Lung-Qi-deficiency slide.

2. Wind-Cold Invading the Lungs View full pattern →

Clinical manifestations: Clear watery nasal discharge, chills and cold aversion, absence of sweating, sneezing, headache and body aches.

Tongue: Normal or slightly pale with thin white moist coating. Pulse: Floating and tight.

Treatment principle: Release the Exterior, expel Wind-Cold, restore the Lung's dispersal and descent function.

LU-7 ↓ L.I.-20 ↓ L.I.-4 ↓ G.B.-20 ↓

Note: no moxa. Direct match with this site's own Invasion-of-Lungs-by-Wind-Cold slide.

3. Wind-Heat Invading the Lungs View full pattern →

Clinical manifestations: Yellow or turbid nasal discharge, fever with mild chills, sore throat, thirst, thick yellow phlegm cough.

Tongue: Red tip with thin yellow coating. Pulse: Floating and rapid.

Treatment principle: Release the Exterior, clear Heat from the Lungs, open the nasal passages.

L.I.-20 ↓ L.I.-4 ↓ L.I.-11 ↓

Note: no moxa. Direct match with this site's own Invasion-of-Lungs-by-Wind-Heat slide.

4. Lung-Heat View full pattern →

Clinical manifestations: Thick yellow or greenish sticky nasal discharge, body heat sensation, thirst for cold drinks, thick yellow phlegm cough, sore throat.

Tongue: Red body with yellow dry coating. Pulse: Rapid, forceful at the right Cun position.

Treatment principle: Clear internal Lung-Heat, open nasal passages, transform stagnant fluids.

L.I.-20 ↓ L.I.-4 ↓ L.I.-11 ↓

Note: no moxa. Direct exact-name match with this site's own Lung-Heat slide — the same \"flaring of nostrils\" logic already established for Congested Nose.

5. Kidney and Spleen Yang Deficiency View full pattern →

Clinical manifestations: Profuse clear watery nasal discharge, cold hands and feet, sore and cold lower back/knees, early-morning diarrhea with undigested food, frequent pale urination, overall cold aversion.

Tongue: Pale, swollen, puffy with teeth marks and white slippery coating. Pulse: Deep, weak, slow.

Treatment principle: Warm Kidney and Spleen Yang, promote urination, transform water-dampness at the root.

BL-23 ↑ BL-20 ↑ DU-4 ↑ ST-36 ↑ KI-3 ↑ L.I.-20 ⊥

Note: moxa applicable throughout except the local point. Direct exact-name match with this site's own Kidney-and-Spleen-Yang-deficiency slide — this one genuinely names Yang on both sides with explicit Cold markers.

6. Lesser Yang Stage

Clinical manifestations: Nasal discharge worse at night or early morning, bitter mouth taste, chest tightness or rib-side fullness, alternating chills and fever, irritability and dizziness.

Tongue: Normal or slightly red body with thin white or thin yellow coating. Pulse: Wiry and fine.

Treatment principle: Harmonize the Lesser Yang layer, clear Heat, release the trapped pathogen.

T.B.-5 ⊥ L.I.-20 ⊥

Note: no moxa. This Six-Stages Lesser-Yang concept is structurally absent from every Zang-Fu organ deck on this site (confirmed already for Alternating Fever and Chills, batch 30), so no pattern link is given here; points still link fine individually.

Related conditions

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