Thick or Yellow Nasal Discharge

How Chinese medicine differentiates thick or yellow nasal discharge into the five patterns you'll actually meet in practice, and the points for each. Distinct from this site's Congested Nose, Sinusitis and Nasal Discharge pages. 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. Thick or yellow discharge with facial pain, swelling, high fever, or symptoms lasting over 10 days needs medical assessment for a sinus infection.

General Acupuncture Points

Acupuncture points traditionally used for thick or yellow nasal discharge — 3 key points, used across the patterns below rather than tied to just one.

Point	Key action
L.I.-20	Expels exterior Wind. Opens the nose. Removes obstructions from the channel.
L.I.-4	Expels exterior Wind and releases the Exterior. Promotes the diffusing of Lung-Qi, regulates the Defensive Qi and sweating. Stops pain.
G.B.-20	Expels exterior Wind. Extinguishes interior Wind. Subdues Liver-Yang.

The Five Patterns

↑ reinforcing ↓ reducing ⊥ even method.

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

Clinical manifestations: Fever with mild chills; sore throat; thick yellow nasal discharge; cough with yellow phlegm; thirst and dry mouth.

Tongue: Red tip, thin yellow coat. Pulse: Floating and rapid.

Treatment principle: Releases the Exterior and clears Wind-Heat from the Lungs.

L.I.-4 ↓ LU-7 ↓ L.I.-20 ↓ G.B.-20 ↓

Note: no moxa.

2. Damp-Heat in the Stomach View full pattern →

Clinical manifestations: Thick, yellow, sticky, often foul-smelling discharge; head and body heaviness; upper-belly fullness with nausea and poor appetite; sticky taste and bad breath.

Tongue: Red, thick yellow greasy coat. Pulse: Slippery and rapid.

Treatment principle: Clears Heat and drains Dampness, transforming turbidity from the Middle Burner.

L.I.-20 ↓ ST-36 ⊥ SP-6 ↓ ST-40 ↓

Note: no moxa. Linked to this site's own Damp-Heat-in-the-Stomach slide.

3. Gallbladder Heat

Clinical manifestations: Thick yellow or green foul-smelling discharge; bitter taste; irritability and restlessness; one-sided headache; rib-side fullness or pain.

Tongue: Red with redder sides, yellow dry coat. Pulse: Wiry and rapid.

Treatment principle: Drains Gall Bladder Fire and soothes Liver Qi stagnation.

G.B.-20 ↓ L.I.-20 ↓

Note: no moxa. This site's Gall Bladder deck has no plain Gall Bladder Heat slide — no pattern link is given here.

4. Phlegm-Heat in the Lungs View full pattern →

Clinical manifestations: Copious thick yellow sticky sputum; chest oppression and shortness of breath; thick yellow discharge difficult to expel; body heat with thirst.

Tongue: Red, possibly swollen front, yellow greasy coat with red prickles. Pulse: Slippery and rapid.

Treatment principle: Clears Heat and transforms Phlegm; descends Lung Qi.

L.I.-20 ↓ LU-5 ↓ ST-40 ↓ L.I.-4 ↓

Note: no moxa.

5. Toxic-Heat

Clinical manifestations: Foul-smelling yellow or blood-streaked discharge; high fever with a burning sensation; intense throbbing sinus pain; restlessness and intense thirst.

Tongue: Red with prickly thorns, dry yellow coat. Pulse: Rapid and forceful.

Treatment principle: Clears intense Heat and resolves deep-seated toxin.

L.I.-20 ↓ L.I.-4 ↓ L.I.-11 ↓ DU-14 ↓

Note: Needs prompt medical assessment (possible sinus infection). no moxa. This site's decks have no standalone Toxic-Heat slide, confirmed absent many times — no pattern link is given here.

Related conditions

Spot an error, or have more to add? Send it to admin on WhatsApp and it'll be corrected/added here.

+91 99083 14510