Mumps refers to an acute sexually transmitted disease characterized by swelling, heat, and pain in the parotid region below the ears. This condition is referred to as "頷腫" in the Neijing. The Zhubing Yuanhou Lun provides a detailed description: "Wind heat toxin invades the throat and cheeks, clashes with qi and blood, and causes swelling and pain."

This disease is caused by wind-warmth toxin, which enters through the mouth and nose, obstructs the shaoyang meridian and collaterals, stagnates, and accumulates in the cheeks. If the warm toxin is severe, due to the exterior-interior relationship between shaoyang and jueyin, the epidemic toxin can travel from the gallbladder to the liver, stagnating along the jueyin meridian in the genital region, and may even trigger liver wind.

In ancient texts, acupuncture and moxibustion treatments for cheek swelling were first mentioned in the Neijing: "For cheek pain, puncture the yangming and the

盛脈 to bleed." (Lingshu-Zabing) Later medical texts have similar records. The earliest clear mention of this disease name is found in the Zhenjiu Dacheng.

Modern Western medicine's epidemic parotitis is equivalent to this disease.

bubble_chart Pattern Identification

Mumps presents with chills, fever, swelling, and pain in the parotid region with unclear boundaries. If caused by wind-heat invasion, symptoms include mild headache, cough, fatigue, floating and rapid pulse, and thin yellow tongue coating with blackened swallowwort root. If caused by intense heat toxin, symptoms include high fever, headache, irritability, thirst, hard and tender parotid swelling, constipation, dark urine, slippery and rapid pulse, and a red tongue with yellow coating. If the toxin affects the liver meridian, symptoms include swollen testicles, and in severe cases, convulsions and unconsciousness.

1. Principle: Clearing heat and removing toxin.

2. Prescription: Yifeng (TE17), Jiache (ST6), Waiguan (TE5); for wind-heat invasion, add Hegu (LI4); for intense heat toxin, add Shaoshang (LU11) and Zusanli (ST36); for swollen testicles, add Taichong (LR3) and Qichong (ST30).

3. Explanation: Yifeng (TE17) is the meeting point of the hand and foot shaoyang meridians, which can relieve stagnation in the shaoyang meridian qi and blood. Jiache (ST6) is near the affected area and can disperse local stagnation. Waiguan (TE5) is the collateral of the hand shaoyang triple energizer meridian (TE), used distally to promote qi movement in the triple energizer. For wind-heat invasion, add Hegu (LI4), as the hand yangming meridian travels along the face and cheeks, thus expelling pathogenic heat and warm toxin. For intense heat toxin, which enters the yangming qi aspect, and due to the exterior-interior relationship between taiyin and yangming, use Shaoshang (LU11) to drain heat toxin and Zusanli (ST36), the foot yangming meridian's he-sea point, to guide heat downward. For toxin affecting the liver meridian causing swollen testicles, use Taichong (LR3) to soothe liver meridian qi and Qichong (ST30) to promote local qi and blood circulation.

4. Method: Prick Shaoshang (LU11) with a three-edged needle. Use draining techniques on the remaining points, retaining the needles for about 20 minutes, with needling manipulation every 3-5 minutes.

bubble_chart Ancient Prescriptions

Zhenjiu Jiayi Jing‧Volume 12: "For cheek swelling, mouth tension, and Jiache (ST6) pain that prevents chewing, Jiache (ST6) is the main point."

Zhenjiu Zisheng Jing‧Volume 6: "Shaoshang (LU11) treats cheek and jaw swelling."