Loss of Voice (aphonia)

Sound in Traditional Chinese Medicine comes from the Lungs and Kidney as the root.  Most commonly loss of voice is caused by talking too much or screaming.

Traditional Chinese Medicine and Loss of Voice

– external pathogen invasion injures the Lungs regulating Qi function.

-Emotional stress causes Liver and Lung Qi stagnation, and anything that injures the Kidney Yin makes water unable to ascend to nourish the throat and Lung resulting in Fire that injures the Lungs.

Excess – acute with superficial syndromes, or Liver Fire Deficiency – slow onset

Principle of Treatment – clear turbid Qi

Acupuncture points – Ren Du, Ren 23, Large Intestine 18, Du 15 - excess – Heart 5, Lung 7, Large Intestine 4 - deficiency – Bladder 13, 23, Kidney 3

Alternative Treatment Methods for Loss of Voice 

Ear Acupuncture – throat, HT, LU, shenmen, endocrine, use seeds or needles

injection – Ren 23, Qiang Yin (2 cun bilateral to thyroid cartilage prominence)