Herbal Treatments - Prickly Heat

Herbal treatments to relieve itching include sprinkling arrow root powder over the rash or rubbing a slice of fresh daikon radish or raw potato over the rash. A sponge bath with ginger will increase circulation. Fresh grated ginger is steeped in boiling-hot water, cooled, and then sponged over the rash. For widespread itching the patient can take cool baths with corn starch and/or oatmeal.

Chinese herbal medicines are used internally for widespread prickly heat or externally for small areas of rash. The medicines Zhi Yang Po Fen (Relieve Itching Powder), Jie Du Cha Ji (Resolve Toxin Smearing Liquid), and Qing Dai San Cha Ji (Natural Indigo Powder Smearing Liquid) can be applied to the rash. Fresh lotus leaf with a decoction of Jin Yin Hua (Flos lonicerae) can be taken as a tea. A decoction of the following herbs can be taken by mouth:

Qing Hao (Herba artemisiae annuae): 5g
Bo He (Herba menthae): 5 g
Jin Yin Hua (Flos lonicerae): 10 g
Dan Zhu Ye (Herba lophatheri): 10 g
Lu Dou Yi (Pericarpium phaseoli munginis): 10 g
Ju Hua (Flos chrysanthemi): 5 g
fresh lotus leaf: one piece