Mouth ulcers are, as many of us are all too aware, those annoying sores that develop inside the mouth. These small but painful sores occur on occasion and are caused by a variety of factors which include an injury to the mouth, stress or a medical condition such as Crohn’s Disease. Sores can develop outside as well as inside the mouth. Those that develop outside the mouth, for example on the lips, are known as ‘cold sores’ and are caused by the herpes virus. These are highly contagious and can be passed from one person to another via kissing. 

In Chinese Medicine, the lips are considered part of the Spleen organ system. The health of the Spleen is reflected on the lips. When the function of the Spleen is weak, the lips become vulnerable to damage either from external factors or Heat and Dampness that may lie dormant in the body. There are several patterns of body imbalances that could be the underlying cause of sores on the lips. 

Many herbal formulas are available to treat the constitution of the patient based on the Chinese Medicine diagnosis. These formulas should not be taken without the proper evaluation of a practitioner who is trained in Chinese herbology. There is one herbal product, Xi Gua Shuang, Watermelon Frost, that can be useful as a topical treatment for all acute flare-ups. This product comes in powder, spray and lozenge form. Yin-Care also has a mouth wash product that can be used for sores in the mouth. Yin-Care contains herbs that drain Damp and Damp Heat. Chinese Medicine can help restore the balance in the body that will greatly reduce or eliminate the frequency of mouth sores. Continue to read Chinese medicine Treatment for Behcet's Disease.