Some Chinese medicines can also cause allergies. Avoid these common misunderstandings.

Many times when we go to the doctor, we will choose some Chinese medicine in order to treat thoroughly and reduce side effects. Although the effect of Chinese medicine treatment is good, we also need to be careful. Sometimes it can cause allergies if we are not careful. You must know these contraindications about Chinese medicine.

Four major misunderstandings about Chinese medicine allergies

1. Small dosage will not cause allergic reactions

This is to confuse drug allergy with drug toxicity and side effects. The toxicity and side effects of drugs can be reduced by reducing the dosage, but the determining factor of drug allergy is the drug itself, which has nothing to do with the dosage. For example, for those who have a positive tetanus antitoxin skin test, small doses are often injected in batches in clinical practice, but most people will inevitably have allergic reactions afterwards. Some patients can even induce anaphylactic shock by smelling penicillin.

2. The used medicine will not cause allergic reaction

When using Chinese medicine, the most easily overlooked thing is that the medicines used before or the medicines used frequently may also cause drug allergies. Although some medicines have the same name, they are sometimes produced by different manufacturers or different batches of medicines produced by the same manufacturer (different impurities in the medicines), which can all become the cause of allergies.

3. Chinese medicine will not cause allergies

Some people think that only Western medicines can cause allergies, and Chinese medicines will not. However, some Chinese herbal medicines can also cause severe allergic reactions, such as shock and exfoliative dermatitis. In recent years, Chinese patent medicines such as Andrographis Herba, Folium Isatidis, and Radix Isatidis have been reported more frequently, and their most common allergic manifestations are urticaria and fixed drug eruption.

4. These four Chinese herbs can easily cause poisoning when soaked in wine

Horseradish: Overdose or long-term use may cause toxic reactions, such as tonic spasms, limb tremors, convulsions, dyspnea, etc. In severe cases, it may lead to coma.

Fructus Auriculariae: Fructus Auriculariae has an inhibitory effect on the heart, slowing the heart rate and weakening the contractile force. Excessive or long-term use of Fructus Auriculariae can lead to poisoning.

Chuanwu and Caowu: After being processed and decocted, these herbs can excite the vagus nerve center and paralyze the sensory and motor nerves of the human body. Raw Chuanwu and Caowu are extremely toxic and are strictly prohibited from being used as Chinese medicine drinks to soak in wine.