Red nose refers to the redness on the surface of the nose, sometimes accompanied by red papules or pustules around the nose. In severe cases, the nose may become enlarged and nodules may form at the tip.

This condition is referred to as "alcoholic nose" in Yizong Jinjian, and as "red nose" in the "Complete Book of Sore and Wound Doctors".

Redness of the nose caused by facial swelling is not within the scope of discussion for this condition.

bubble_chart Pattern Analysis

1. Accumulation of Heat in the Lung and Stomach︰The nasal tip is flushed and congested, and the redness quickly fades when pressed with a finger, but reappears when the finger is lifted. There is also dryness in the mouth and nose, severe constipation, a red tongue with thin yellow coating, and a wiry, slippery pulse. This is often caused by excessive alcohol consumption or intake of spicy foods, leading to heat retention in the stomach that rises to the lungs and steams the nasal tip, resulting in the condition. The characteristic feature is the flushing and congestion of the nasal tip, which fades upon pressure. Treatment should focus on clearing heat and cooling blood, and the recommended formula is Loquat Lung-Clearing Decoction.
2. Toxic Heat Accumulation︰In addition to redness at the tip of the nose, there is often local swelling, pustules at the apex, pain, and sometimes redness, swelling, and pain around the nose, accompanied by nasal heat, thirst, dry stools, dark yellow urine, a red tongue with yellow coating, and a floating-slippery or slippery-rapid pulse. This condition is mostly caused by accumulated heat in the lung and stomach, compounded by exposure to toxic pathogens. Apart from redness at the tip of the nose, there are often pustules on the nose, swelling, and pain, and in severe cases, systemic high fever. Treatment should focus on {|###|}clearing heat and cooling blood, removing toxins{|###|}, using the modified Five-Ingredient Toxin-Eliminating Decoction.
3. Blood Heat︰The nasal tip is flushed, with scattered red papules around the mouth and nose, and telangiectasia on the cheeks. There may be severe constipation, and women may experience menstrual irregularities. The tongue is red with thin yellow or white coating, and the pulse is wiry and slippery. This condition is often caused by disharmony of the Chong and Ren meridians, leading to blood-heat stagnation in the skin. Symptoms include scattered red papules around the nose, telangiectasia on the cheeks, and possible menstrual irregularities in women. Treatment should focus on cooling blood and clearing heat, as well as regulating the Chong and Ren meridians. The recommended formula is the modified Cooling Blood Five-Flower Decoction.
4. Qi Stagnation and Blood Stasis︰The nose tip is dark red, swollen with infiltration, possibly with capillary dilation, thickened surface skin, enlarged pores, and in severe cases, nodular proliferation on the surface. The tongue texture is dark red with a yellow, greasy coating, and the pulse is wiry and moderate. This condition arises from disharmony of the Chong and Ren meridians or stagnation of heat in the lungs and stomach, combined with {|###|}external contraction{|###|} of cold pathogens, preventing internal heat from dissipating and leading to its accumulation in the nose, resulting in local {|###|}blood stasis{|###|} and stagnation. Neijing records, "Exhaustion sweat encountering wind, cold compressing to form rosacea," referring to this condition. Its characteristics include a dark red nose tip, swelling, obvious infiltration, thickened surface skin, enlarged pores, and nodular proliferation. Treatment should focus on {|###|}invigorating blood and resolving stasis, softening hardness and dissipating mass{|###|}. The recommended formula is Peach Kernel, Carthamus and Four-Ingredient Decoction with modifications.

Red nose due to blood heat and red nose due to blood stasis: both are caused by blood heat.

bubble_chart Documentation

1. Zhubing Yuanhou Lun．Wine Rosacea: "This is caused by the heat from drinking alcohol rushing to the face and encountering cold wind, resulting in the formation of rosacea on the nose and face, with red pustules appearing densely."