Dry-Heat or Dry-Fire
The information provided here is not a replacement for a doctor. You shouldn't use it for the purpose of self-diagnosing or self-medicating but rather so you can have a more informed discussion with a professional TCM practitioner.
At a glance
Preliminary reading: What is a pattern? The concept of Heat The concept of Dryness
Key attributes
Chinese name: 燥热 / 燥火 Pinyin name: Zào Rè / Zào Huǒ
Pattern nature: Full
Causes
Common causes: External pathogenic factor
Diagnosis
Common symptoms: Fever Thirst Sweating Dry Skin Dry nose and five other symptoms
Pulse type(s): Rapid (Shu), Floating (Fu)
Tongue description: Dry tongue with thin white coating
Treatment
Treatment principle: Release the Exterior, clear Heat, promote fluids.
Common formulas: Qing Zao Jiu Fei Tang Xing Su San Sang Xing Tang
Pathology
Within the Four-Levels theory, Dry-Heat is the first level of invasion of External Pathogens, when it still resides in the body's Exterior.
It is the combination of two pathogens: Heat and Dryness. Both Evils can hurt Body Fluids and as a result injures Yin. As vicious circle, it makes the Dry-Heat or Dry-Fire situation worse.
Dryness causes symptoms like dry skin, nose, hair, throat, mouth and lips. It also causes excessive thirst and dry coughing with scanty or no sputum.
The tongue coating is white because the pathogenic factor is on the Exterior.
Causes
External pathogenic factor: Dry-Heat is caused by a combination of Heat and Dryness, two of the so-called "Six Evils".
Diagnosing Dry-Heat or Dry-Fire
Diagnosing a pattern in Chinese Medicine is no easy feat and should be left to professional practitioners. In particular one has to know how to differentiate between different types of pulses and tongue coatings, shapes and colors as well as learn to read from a long list of seemingly unrelated symptoms.
Pulse type(s): Rapid (Shu) or floating (Fu)
Tongue description: Dry tongue with thin white coating
Main symptoms: Fever Thirst Sweating Dry Skin Dry nose Dry cough Dry mouth Dry throat Sore throat Aversion to cold
Diagnosis commentary: The key characteristic symptoms of this pattern are the dry nose, mouth and throat.
Treating Dry-Heat or Dry-Fire
Treatment principle
Release the Exterior, clear Heat, promote fluids.
Herbal formulas used to treat Dry-Heat or Dry-Fire
Xing Su San
Source date: 1798 AD
Number of ingredients: 11 herbs
Key actions: Clears Dry-Cold. Disseminates the Lung Qi and relieves cough. Transforms thin mucus.
Formula summary
Xing Su San is a 11-ingredient Chinese Medicine formula. Invented in 1798 AD, it belongs to the category of formulas that disperse Dryness and moisten.
Besides Dry-Heat or Dry-Fire, Xing Su San is also used to treat Body Fluids Deficiency or Dry-Cold.
Qing Zao Jiu Fei Tang
Source date: 1658 AD
Number of ingredients: 9 herbs
Key actions: Clears dryness. Moistens the Lungs.
Formula summary
Qing Zao Jiu Fei Tang is a 9-ingredient Chinese Medicine formula. Invented in 1658 AD, it belongs to the category of formulas that disperse Dryness and moisten.
Besides Dry-Heat or Dry-Fire, Qing Zao Jiu Fei Tang is also used to treat Lung Yin Deficiency.
Sang Xing Tang
Formula summary
Sang Xing Tang is a 7-ingredient Chinese Medicine formula. Invented in 1798 AD, it belongs to the category of formulas that clear Dryness.
Besides Dry-Heat or Dry-Fire, Sang Xing Tang is also used to treat Dry-Wind.
Consequence patterns
Fire in Stomach and Intestines
If left untreated Dry-Heat or Dry-Fire can lead to Fire in Stomach and Intestines