Stomach Heat or 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 Stomach in Chinese Medicine The concept of Heat or Fire
Key attributes
Chinese name: 胃热 or 胃火 Pinyin name: Wèi Rè or Wèi Huǒ
Pattern nature: Full
Common combinations: Bright Yang Stomach Heat Bright Yang Fire in Stomach and Intestines
Causes
Precursor patterns: Stomach Qi Stagnation Heart Fire blazing Food Stagnation in the Stomach
Common causes: 1. Diet, 2. Emotional stress
Diagnosis
Common symptoms: Acne Nausea Dry mouth Dry stools Bad breath and nine other symptoms
Pulse type(s): Rapid (Shu), Slippery (Hua), Full (Shi)
Tongue description: Red in the center with a dry thick yellow or dark yellow coating
Treatment
Treatment principle: Clear Stomach Heat or Fire, direct Stomach Qi going downwards
Common formulas: Tiao Wei Cheng Qi Tang Qing Wei San Xie Huang San and two other formulas
Pathology
Stomach Fire indicates a true Excess of Heat in the Stomach, creating symptoms such as mouth ulcers, bad breath, intense thirst as well as strong desire for cold drinks and foods. The Blood in the Stomach Channel get rebellious due to the extreme Heat or Fire, so that it leaks out of vessels and causes gums bleeding. The pain and swelling in the gums is also due to the Heat in the Stomach Channels.
Body Fluids are burned off by the excessive Heat, which creates extreme thirst, dry mouth and tongue, dry stools as well as constipation.
Over time the Heat disturbs the normal descending of Stomach Qi, causing obstruction to Stomach Qi or rebellious Stomach Qi, hence the symptoms of regurgitation, vomiting, acid reflux and nausea. The Heat also ferments the Stomach fluids and make it 'sour'. Constant and ravenous hunger is also a result of the Full Heat.
Stomach Fire and Stomach Heat are similar concept, except that the Fire is much more severe than Heat. For the prior pattern, there will be redder tongue, darker and drier coating, more intense thirst, darker urine, drier stools as well as more disturbed Mind. It is more common to have bleeding gums under the Fire pattern.
Sometime the Heat or Fire can combine with Phlegm and causes Phlegm-Heat in the Stomach. It causes additional symptoms such as feeling of chest oppression, mucus in stools, mental derangement and spitting of stick phlegm.
Causes
Precursor patterns: Stomach Heat or Fire can derive from Stomach Qi Stagnation Heart Fire blazing Food Stagnation in the Stomach
Diet: Stomach Fire can be the result of excessive intake of hot, spicy, greasy, sugary and deep fried foods. Other factors such as alcohol and tobacco use may also be the reason.
Emotional stress: Anger, frustration and resentment can cause such stagnation, which as a result leads to Stomach Fire or Heat.
Diagnosing Stomach Heat or 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), slippery (Hua) or full (Shi)
Tongue description: Red in the center with a dry thick yellow or dark yellow coating
Main symptoms: Acne Nausea Dry mouth Dry stools Bad breath Mouth ulcers Restlnessness Intense thirst Feeling of heat Excessive hunger Sour regurgitation Desire for cold drinks Burning epigastric pain Vomiting of fluids soon after drinking
Diagnosis commentary: Key characteristic symptoms of this pattern are the burning sensation in the epigastrium, thirst with a desire to drink cold liquids as well as a red tongue with a thick yellow coating.
Treating Stomach Heat or Fire
Treatment principle
Clear Stomach Heat or Fire, direct Stomach Qi going downwards
Herbal formulas used to treat Stomach Heat or Fire
Tiao Wei Cheng Qi Tang
Source date: 220 AD
Number of ingredients: 3 herbs
Key actions: Removes Heat and Dryness in the Lower Burner. Removes constipation.
Formula summary
Tiao Wei Cheng Qi Tang is a 3-ingredient Chinese Medicine formula. Invented in 220 AD, it belongs to the category of formulas that purge Heat accumulation.
Besides Stomach Heat or Fire, Tiao Wei Cheng Qi Tang is also used to treat Bright Yang Fire in Stomach and Intestines.
Qing Wei San
Source date: 1336 AD
Number of ingredients: 5 herbs
Key actions: Drains Stomach Fire. Cools the Blood. Nourishes the Yin.
Formula summary
Qing Wei San is a 5-ingredient Chinese Medicine formula. Invented in 1336 AD, it belongs to the category of formulas that clear Heat from the Organs.
Besides Stomach Heat or Fire, Qing Wei San is also used to treat Stomach Fire or Stomach Heat.
Fei Er Wan
Source date: 1156 AD
Number of ingredients: 8 herbs
Key actions: Kills parasites. Reduces accumulation. Strengthens the Spleen. Clears Heat.
Formula summary
Fei Er Wan is a 8-ingredient Chinese Medicine formula. Invented in 1156 AD, it belongs to the category of formulas that reduce food accumulation and transform Stagnation.
Besides Stomach Heat or Fire, Fei Er Wan is also used to treat Spleen Qi Deficiency.
Diet recommendations
Eat less hot, sweet, spicy, greasy and deep fried foods.
Consequence patterns
The Stomach Fire or Heat condenses the Blood and lead to its Stagnation.
Stomach Heat often leads to Damp-Heat because Heat may combine with Dampness but also because Heat might itself create Dampness by condensing Fluids.
Stomach Fire can give rise to Heat in the Large Intestine.
Heat of Fire in the Stomach can dry up the Body Fluids and lead to Yin Deficiency.