Common "Heat" Patterns

by Virginia Prior, L.Ac.
August 10, 2008

Now that summer is here, people tend to feel the heat and manifest heat symptoms of varying degrees. In Chinese Medicine, there are many different types of heat, including "toxic" heat, "yin-deficient" heat, "damp" heat and "depressive" heat. Certain Chinese herbs are especially effective for treating the underlying patterns that cause heat to become problematic.

Here we address four heat situations and an herbal combination frequently used in the clinic to treat each type**.

Clearing Inflammation - Pu Gong Ying and Zi Cao
Toxic heat often presents as dermatological problems like cutaneous infections or acute inflammation, mastitis, herpes or eczema flare-ups. We use these two bitter and cold herbs to effectively clear extreme types of heat and calm swelling. The pair works especially well for treating acute situations.

Cooling Menopausal Symptoms - Huang Bai and Zhi Mu
These two herbs are often used in formulas to address & manage heat symptoms that arise with menopause such as night sweats, hot flashes and even the sensation of steaming bones. Together they tonify yin and quell the fires of menopause. Also, they help to treat difficult urination and premature ejaculation in men, due to their consolidating effect on the kidney essence.

Decreasing Damp Heat and Phlegm - Huo Xiang and Pei Lan
If you're going to a lot of summer BBQ's and taking in a lot of sunshine, you may have already experienced some abdominal discomfort from all of the heat, fatty and sweet foods. Sometimes the body simply can't transform this heavy, damp food. This pair reduces summerheat and effectively treats nausea, vomiting, bloating, distension, abdominal pain, fever, perspiration and even vertigo, for extreme cases.

Clearing Depressive (Emotional) Heat - Chai Hu and Huang Qin
These two herbs clear the heat with qi stagnation, especially of an emotional origin. Frequently used for irritability, tightness in the chest, anxiety, anger/frustration, depression or PMS, this pair has the ability to free up and release previously bound emotions and restore a more positive mindset.

**When combined with acupuncture and lifestyle changes, all of these forms of heat can be resolved quickly and effectively.