Heat and the 4 Levels Heat is an extremely common pattern in practice and it is therefore very important that we understand its aetiology, pathology, diagnosis, patterns and treatment. To give an idea of the frequency of Heat in practice, in my clinic in England in a database of over 2500 patients, 46% had a … Read More
Empty Heat derives from Yin deficiency and the two pathological conditions (Yin deficiency and Empty Heat) are often considered as one. All modern Chinese books include Empty Heat clinical manifestations under the patterns of Yin deficiency. For example, under the pattern of Lung-Yin deficiency they will have dry throat and dry cough (Yin deficiency) and … Read More
Latent Heat or “Latent Pathogenic Factor” is a pathology that is quite unique and rather difficult to comprehend. Essentially, Latent Heat is formed when an exterior pathogenic factor invades the body without causing symptoms at the acute stage: the pathogenic factor goes into the Interior, it changes into Heat and it then emerges later in … Read More
As discussed for Damp-Heat, in Phlegm-Heat, the primary aspect is the Phlegm rather than the Heat. It is Phlegm that is hot rather than the Heat having Phlegm. In a similar way as we said for Damp-Heat, a better name would be “Hot Phlegm” rather than “Phlegm-Heat”. This has important implications in treatment as this … Read More
Most Chinese books use the words “Heat” and “Fire” interchangeably but in fact these two are not the same. I think we should be precise in our diagnosis differentiating between Heat and Fire because the pathology and treatment are different. I should clarify first the meaning of the term “Heat”. The term “Heat” has two … Read More
This post continues the discussion of Heat. EMPTY HEAT “Empty Heat” derives from Yin deficiency. There are two aspects I would like to clarify straight away. The term “Empty” Heat may give the impression that Empty Heat is not “real” Heat. Although deriving from Yin deficiency, Empty Heat is “real” Heat and it heats up … Read More
When Qi stagnates it frequently gives rise to Heat. This is why emotional stress which leads to Qi stagnation usually leads to Heat and that is why the tip of the tongue (reflecting the Heart and the Shen) becomes red. Heat from Qi stagnation has the same characteristics and clinical manifestations as those of Full … Read More
