Toxic-Heat
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
Key attributes
Chinese name: 热毒 Pinyin name: Rè Dú
Pattern nature: Full
Causes
Common causes: 1. External Pernicious Influence, 2. Infectious disease, 3. Diet
Diagnosis
Common symptoms: Pus Fever Boils Eczema Pustule and nine other symptoms
Pulse type(s): Rapid (Shu)
Tongue description: Red tongue with yellow coating
Treatment
Treatment principle: The treatment principles are different according to the theory of four levels: 1. In Defensive Qi (Wei) level: Clear Heat, resolve Toxin, moisten the throat. Use formulas such as Yin Qiao San or San Ju Yin. 2. In Qi level: Clear Heat, resolve Toxin, clear Phlegm, clear and descend the Lung and Stomach Qi, clear Upper Burner and Gallbladder Qi. Use formulas such as Bai Hu Tang, Huang Lian Jie Du Tang or Long Dan Xie Gan Tang. 3. In Nutritive Qi (Ying) level: Clear Heat, resolve Toxin, cool the Blood, clear the Liver, settle the rebellious Qi. Use formula such as Qing Ying Tang. 4. In Blood level: Clear Heat, resolve Toxin, cool and invigorate Blood, stop bleeding.
Common formulas: Yin Qiao San Sang Ju Yin Bai Hu Tang and twelve other formulas
Pathology
There are two types of Toxic-Heat. One type is called Toxic-Heat Stagnation, which mainly happens in Channels or other surfaces like skins, throat, lymph or mouth. The symptoms include pain, redness and swollen in throat as well as skin pustule and rush. Acne during teenage time is mainly due to the Toxic-Heat Stagnation on the skin. It can also cause swelling and pain in perineum, prostate or testicle. In mouth, it leads to swollen ulcer.
The other type is that the Toxin-Heat Evil attacks the Interior Organs and it moves around instead of being stagnated in a local place on surface. For example, when it invades the Lungs, it causes coughing or breathlessness. When it enters the Heart, it leads to dizziness or abnormal behavior. It can also trigger Internal Liver Wind and thus causes convulsion.
This pattern can be chronic which are often caused by prolonged accumulation of internal Heat and Fire. It can also be acute, in which case, Wind-Heat often accompanies it. For example, during Wind-Heat attack, patients develops tonsillitis with symptoms like swollen tonsils and exudate.
Causes
External Pernicious Influence : Any of the Six Pernicious Influence: Wind, Heat, Damp, Dryness, Fire, Cold can cause Toxin Heat if they manage to penetrate Defensive Qi and settle down in the body.
Infectious disease: According to Western Medicine, bacteria or virous can be contagious and cause diseases if the body's immune system is not strong enough. The TCM version of external bacteria or virous are regarded as 'Toxin'.
Diet: Overconsumption of hot and spicy foods can accumulate Heat and Fire in the body and develop to Toxin Heat.
Diagnosing Toxic-Heat
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)
Tongue description: Red tongue with yellow coating
Main symptoms: Pus Fever Boils Eczema Pustule Swellings Carbuncles Sore throat Mouth ulcers Swollen tonsils Perineum swollen Prostate swollen Testicle swollen Red skin eruptions
Diagnosis commentary: Key characteristic symptoms of this pattern are the general swelling, redness, heat, pus and pain of some part of the body.
Treating Toxic-Heat
Treatment principle
The treatment principles are different according to the theory of four levels:
1. In Defensive Qi (Wei) level: Clear Heat, resolve Toxin, moisten the throat. Use formulas such as Yin Qiao San or San Ju Yin.
2. In Qi level: Clear Heat, resolve Toxin, clear Phlegm, clear and descend the Lung and Stomach Qi, clear Upper Burner and Gallbladder Qi. Use formulas such as Bai Hu Tang, Huang Lian Jie Du Tang or Long Dan Xie Gan Tang.
3. In Nutritive Qi (Ying) level: Clear Heat, resolve Toxin, cool the Blood, clear the Liver, settle the rebellious Qi. Use formula such as Qing Ying Tang.
4. In Blood level: Clear Heat, resolve Toxin, cool and invigorate Blood, stop bleeding.
Herbal formulas used to treat Toxic-Heat
Long Dan Xie Gan Tang
Source date: 1682 AD
Number of ingredients: 10 herbs
Key actions: Clears Heat and Fire from the Liver and Gallbladder. Clears and drains Damp-Heat from the Lower Burner.
Formula summary
Long Dan Xie Gan Tang is a 10-ingredient Chinese Medicine formula. Invented in 1682 AD, it belongs to the category of formulas that clear Heat from the Organs.
Besides Toxic-Heat, Long Dan Xie Gan Tang is also used to treat Damp-Heat in the Liver or Stagnant Liver Qi turning into Fire.
Xi Jiao Di Huang Tang
Source date: 650 AD
Number of ingredients: 4 herbs
Key actions: Treats severe fevers and Heat in the Blood system. Removes Blood Stagnation.
Formula summary
Xi Jiao Di Huang Tang is a 4-ingredient Chinese Medicine formula. Invented in 650 AD, it belongs to the category of formulas that clear nutritive-level Heat.
Besides Toxic-Heat, Xi Jiao Di Huang Tang is also used to treat Heat victorious agitating Blood or Loss of Blood.
Yin Qiao San
Source date: 1798 AD
Number of ingredients: 10 herbs
Key actions: Disperses Wind Heat. Clears Heat. Resolves Toxicity.
Formula summary
Yin Qiao San is a 10-ingredient Chinese Medicine formula. Invented in 1798 AD, it belongs to the category of external formulas for External disorders.
Besides Toxic-Heat, Yin Qiao San is also used to treat Wind-Heat invading the Lungs or Wind-Heat.
Diet recommendations
Avoid hot and spicy foods as well as drinks. Avoid smoking and alcohols.
Related conditions
Please keep in mind that a Western Medicine condition can be caused by several Chinese Medicine patterns of disharmony and vice versa. As such a patient suffering from one of the conditions below will not necessarily be suffering from Toxic-Heat, it is just one pattern that's commonly associated with the condition. Click on a condition to learn what other patterns it's associated with.
Abnormal vaginal discharge Conjunctivitis Erysipelas Appendicitis Urinary tract infection Multiple furuncles Carbuncles Cellulitis Bartholinitis Acute pyelonephritis Acute hepatitis
Special highlight: the link between abnormal vaginal discharge and Toxic-Heat
Honeysuckle Flowers (Jin Yin Hua) is the key herb for Wu Wei Xiao Du Yin, a formula used for abnormal vaginal discharge caused by Toxic-Heat
Typical symptoms for abnormal vaginal discharge caused by Toxic-Heat: Thirst Dark Urine Abdominal pain Feeling of heat Lower back pain Yellow vaginal discharge Smelly Vaginal discharge Sticky vaginal discharge Bloody vaginal discharge Five colour vaginal discharge
Recommended herbal formula: Wu Wei Xiao Du Yin
If Damp Heat is not treated for a while, it can develop into Toxic Heat, which is a much more severe condition.
Women affected by Toxic Heat There might have five different vaginal discharge colors: white, yellow, brown, green and red. The red color can be from the discharge itself or from Blood. The consistency is thick and sticky like pus. There is also strong foul smell. Urine color is dark or red.
The treatment principle is to clear Heat, resolve Toxins, resolve Dampness and stop...Read more about abnormal vaginal discharge