High Fever in Traditional Chinese Medicine
Understanding different high fever patterns according to TCM theory
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Condition Categories
Condition Categories
High fever, medically known as hyperthermia, is a condition where the body's temperature rises significantly above the normal range. Typically defined as a body temperature exceeding 103°F (39.4°C), high fever can result from various infections, inflammatory conditions, heat exhaustion, or other health issues. Symptoms accompanying high fever may include excessive sweating, chills, headache, muscle aches, dehydration, and general weakness. It is a severe symptom requiring prompt medical attention to identify and treat the underlying cause.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), high fever is seen as a manifestation of internal imbalances. Unlike Western medicine, which often focuses on external pathogens, TCM attributes high fever to disharmonies within the body’s systems. These imbalances can result from factors such as Heat, Wind, Cold, and Qi Deficiency. The holistic approach of TCM emphasizes diagnosing the specific pattern of disharmony before selecting an appropriate treatment strategy, ensuring that the root cause of the fever is addressed effectively.
TCM Patterns for High Fever
Heat
Causes: High fever, High temperature, Strong fever
Bright Yang Stomach Heat
High fever
Along with: Excessive sweating, Excessive thirst, Flushed face, Feeling of heat, Irritability, Delirium
Heat victorious agitating Blood
High fever
Along with: Restlessness, Mania, Macules, Vomiting blood, Nosebleeds, Hematochezia, Hematuria
Heat victorious stirring Wind
High fever
Along with: Loss of consciousness, Limb twitching, Convulsions, Stiff neck, Opisthotonos, Eyeballs turning up, Clenching of teeth
Lung Heat
High fever
Along with: Feeling of heat, Thirst, Cough with thin yellow sputum, Shortness of breath, Excessive sweating, Acne
Liver Wind agitating Internally due to extreme Heat
High temperature
Along with: High fever, Convulsions, Stiff neck, Hand tremor, Opisthotonos
Wind Cold with Internal Heat
Strong fever
Along with: High fever, Severe chills, Lack of sweating, Headaches, Feeling of heaviness, General sensation of tightness, Flushed face, Eye hyperemia, Dry nose, Thirst, Irritability, Insomnia, Cough of blood, Mottled skin
Wind
Causes: High fever, High temperature, Strong fever
Bright Yang Stomach Heat
High fever
Along with: Excessive sweating, Excessive thirst, Flushed face, Feeling of heat, Irritability, Delirium
Heat victorious stirring Wind
High fever
Along with: Loss of consciousness, Limb twitching, Convulsions, Stiff neck, Opisthotonos, Eyeballs turning up, Clenching of teeth
Wind-Cold-Damp invading with Qi Deficiency
High fever
Along with: Fever without perspiration, Headaches, Neck pain, Stiff neck, Painful extremities, Focal distention, Chest distension, Congested nose, Noisy breathing, Coughing
Liver Wind agitating Internally due to extreme Heat
High temperature
Along with: High fever, Convulsions, Stiff neck, Hand tremor, Opisthotonos
Wind Cold with Internal Heat
Strong fever
Along with: High fever, Severe chills, Lack of sweating, Headaches, Feeling of heaviness, General sensation of tightness, Flushed face, Eye hyperemia, Dry nose, Thirst, Irritability, Insomnia, Cough of blood, Mottled skin
Cold
Causes: High fever, Strong fever
Bright Yang Stomach Heat
High fever
Along with: Excessive sweating, Excessive thirst, Flushed face, Feeling of heat, Irritability, Delirium
Wind-Cold-Damp invading with Qi Deficiency
High fever
Along with: Fever without perspiration, Headaches, Neck pain, Stiff neck, Painful extremities, Focal distention, Chest distension, Congested nose, Noisy breathing, Coughing
Wind Cold with Internal Heat
Strong fever
Along with: High fever, Severe chills, Lack of sweating, Headaches, Feeling of heaviness, General sensation of tightness, Flushed face, Eye hyperemia, Dry nose, Thirst, Irritability, Insomnia, Cough of blood, Mottled skin
Mind Disturbance
Causes: High fever
Heat victorious agitating Blood
High fever
Along with: Restlessness, Mania, Macules, Vomiting blood, Nosebleeds, Hematochezia, Hematuria
Qi Deficiency
Causes: High fever
Wind-Cold-Damp invading with Qi Deficiency
High fever
Along with: Fever without perspiration, Headaches, Neck pain, Stiff neck, Painful extremities, Focal distention, Chest distension, Congested nose, Noisy breathing, Coughing
Dampness
Causes: High fever
Wind-Cold-Damp invading with Qi Deficiency
High fever
Along with: Fever without perspiration, Headaches, Neck pain, Stiff neck, Painful extremities, Focal distention, Chest distension, Congested nose, Noisy breathing, Coughing
Herbal Formulas for High Fever
Traditional Chinese Medicine formulas used to address high fever
Ren Shen Bai Du San
Addresses these high fever patterns:
Main Actions
- Releases the Exterior
- Dispels Wind and Dampness
- Augments Qi
Addresses These High Fever Pattern Variations
Wind-Cold-Damp invading with Qi Deficiency
How it manifests:
High fever
Accompanying symptoms:
Fever without perspiration, Headaches, Neck pain, Stiff neck, Painful extremities, Focal distention...
Bai Hu Tang
Addresses these high fever patterns:
Main Actions
- Clears Qi-level Heat
- Drains Stomach Fire
- Generates fluids
- Alleviates thirst
Addresses These High Fever Pattern Variations
Bright Yang Stomach Heat
How it manifests:
High fever
Accompanying symptoms:
Excessive sweating, Excessive thirst, Flushed face, Feeling of heat, Irritability, Delirium
Shi Gao Tang
Addresses these high fever patterns:
Main Actions
- Clears Heat and resolves Toxicity
- Releases the Exterior
Addresses These High Fever Pattern Variations
Wind Cold with Internal Heat
How it manifests:
Strong fever
Accompanying symptoms:
High fever, Severe chills, Lack of sweating, Headaches, Feeling of heaviness, General sensation of tightness...
Xi Jiao Di Huang Tang
Addresses these high fever patterns:
Main Actions
- Treats severe fevers and Heat in the Blood system
- Removes Blood Stagnation
Addresses These High Fever Pattern Variations
Heat victorious agitating Blood
How it manifests:
High fever
Accompanying symptoms:
Restlessness, Mania, Macules, Vomiting blood, Nosebleeds, Hematochezia...
Ling Jiao Gou Teng Tang
Addresses these high fever patterns:
Main Actions
- Cools the Liver
- Extinguishes Wind
- Increases Fluids
- Relaxes the sinews
Addresses These High Fever Pattern Variations
Heat victorious stirring Wind
How it manifests:
High fever
Accompanying symptoms:
Loss of consciousness, Limb twitching, Convulsions, Stiff neck, Opisthotonos, Eyeballs turning up...
Liver Wind agitating Internally due to extreme Heat
How it manifests:
High temperature
Accompanying symptoms:
High fever, Convulsions, Stiff neck, Hand tremor, Opisthotonos
Tian Ma Gou Teng Yin
Addresses these high fever patterns:
Main Actions
- Calms the Liver
- Extinguishes wind
- Invigorates the blood
- Clears heat
- Tonifies the Liver and Kidneys
Addresses These High Fever Pattern Variations
Liver Wind agitating Internally due to extreme Heat
How it manifests:
High temperature
Accompanying symptoms:
High fever, Convulsions, Stiff neck, Hand tremor, Opisthotonos
Feng Yin Tang
Addresses these high fever patterns:
Main Actions
- Extinguishes and pacifies Wind with heavy medicinals
- Calms the Mind
- Clears Heat
Addresses These High Fever Pattern Variations
Liver Wind agitating Internally due to extreme Heat
How it manifests:
High temperature
Accompanying symptoms:
High fever, Convulsions, Stiff neck, Hand tremor, Opisthotonos
Ma Xing Shi Gan Tang
Addresses these high fever patterns:
Main Actions
- Invigorates Lung Qi
- Clears Heat
- Calms wheezing by directing rebellious Qi downward
Addresses These High Fever Pattern Variations
Lung Heat
How it manifests:
High fever
Accompanying symptoms:
Feeling of heat, Thirst, Cough with thin yellow sputum, Shortness of breath, Excessive sweating, Acne
Qing Qi Hua Tan Wan
Addresses these high fever patterns:
Main Actions
- Clears Heat
- Transforms Phlegm
- Directs Rebellious Qi downwards
- Stops coughing
Addresses These High Fever Pattern Variations
Lung Heat
How it manifests:
High fever
Accompanying symptoms:
Feeling of heat, Thirst, Cough with thin yellow sputum, Shortness of breath, Excessive sweating, Acne
Pi Pa Qing Fei Yin
Addresses these high fever patterns:
Main Actions
- Clears Lung Heat
- Cools the Blood
- Clears Dampness
- Invigorates the Blood
Addresses These High Fever Pattern Variations
Lung Heat
How it manifests:
High fever
Accompanying symptoms:
Feeling of heat, Thirst, Cough with thin yellow sputum, Shortness of breath, Excessive sweating, Acne
Xie Bai San
Addresses these high fever patterns:
Main Actions
- Drains Heat from the Lungs
- Calms wheezing
Addresses These High Fever Pattern Variations
Lung Heat
How it manifests:
High fever
Accompanying symptoms:
Feeling of heat, Thirst, Cough with thin yellow sputum, Shortness of breath, Excessive sweating, Acne
Huang Lian Jie Du Tang
Addresses these high fever patterns:
Main Actions
- Drains Fire
- Resolves Toxin
Addresses These High Fever Pattern Variations
Lung Heat
How it manifests:
High fever
Accompanying symptoms:
Feeling of heat, Thirst, Cough with thin yellow sputum, Shortness of breath, Excessive sweating, Acne