Dry-Heat or Dry-Fire
Dry-Heat or Dry-Fire
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Diagnostic Signs
Dry tongue with thin white coating
Rapid (Shu), Floating (Fu)
Key Characteristic Symptoms
Diagnostic Considerations
The key characteristic symptoms of this pattern are the dry nose, mouth and throat.
Causes & Pathology
Common Causes
Dry-Heat is caused by a combination of Heat and Dryness, two of the so-called "Six Evils".
Pathological Mechanism
Within the Four-Levels theory, Dry-Heat is the first level of invasion of External Pathogens, when it still resides in the body's Exterior.
It is the combination of two pathogens: Heat and Dryness. Both Evils can hurt Body Fluids and as a result injures Yin. As vicious circle, it makes the Dry-Heat or Dry-Fire situation worse.
Dryness causes symptoms like dry skin, nose, hair, throat, mouth and lips. It also causes excessive thirst and dry coughing with scanty or no sputum.
The tongue coating is white because the pathogenic factor is on the Exterior.
Treatment Approach
Treatment Principle
Release the Exterior, clear Heat, promote fluids.
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