Toxic-Heat
Toxic-Heat
Educational content • Consult qualified TCM practitioners for diagnosis and treatment
Diagnostic Signs
Red tongue with yellow coating
Rapid (Shu)
Key Characteristic Symptoms
Other Associated Symptoms
Diagnostic Considerations
Key characteristic symptoms of this pattern are the general swelling, redness, heat, pus and pain of some part of the body.
Causes & Pathology
Common Causes
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.
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'.
Overconsumption of hot and spicy foods can accumulate Heat and Fire in the body and develop to Toxin Heat.
Pathological Mechanism
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.
Treatment Approach
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.
Recommended Herbal Formulas
Yin Qiao San
Disperses Wind Heat, Clears Heat
Sang Ju Yin
Disperses Wind, Stops coughing by invigorating Lung Qi
Bai Hu Tang
Clears Qi-level Heat, Drains Stomach Fire
Long Dan Xie Gan Tang
Clears Heat and Fire from the Liver and Gallbladder, Clears and drains Damp-Heat from the Lower Burner
Qing Ying Tang
Clears the Nutritive level Heat, Relieves Fire Toxin
Xi Jiao Di Huang Tang
Treats severe fevers and Heat in the Blood system, Removes Blood Stagnation
Huang Lian Jie Du Tang
Drains Fire, Resolves Toxin
Xin Yi Qing Fei Yin
Spreads Lung Qi, Clears Heat
Gan Lu Xiao Du Dan
Resolves Dampness and transforms turbidity, Clears Heat and resolves Toxicity
Shi Wei Bai Du San
Dispels Wind and transforms Dampness, Clears Toxic Heat
San Zhong Kui Jian Tang
Clears Heat and resolves Toxicity, Reduces swelling
Zi Dang Gao
Clears Heat and cools the Blood, Resolves toxicity
Er Qing Gao
Clears Toxic-Heat, Disperses swelling
Bing Peng San
Clears Toxic-Heat, Dispels putrescence
Pu Ji Xiao Du Yin
Clears Toxic-Heat, Clears Wind-Heat
Yin Qiao Jie Du Wan
Clear Heat by releasing the Exterior, Clears the Toxic-Heat
Wu Wei Xiao Du Yin
Clears Heat, Resolves Toxicity
Diet & Lifestyle Recommendations
Avoid hot and spicy foods as well as drinks. Avoid smoking and alcohols.
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Related Conditions
This pattern can manifest as: