Heatstroke according to Chinese Medicine
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.
Heatstroke factsheet
Possible causes and remedies:
Summer Heat with Heat Stagnation in the Liver and Gallbladder
Recommended formula: Bi Yu San
In Chinese Medicine, heatstroke can be associated with three so-called "patterns of disharmony". Chinese Medicine sees the body as a system, not a sum of isolated parts. A "pattern" is when the system's harmony is disrupted. It is not equivalent to the Western concept of "disease", as a matter of fact here heatstroke can be caused by three different patterns.
To understand whether someone's heatstroke might be caused by a given pattern, one needs to look for signs and symptoms associated with the pattern beyond what one might typically experience from heatstroke alone. For instance when heatstroke is caused by the pattern Summer Heat with Heat Stagnation in the Liver and Gallbladder, patients also experience symptoms such as .
We've listed below a description of the three patterns associated with heatstroke so that you can start to get an understanding of the various possibilities according to Chinese Medicine.
Once identified, patterns are often treated using herbal formulas. Drinking herbal infusions is the most common remedy in Chinese Medicine, together with acupuncture. Here we detail below three formulas that can help treat the various patterns associated with heatstroke, depending on which pattern fits your profile.
The three "patterns of disharmony" associated with heatstroke
The Bladder is a so-called "Fu" Organ. Learn more about the Bladder in Chinese Medicine
Summer Heat with Heat Stagnation in the Liver and Gallbladder
Recommended herbal formula: Bi Yu San
Heatstroke might be due to Summer Heat with Heat Stagnation in the Liver and Gallbladder if the condition is paired with typical pattern symptoms such as .
Read more about Summer Heat with Heat Stagnation in the Liver and Gallbladder here
Talc (Hua Shi) is the key herb for Liu Yi San, a formula used for Summer Heat
Summer Heat
Pulse type(s): Rapid (Shu), Soggy (Ru)
Tongue coating: Yellow coating
Recommended herbal formula: Liu Yi San
Symptoms: Fever Thirst Sweating Diarrhea Vomiting Irritability Urinary difficulty
Heatstroke might be due to Summer Heat if the condition is paired with typical pattern symptoms such as fever, sweating, thirst and irritability. Similarly, patients with Summer Heat typically exhibit rapid (Shu) or soggy (Ru) pulses as well as a tongue with yellow coating.
The Bladder is a so-called "Fu" Organ. Learn more about the Bladder in Chinese Medicine
Damp-Heat in the Bladder
Recommended herbal formula: Liu Yi San
Symptoms: Painful urinary dribbling Stony painful urinary dribbling
Heatstroke might be due to Damp-Heat in the Bladder if the condition is paired with typical pattern symptoms such as painful urinary dribbling and stony painful urinary dribbling.
The three herbal formulas that might help with heatstroke
Liu Yi San
Source date: 1172 AD
Number of ingredients: 2 herbs
Key actions: Clears Summer-Heat. Drains Dampness. Supplements Qi.
Why might Liu Yi San help with heatstroke?
Because it is a formula often recommended to help with the patterns Summer Heat and Damp-Heat in the Bladder which are sometimes associated with heatstroke. If any of these patterns look like something you might suffer from, this formula might help (although please seek confirmation with a professional practitioner beforehand).
Bi Yu San
Source date: 1172 AD
Number of ingredients: 3 herbs
Key actions: Clears Heat, cools Blood and relieves toxicity. Promotes urination. Eliminates Summer-Heat. Stops convulsions.
Why might Bi Yu San help with heatstroke?
Because it is a formula often recommended to help treat Summer Heat with Heat Stagnation in the Liver and Gallbladder, a pattern sometimes associated with heatstroke. If it looks like you might suffer from Summer Heat with Heat Stagnation in the Liver and Gallbladder, this formula might help (although please seek confirmation with a professional practitioner beforehand).
Qing Luo Yin
Source date: 1798
Number of ingredients: 6 herbs
Key actions: Resolves Summer-Heat. Clears the Lungs.
Why might Qing Luo Yin help with heatstroke?
Because it is a formula often recommended to help treat , a pattern sometimes associated with heatstroke. If it looks like you might suffer from , this formula might help (although please seek confirmation with a professional practitioner beforehand).
Symptoms related to heatstroke
Fever Sweating Thirst Irritability Urinary difficulty Diarrhea Vomiting Painful urinary dribbling Stony painful urinary dribbling
