Heat victorious stirring Wind
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 The four levels theory The concept of Heat The concept of Wind
Key attributes
Chinese name: 热盛引风 Pinyin name: Rè Shèng Yǐn Fēng
Pattern nature: Full
Causes
Precursor patterns: Heat in Pericardium Heat in Nutritive Qi level
Common causes: External pathogenic factor
Diagnosis
Common symptoms: Fainting High fever Convulsions Opisthotonos Rigidity of neck and three other symptoms
Pulse type(s): Rapid (Shu), Wiry (Xian)
Tongue description: Dark-Red tongue without coating
Treatment
Treatment principle: Clear Blood-Heat, extinguish Wind.
Common formulas: Ling Jiao Gou Teng Tang
Pathology
This is one of the five patterns of the Blood level, the fourth and last level of the Four Levels theory. This means this is a very serious pattern where an External Pathogen has penetrated deeply within the body.
Contrary to Empty-Wind agitating in the Interior, another pattern at this level, here the Wind is Full in nature.
This pattern is fairly similar to Liver Wind agitating Internally due to extreme Heat. It's when the Heat affects the Liver and causes Internal Wind in a process similar to the way a forest fire generates wind.
The typical manifestations of Interior Wind are involuntary movements or contractions like, here, the twitching of limbs, the convulsions, the rigidity of the neck, opisthotonos and clenching of teeth.
Causes
Precursor patterns: Heat victorious stirring Wind can derive from Heat in Pericardium Heat in Nutritive Qi level
External pathogenic factor: The main original cause of Heat in Nutritive Qi level is an Exterior Pathogenic Factor (typically Wind-Heat) that has invaded the Interior and progressed to this level.
Diagnosing Heat victorious stirring Wind
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) or wiry (Xian)
Tongue description: Dark-Red tongue without coating
Main symptoms: Fainting High fever Convulsions Opisthotonos Rigidity of neck Twitching of limbs Clenching of teeth Eyeballs turning up
Treating Heat victorious stirring Wind
Treatment principle
Clear Blood-Heat, extinguish Wind.
Herbal formulas used to treat Heat victorious stirring Wind
Ling Jiao Gou Teng Tang
Source date: Qing dynasty
Number of ingredients: 10 herbs
Key actions: Cools the Liver. Extinguishes Wind. Increases Fluids. Relaxes the sinews.
Formula summary
Ling Jiao Gou Teng Tang is a 10-ingredient Chinese Medicine formula. Invented in Qing dynasty, it belongs to the category of formulas that pacify and extinguish Internal Wind.
Besides Heat victorious stirring Wind, Ling Jiao Gou Teng Tang is also used to treat Liver Yang Rising or Liver Wind agitating Internally due to extreme Heat.