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.
Five palm heat can be the consequence of several so-called “patterns of disharmony” in Chinese Medicine.
Chinese Medicine sees the body as a system, not a sum of isolated parts. A "pattern" is when the system's harmony is disrupted, leading to symptoms or signs that something is wrong (like five palm heat here). It is similar to the concept of disease in Western Medicine but not quite: a Western disease can often be explained by several Chinese patterns and vice-versa.
A pattern often manifests itself in a combination of symptoms that, at first glance, do not seem necessarily related to each others. For instance here five palm heat is often associated with night sweats, malar flush and insomnia in the pattern “Kidney Yin Deficiency With Empty Heat Blazing”. As you will see below, we have in record three patterns that can cause five palm heat.
Once identified, patterns are treated using medicinal herbs, acupuncture, and other therapies. In the case of five palm heat we’ve identified three herbal formulas that may help treat patterns behind the symptom.
We’ve also selected below the four medicinal herbs that we think are most likely to help treat five palm heat.
The three "patterns of disharmony" that can cause five palm heat
In Chinese Medicine five palm heat is a symptom for 3 patterns that we have on record. Below is a small explanation for each of them with links for more details.
The Kidneys is a so-called "Zang" Organ. Learn more about the Kidneys in Chinese Medicine
Kidney Yin Deficiency With Empty Heat Blazing
Pulse type(s): Rapid (Shu), Empty (Xu), Floating (Fu)
In addition to five palm heat, other symptoms associated with Kidney Yin Deficiency With Empty Heat Blazing include night sweats, malar flush and insomnia.
Kidney Yin Deficiency With Empty Heat Blazing is often treated with Liu Wei Di Huang Wan, a herbal formula made of 6 herbs (including Prepared Rehmannia - Shu Di huang - as a key herb). Liu Wei Di Huang Wan belongs to the category of "formulas that nourish yin and tonify", which might be why it is often recommended for this pattern. Its main action as a formula is: "Nutritive tonic for the Liver and Kidney Yin Essence (nourishes the parasympathetic nervous system)".
Read more about Kidney Yin Deficiency With Empty Heat Blazing here
Prepared Rehmannia (Shu Di huang) is the king ingredient for Da Bu Yin Wan, a formula used for Collapse of Yin
Collapse of Yin
Pulse type(s): Rapid (Shu), Fine (Xi)
In addition to five palm heat, other symptoms associated with Collapse of Yin include night sweats, malar flush and low-grade fever.
Collapse of Yin is often treated with Da Bu Yin Wan, a herbal formula made of 4 herbs (including Prepared Rehmannia - Shu Di huang - as a key herb). Da Bu Yin Wan belongs to the category of "formulas that nourish yin and tonify", which might be why it is often recommended for this pattern. Its main action as a formula is: "Enriches the Yin".
The Kidneys is a so-called "Zang" Organ. Learn more about the Kidneys in Chinese Medicine
Kidneys And Heart Not Harmonized
Pulse type(s): Deep (Chen), Rapid (Shu), Empty (Xu), Weak (Ruo), Floating (Fu)
In addition to five palm heat, other symptoms associated with Kidneys And Heart Not Harmonized include night sweats, insomnia and feeling of heat in the evening.
Kidneys And Heart Not Harmonized is often treated with Tian Wang Bu Xin Dan, a herbal formula made of 14 herbs (including Unprepared Rehmannia - Di Huang - as a key herb). Tian Wang Bu Xin Dan belongs to the category of "formulas that nourish the heart and calm the mind", which might be why it is often recommended for this pattern. Its main action as a formula is: "Nutritive tonic: Nourishes Yin, Blood and Vital Essence of the Heart and Kidney".
Three herbal formulas that might help with five palm heat
Liu Wei Di Huang Wan
Source date: 1119 AD
Number of ingredients: 6 herbs
Key actions: Nutritive tonic for the Liver and Kidney Yin Essence (nourishes the parasympathetic nervous system).
Why might Liu Wei Di Huang Wan help with five palm heat?
Because it is a formula often recommended to treat the pattern 'Kidney Yin Deficiency With Empty Heat Blazing' of which five palm heat is a symptom.
Other symptoms characteristic of Kidney Yin Deficiency With Empty Heat Blazing include night sweats, malar flush and insomnia.
Da Bu Yin Wan
Source date: 1481 AD
Number of ingredients: 4 herbs
Key actions: Enriches the Yin. Directs fire downward.
Why might Da Bu Yin Wan help with five palm heat?
Because it is a formula often recommended to treat the pattern 'Collapse of Yin' of which five palm heat is a symptom.
Other symptoms characteristic of Collapse Of Yin include night sweats, malar flush and low-grade fever.
Tian Wang Bu Xin Dan
Source date: 16th century
Number of ingredients: 14 herbs
Key actions: Nutritive tonic: Nourishes Yin, Blood and Vital Essence of the Heart and Kidney. Clears away pathogenic Heat, clears Deficient Heat. Sedative.
Why might Tian Wang Bu Xin Dan help with five palm heat?
Because it is a formula often recommended to treat the pattern 'Kidneys And Heart Not Harmonized' of which five palm heat is a symptom.
Other symptoms characteristic of Kidneys And Heart Not Harmonized include night sweats, insomnia and feeling of heat in the evening.
The four Chinese Medicinal herbs most likely to help treat five palm heat
Why might Prepared Rehmannia (Shu Di Huang) help with five palm heat?
Because Prepared Rehmannia is an ingredient in several formulas indicated to treat five palm heat as a symptom, like Liu Wei Di Huang Wan or Da Bu Yin Wan for instance.
Prepared Rehmannia is a Warm herb that tastes Sweet. It targets the Kidney and the Liver.
Its main actions are: Tonifies the Blood. Tonifies the Yin of the Kidneys.
Why might Poria-Cocos Mushroom (Fu Ling) help with five palm heat?
Because Poria-Cocos Mushroom is an ingredient in several formulas indicated to treat five palm heat as a symptom, like Liu Wei Di Huang Wan or Tian Wang Bu Xin Dan for instance.
Poria-Cocos Mushrooms is a Neutral herb that tastes Sweet. It targets the Spleen, the Heart, the Kidney and the Lung.
Its main actions are: Encourages urination and drains Dampness. Tonic to the Spleen/Stomach. Assists the Heart and calms the Spirit.
Why might Tortoise Plastron (Gui Ban) help with five palm heat?
Because it is a key herb in Da Bu Yin Wan, a herbal formula indicated to treat the pattern 'Collapse of Yin' (a pattern with five palm heat as a symptom)
Tortoise Plastrons is a Cool herb that tastes Salty and Sweet. It targets the Heart, the Kidney and the Liver.
Its main actions are: Nourishes the Yin and holds down the Yang. Strengthens the Kidneys and strengthens the bones. Cools the Blood, stops uterine bleeding. Nourishes the Heart. Promotes Healing.
Why might Unprepared Rehmannia (Di Huang) help with five palm heat?
Because it is a key herb in Tian Wang Bu Xin Dan, a herbal formula indicated to treat the pattern 'Kidneys And Heart Not Harmonized' (a pattern with five palm heat as a symptom)
Unprepared Rehmannia is a Cold herb that tastes Sweet. It targets the Heart, the Kidney and the Liver.
Its main actions are: Expels Heat by Cooling Blood. Tonifies Yin by promoting Fluid production. Soothes the Heart by calming Blazing Fire. Cools and nourishes.
Other symptoms often associated with five palm heat
Night sweats Malar flush Insomnia Feeling of heat in the evening Scanty and dark urine Dizziness Tinnitus Diminished hearing Lower back pain Dry stools