Pain relieved with heat 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.
Pain relieved with 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 pain relieved with 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 pain relieved with heat is often associated with feeling of cold, loose stools and edema in the pattern “Yin Excess”. As you will see below, we have in record two patterns that can cause pain relieved with heat.
Once identified, patterns are treated using medicinal herbs, acupuncture, and other therapies. In the case of pain relieved with heat we’ve identified five herbal formulas that may help treat patterns behind the symptom.
We’ve also selected below the five medicinal herbs that we think are most likely to help treat pain relieved with heat.
The two "patterns of disharmony" that can cause pain relieved with heat
In Chinese Medicine pain relieved with heat is a symptom for 2 patterns that we have on record. Below is a small explanation for each of them with links for more details.
Water Plantain (Ze Xie) is the king ingredient for Wu Ling San, a formula used for Yin Excess
Yin Excess
Pulse type(s): Slippery (Hua), Tight (Jin), Wiry (Xian), Full (Shi)
Tongue coating: Thick white coating
Tongue color: Pale
Excess Yin is a Full Yin state pattern. Its symptoms are like those of the Cold and Damp Heat Pernicious Influences such as Edema. It is a result of over-exposure to cold environments and bad diet.
In addition to pain relieved with heat, other symptoms associated with Yin Excess include feeling of cold, loose stools and edema.
Yin Excess is often treated with Wu Ling San, a herbal formula made of 5 herbs (including Water Plantain - Ze Xie - as a key herb). Wu Ling San belongs to the category of "formulas that promote urination and leach out dampness", which might be why it is often recommended for this pattern. Its main action as a formula is: "Promotes urination,".
Cinnamon Twigs (Gui Zhi) is the king ingredient for Wen Jing Tang, a formula used for Cold in the Uterus
Cold in the Uterus
Pulse type(s): Deep (Chen), Soggy (Ru)
Tongue coating: Thin white coating
Tongue color: Pale
There are two types of cold patterns: Full Cold or Empty Cold. Full cold refers to actual Cold Evil invading the Uterus and Dampness Stagnation often come along with this Full pattern. Empty cold is the result of Yang Deficiency, especially the Spleen and Kidney Yang.
In addition to pain relieved with heat, other symptoms associated with Cold in the Uterus include scanty periods, late period and sore back.
From a Western Medicine standpoint Cold in the Uterus is associated with health issues such as Menstrual Cramps or Late Menstruation.
Cold in the Uterus is often treated with Wen Jing Tang, a herbal formula made of 12 herbs (including Cinnamon Twigs - Gui Zhi - as a key herb). Wen Jing Tang belongs to the category of "formulas that invigorate blood and dispel blood stagnation", which might be why it is often recommended for this pattern. Its main action as a formula is: "Warms the Uterus and vessels".
Five herbal formulas that might help with pain relieved with heat
Wu Ling San
Source date: 220 AD
Number of ingredients: 5 herbs
Key actions: Promotes urination,. Warms the Yang. Strengthens the Spleen. Promotes Qi transformation function. Drains Dampness. Clears edema.
Why might Wu Ling San help with pain relieved with heat?
Because it is a formula often recommended to treat the pattern 'Yin Excess' of which pain relieved with heat is a symptom.
Wu Pi Yin
Source date: 1107 AD
Number of ingredients: 5 herbs
Key actions: Reduces edema, diuretic. Regulates and strengthens Spleen Qi.
Why might Wu Pi Yin help with pain relieved with heat?
Because it is a formula often recommended to treat the pattern 'Yin Excess' of which pain relieved with heat is a symptom.
Wen Jing Tang
Source date: 220 AD
Number of ingredients: 12 herbs
Key actions: Warms the Uterus and vessels. Nourishes Blood. Dispels Cold. Dispels Blood Stagnation.
Why might Wen Jing Tang help with pain relieved with heat?
Because it is a formula often recommended to treat the pattern 'Cold in the Uterus' of which pain relieved with heat is a symptom.
Shao Fu Zhu Yu Tang
Source date: 1830 AD
Number of ingredients: 10 herbs
Key actions: Expels Cold and warm the menstruation Blood. Stops pain. Invigorates Blood. Dispels Blood stagnation.
Why might Shao Fu Zhu Yu Tang help with pain relieved with heat?
Because it is a formula often recommended to treat the pattern 'Cold in the Uterus' of which pain relieved with heat is a symptom.
Wen Qi Hua Shi Tang
Source date: 1827 AD
Number of ingredients: 7 herbs
Key actions: Supports Kidney Yang. Supplies Spleen Qi. Expels Cold and Dampness from the Uterus.
Why might Wen Qi Hua Shi Tang help with pain relieved with heat?
Because it is a formula often recommended to treat the pattern 'Cold in the Uterus' of which pain relieved with heat is a symptom.
The five Chinese Medicinal herbs most likely to help treat pain relieved with heat
Why might Dong Quai (Dang Gui) help with pain relieved with heat?
Because Dong Quai is an ingredient in several formulas indicated to treat pain relieved with heat as a symptom, like Da Ying Jian or Wen Jing Tang for instance.
Dong Quai is a Warm herb that tastes Pungent and Sweet. It targets the Heart, the Liver and the Spleen.
Its main actions are: Tonifies the Blood. Lubricates the Intestines. Relieve constipation. Promotes circulation and dispels Bi Pain. Reduce Dysmenorrhea and help with irregular menstruation.
Why might Szechuan Lovage Root (Chuan Xiong) help with pain relieved with heat?
Because Szechuan Lovage Root is an ingredient in several formulas indicated to treat pain relieved with heat as a symptom, like Shao Fu Zhu Yu Tang or Wen Jing Tang for instance.
Szechuan Lovage Roots is a Warm herb that tastes Pungent. It targets the Gallbladder, the Liver and the Pericardium.
Its main actions are: Regulates and moves the Blood. Relieves Wind-Cold and pain. Circulates the Qi in the Upper Burner, relieving headaches.
Why might Poria-Cocos Mushroom (Fu Ling) help with pain relieved with heat?
Because Poria-Cocos Mushroom is an ingredient in several formulas indicated to treat pain relieved with heat as a symptom, like Wu Pi Yin or Wu Ling San for instance.
Poria-Cocos Mushrooms is a Neutral herb that tastes Sweet. It targets the Heart, the Kidney, the Lung and the Spleen.
Its main actions are: Encourages urination and drains Dampness. Tonic to the Spleen/Stomach. Assists the Heart and calms the Spirit.
Why might Cinnamon Twig (Gui Zhi) help with pain relieved with heat?
Because Cinnamon Twig is an ingredient in several formulas indicated to treat pain relieved with heat as a symptom, like Wen Jing Tang or Wu Ling San for instance.
Cinnamon Twigs is a Warm herb that tastes Pungent and Sweet. It targets the Heart, the Lung and the Spleen.
Its main actions are: Adjusts the nutritive Ying and defensive Wei Qi. Relieves the Exterior through sweating. Warms and disperses Cold. Removes obstruction of Yang. Promotes the circulation of Yang Qi in the chest. Regulates and moves blood.
Why might Prepared Rehmannia (Shu Di Huang) help with pain relieved with heat?
Because Prepared Rehmannia is an ingredient in several formulas indicated to treat pain relieved with heat as a symptom, like Da Ying Jian or Si Wu Tang 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.
Other symptoms often associated with pain relieved with heat
Scanty periods Late period Dizziness Sore back Lower abdominal pain Feeling of cold Dark clots in menstrual blood Abdominal pain Loose stools Fatigue