Feeling HOT all the time
forum post
Hi, I've just joined and I have a question, please forgive me as I practice western medicine and I don't know the TCM terms or diagnosis. So I will most likely not be able to give the correct terms. My husband is being treated by a TCM practitioner for being internally hot all the time, summer winter, he is always hot. In summer his skin is clammy. We live in South Africa which is also a hot climate. That was the main reason for him going to my practitioner as I have faith that this can be sorted out. His current treatment is Relaxed wonder and clear root fire, with some night powders. He's been on this for about 5 months, but he still gets extremely hot. Must just mention that while going to the practitioner he has received accupuncture for chronic headaches - "tension headaches" which has helped a bit. The practitioner has mentioned that it is his "liver" thats the problem. He does also have bi polar and is treated by western medicine for that. Is there any advice, herbal treatment as this is really unpleasant?? Thank you.
This post has the following associations:
Patterns: kidney yin deficiency, liver fire, liver yang rising
Formulas: chai hu jia long gu mu li wan, xiao yao wan
"archived-user" has published 334 other forum posts
Below are the most recent, view all here.
Comments / Discussions:
comment by "Sven"
on Jan 2014
Thank you so much for your response. I will ensure that we seek the expert as we are willing to try anything to make sure he feels better, even if that means leaving the Western medicine. I don't know why more people don't consult this amazing form of medicine is beyond me. Take care and keep up the good work with this site. Sven
top Login/Comment
comment by "ChadD" (acupuncturist)
on Jan 2014
Generally with a case this complicated it is best to have someone locally who can physically inspect and diagnose the patient answer these questions. For the most part heat of this nature is either yin deficiency ("empty fire") - see Kidney Yin Deficiency section for more information on that, or liver fire ("full heat") - see Liver Fire (or Liver Yang Rising) section for those patterns.
Without the chinese names on the formulas I'm not sure I can comment on them at all. The "relaxed wonder" -might- be Xiao Yao Wan which is a classic for liver qi stagnation and the "clear root fire" - I really can't guess what that might be.
As for the bipolar, etc. that is all treatable as well (it's really all or nothing in Chinese Medicine) so with proper treatment, ideally, you would be able to remove the influence of the western medications which may be causing/contributing to some of the heat issues or the lack of response in treatment. This, however, is something only an advanced practitioner can do as he works with the patient over months.
For the most part if people have straight yin deficiency (red tongue, no coating, anxiety, constipation, and heat of course...), one part of the herbal treatment would likely be zhi bai di huang wan or some close derivative. For straight liver fire (red tongue, possibly thicker coating, anxiety, depression, headaches, and heat) - something like chai hu long mu gu li wan, possibly with xiao yao wan -might- be in order.
In reality, the longer the heat runs regardless of the originating cause it starts to cause other problems - so most people in this state with this level of chronicness have layered conditions that will take time to resolve under the expert eye of a practitioner, moving treatment focus and herbal formulas around slightly as the body improves.
top Login/Comment
comment by "Sven"
on Jan 2014
Good day to all who is interested in this matter.
As I've stated before I'm practising western medicine so forgive my ignorance in TCM. I found another TCM practitioner for the 2nd opinion and my husband has consulted her on Monday already. Her "diagnosis" is internal heat. I unfortunately don't know the chinese medication's name, the first practitioner put him on other than the names I gave previously being, relaxed wonder and clear root fire. (I could always find that out for those who are interested) The 2nd TCM practitioner told him that those 2 medications he is using is too weak for him and has prescribed chinese herbal powder to drink as a tea. Its as bitter as gall. I can also get the proper name of that too once he has consulted her again for the follow up. She also mentioned that it is a very unusual case as usually the pt presents with external heat on touch together with the feeling of being hot internally. I will keep you posted as I think this could be interesting outcome. Thanks to all who commented, I find this extremely facinating. Take care till later!! Sven
top Login/Comment
comment by "ChadD" (acupuncturist)
on Jan 2014
"Internal heat" and "empty heat" are just different ways of describing kidney yin deficiency - people can and often will have heat signs on their body. I would imagine the tea (which the practitioner is correct are generally stronger and assimilate better than the pills - although they do taste awful so patient compliance is sometimes limited) is some variant of liu wei di huang wan with modifications particular to him. I'm fairly certain all will work out well.
top Login/Comment
All Content 1999-2024
Chad J. Dupuis / Yin Yang House
Our Policies and Privacy Guidelines
Our Affiliated Clinics