Heart Fire Blazing
They are irritable and restless, get painful sores in the mouth and on the tip of the tongue, feel very thirsty for cold drinks, and pass little urine with burning.
In plain words
They are irritable and restless, get painful sores in the mouth and on the tip of the tongue, feel very thirsty for cold drinks, and pass little urine with burning.
Daily spice, alcohol and tobacco, or an intense emotion held in for months, build up heat inside. That heat rises where the Heart opens to the outside — the tongue and mouth — which is why the sores appear right on the tip. Another part descends through the Small Intestine to the urine, which turns scanty, dark and uncomfortable.
Characteristic symptoms
- Palpitations and sensation of heat in the chest
- Recurrent and painful mouth ulcers
- Intense thirst with desire for cold drinks
- Dark, scanty urine with burning sensation
- Marked irritability, agitation and insomnia
- Tongue with very pronounced red tip
- Sensation of heat in the body, worse at night
- In severe cases: delirium or irrational behavior
Key clues to recognize it
- Sores that come back again and again on the tongue tip and in the mouth
- Scanty, dark urine that burns on passing
- The tip of the tongue is far redder than the rest of it
Tongue and pulse
- Tongue
- Red tongue with very red tip; yellow coating, may be dry
- Pulse
- Rapid (shuò) and full (shí) pulse, accented in the Heart position
Treatment principle
Drain Heart Fire, clear Heat, promote urination and calm the Shen
Common points
Reference formula
Dao Chi San (Guide Out the Red Powder)
What not to confuse it with
What aggravates it
- Very spicy food, fried food and alcohol
- Arguments and anger swallowed without a word
- Sleeping few hours several days in a row
- Coffee, energy drinks and tobacco
Lifestyle advice
Avoid spicy, fried foods and alcohol. Drink plenty of cool water and fruit juices. Reduce excessive mental work and worry. Include cooling foods: watermelon, cucumber, lotus, chrysanthemum tea. Actively manage stress.
When to see a doctor
Health notice. Educational and study content. It describes concepts of Traditional Chinese Medicine and does not replace diagnosis or treatment by a healthcare professional. Needling, medicinal herbs and invasive techniques must be applied by trained professionals. Safety guide.
