Combined symptoms of Heat and Cold

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In the real world there often will be mixed indicators for both Heat and

Cold in the same person.

 

Some situations where this can occur include:

 

1. Cold on the Exterior with Heat in the Interior. (A person with Interior

Heat is invaded by Exterior Wind Cold, or, when Latent Heat is present.

 

2. Heat on the Exterior with Cold in the Interior. (A person with Interior

Cold is invaded by Wind Heat.)

 

3. Heat Above With Cold Below. (The Heat rises and the Cold sinks. This

pattern also may be seem in many cases of parasitic infestation.)

 

4. True Cold - False Heat or True Heat - False Cold.

 

In addition to the 4 Maciocia mentions in The Foundations of Chinese

Medicine, mixed symptoms of Heat and Cold may be seen in Kidney Yang and

Kidney Yin Deficiency. They tend to occur together, and depending on

various factors, some symptions may predominate at some times while symptoms

of the other predominate at other times. An example is a person feeling too

hot in the afternoon though the person clearly is Kidney Yang Deficiency and

feels too cold most of the time.

 

There also can be localized Heat or Cold symptoms like when Cold has invaded

the Uterus, Intestines, or Stomach directly from the Exterior and lodged

there. The person may be predominately Hot, but Cold has lodged in one or

more of these areas.

 

In addition, Qi blockage can result in localized Heat even though the person

may be predominately Cold. Even Cold can transform into Heat when there is

blockage. Think of a pressure cooker or of the gas law, PV=nrT. If

pressure is increased, temperature will increase.

 

A floating pulse (one that is felt the strongest with the least pressure on

the wrist) often is a sign of an attack by an Exterior Evil though if the

pulse is both weak and floating this may indicate Blood and/or Yin

Deficiency. If the floating pulse also is strong, this may indicate

Interior Wind. The pulse also may float but be big and empty in cases of

True Cold - False Heat.

 

Thirst along with the desire to drink or not to drink and the temperature of

the beverage often is one of the more reliable indicators as to what is

going on in terms of Hot or Cold. People who are Hot tend to feel thristy a

lot, want cold drinks, and drink. People who are Cold tend to not feel

thirsty and want hot drinks when they do consume liquid. If Dampness

accumulation also is present along with Cold, the person may not only feel

thirsty but have an adversion to consuming liquids. If mixed Kidney Yang

and Yin Deficiency are present with the Yang Deficiency predominating, the

only time the person feels thirsty and actually drinks and desires cold

drinks may be in the afternoon.

 

In cases of True Cold-False Heat, the person may be thristy but have no

desire to drink. There are some other scenarios where this can happen -

like Damp Heat.

 

Urination also is one of the better indicators as to Hot or Cold. In

general, Cold will result in a lot of clear urine. Heat will result in

scanty, dark, concentrated urine.

 

In cases of Heat Above - Cold Below, the symptoms and signs in the upper

body are those of Heat - " thirst, irritability, sour regurgitation, bitter

taste, mouth ulcers " - whereass those below will be those of Cold - loose

stools, borborygmi and profuse-pale urine " . (Giovanni Maciocia, The

Foundations of , p. 185.

 

Victoria

 

 

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