Fire

[Guest guest]

" Fire is an extreme form of heat which can derive from any of the

other exterior pathogenic factors. Stricktly speaking, it is not

really an exterior pathogenic factor. It either arises from the

Interior or derives from other exterior pathogenic factors, but once

it manifests in the body, it is an interior pathogenic factor. "

(Giovanni Maciocia, The Foundations of , p. 300.)

 

The part about Fire being able to " derive from any of the other

exterior pathogenic factors " is very important. This includes Cold

as well as Heat, Wind, Dampness, and Dryness.

 

Here is a common example of Cold transforming into Fire. From a TCM

standpoint, most cases of the common cold will be due to invasion by

Wind Cold. (In some cases it can be Wind Heat.) Certain diseases

and other conditions will follow what is called the 6 Stages of Cold-

Induced Illnesses. Because the nature of Cold is to contract and

slow down, the invading evil can become trapped. The Wind Cold of

the common cold transforms into the Fire of pneumonia. BTW, this is

why some stages of Cold-Induced Evils call for inducing sweating.

It's so the pores will remain open so the Evil can escape. As the

Chinese put it, one does not lock one's house up while the thief is

still inside because one wants the thief to get out. (You don't want

to induce sweating in some stages of Cold-Induced Illness because

this will further deplete Qi, and the person already has a problem

with being too Qi depleted.)

 

" Extreme Heat and Fire are not exactly the same in nature, although

very similar. Fire is more " Solid " than Heat, it tends to move and

dry-out more than Heat. Heat can cause pain as well as all the other

symptoms of Heat, such as a REd tongue, thirst and a Rapid pulse, but

Fire moves upwards (causing mouth ulcers for example_ or damages the

blood vessels (causing bleeding). Also, Fire tends to affect the

mind more than Heat causing anxiety, mental agitation, insomnia or

mental illness. " (p. 300.)

 

Fire can either be Excess or Deficiency. Another terms for

Deficiency Fire is Yin Deficiency Fire.

 

" Fire can affect the Heart, Liver, Stomach, Kidneys, Lungs and

Intestines .... " (p. 301.)

 

Victoria