"Fighting Fire" Requires Proper Diagnosis Based on Type
"Fire" (Shanghuo) is a specialized term in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Symptoms such as dry throat, red eyes, hot nasal cavity, dry mouth and tongue pain, cracked corners of the mouth, nosebleeds, and toothaches are considered "fire" in TCM.
How does "fire" arise? First, direct exposure to external "hot pathogenic factors" from nature can cause "fire" symptoms. Second, internal "fire"—invisible yet vital for life functions—can become unbalanced due to yin-yang disharmony, losing its normal containment, thus triggering "fire" symptoms.
Many specific factors can trigger "fire." Excessive emotional fluctuations, heatstroke, exposure to cold, catching a cold, smoking, drinking alcohol, consuming excessive amounts of pungent spices like scallions, ginger, garlic, chili peppers, or indulging in greasy foods like lamb or dog meat, poisoning, and insufficient sleep can all cause "fire."
TCM categorizes fiery symptoms based on location: head dizziness and sore throat are called "upper burner fire"; irritability, thirst, and gastric pain are "middle burner fire"; constipation and red urine indicate "lower burner fire." According to organ orifice associations, red eyes are "liver fire," flaring nostrils and panting are "lung fire," and mouth sores are "heart fire," etc. Combined with internal conditions, these fires are broadly classified into "excess" and "deficiency": severe, sudden-onset symptoms indicate excess fire; milder, prolonged symptoms with hand/foot heat, night sweats, and fever indicate deficiency fire. This classification provides a basis for treatment.
When treating "fire," two points are crucial: first, use herbal medicine rather than blindly relying on Western drugs. Herbal remedies adjust the whole body to treat root causes, whereas Western drugs only target symptoms. Second, follow TCM theory for syndrome differentiation and treatment. For example, treat "middle burner fire" with Qing Wei San, "heart fire" with Dao Chi San, and "excess fire" with San Huang Pian or Niuhuang Jiedu Pian. Always consult a physician. Using San Huang Pian indiscriminately may not work and could worsen the condition.