In TCM there are 6 climatic factors: Wind, Summer Heat, Fire, Dampness, Cold, Dryness. Under normal conditions, these do not cause any harm to people, but under certain conditions, they become the "6 climactic evils."
It is important to note that any one of these evils can attack by itself, or in combination with another. For example: Wind can attack with cold to form "wind cold", or even "wind cold damp."
Wind (yang)
- Usually occurs in Springtime (but can occur in any season)
- Wind is the leading evil in all disease
- This is a yang evil and therefore exhibits yang characteristics: Attacks upward, is moving (can change sites of infection), is rising, and generally invades yang sites of the body (superficial and upper).
- Wind is also characterized by a quick onset and frequent changes in symptoms.
- Exogenous. This means that it develops from external factors.
- Wind usually enters via the skin and the interstitial space of the flesh
Summer Heat (yang)
- Usually attacks in summertime.
- Exogenous. This means that it develops from external factors.
- Disease caused by the heat after summer solstice: Summer heat.
- Diseased caused by heat before summer solstice: Warm disease.
- Yang evil. This means that it easily damages the yin fluid of the body.
- Often combines with dampness.
Fire (yang)
- Endogenous. This means that it develops due to internal factors
- Develops from excess of qi.
- Yang characteristics: Mostly related to upper portion of the body, drives out body fluid, heats yin fluid.
Dampness (yin)
- Usually occurs in late summer
- Generally stays in visceras and meridians
- Lasts for a long period of time
- Sticky and stagnant
- Related to heaviness and turbidity
Cold (yin)
- Usually attacks in Winter
- Can occur due to sudden decrease in temperature
- Wind and damp commonly invade in combination with cold
- Cold attack: suppresses defensive yang
- Interior cold attack: impairs visceral yang
Dryness
- Impairs and consumes body fluids
- This leads to an insufficiency of yin and body fluids
- Attacks via mouth and nose
- Generally impairs the lungs
- 2 categories: warm dryness syndrome, cool dryness syndrome
It is important to note that any one of these evils can attack by itself, or in combination with another. For example: Wind can attack with cold to form "wind cold", or even "wind cold damp."
Wind (yang)
- Usually occurs in Springtime (but can occur in any season)
- Wind is the leading evil in all disease
- This is a yang evil and therefore exhibits yang characteristics: Attacks upward, is moving (can change sites of infection), is rising, and generally invades yang sites of the body (superficial and upper).
- Wind is also characterized by a quick onset and frequent changes in symptoms.
- Exogenous. This means that it develops from external factors.
- Wind usually enters via the skin and the interstitial space of the flesh
Summer Heat (yang)
- Usually attacks in summertime.
- Exogenous. This means that it develops from external factors.
- Disease caused by the heat after summer solstice: Summer heat.
- Diseased caused by heat before summer solstice: Warm disease.
- Yang evil. This means that it easily damages the yin fluid of the body.
- Often combines with dampness.
Fire (yang)
- Endogenous. This means that it develops due to internal factors
- Develops from excess of qi.
- Yang characteristics: Mostly related to upper portion of the body, drives out body fluid, heats yin fluid.
Dampness (yin)
- Usually occurs in late summer
- Generally stays in visceras and meridians
- Lasts for a long period of time
- Sticky and stagnant
- Related to heaviness and turbidity
Cold (yin)
- Usually attacks in Winter
- Can occur due to sudden decrease in temperature
- Wind and damp commonly invade in combination with cold
- Cold attack: suppresses defensive yang
- Interior cold attack: impairs visceral yang
Dryness
- Impairs and consumes body fluids
- This leads to an insufficiency of yin and body fluids
- Attacks via mouth and nose
- Generally impairs the lungs
- 2 categories: warm dryness syndrome, cool dryness syndrome
No comments:
Post a Comment