Summer Heat

Summer heat is the predominant qi of summer, and unlike the other exogenous factors, is only seen in its own season. Summer heat diseases are induced by excessively high temperatures, overexposure to the blazing sun whilst working, and working or staying for too long in poorly ventilated places.

Summer heat, characterized by extreme heat, is a yang pathogenic factor that is transformed from fire. Clinical manifestations characterized by yang heat include high fever, restlessness, thirst, profuse sweating and a surging pulse.

Upward direction, dispersion and consumption of body fluid characterize summer heat. It usually affects the head and eyes, causing dizziness and blurred vision. Due to its dispersing function, pathogenic summer heat may cause the pores to stay open. The excessive sweating that causes may consume body fluid resulting in thirst with a strong desire to drink, dry mouth and tongue, scanty deep - yellow urine. In addition, there will be symptoms of qi deficiency such as reluctance to speak and lassitude. Severe invasion of summer heat may disturb the mind, resulting in sunstroke with the symptoms of sudden collapse and coma.

Since summer is often characterized by high humidity, pathogenic summer heat is frequently combined with pathogenic damp. Clinical manifestations of summer heat and damp include dizziness, heaviness in the head, suffocating sensation in the chest, nausea, poor appetite, loose stools and general lassitude, in addition to fever restlessness and thirst.