Night sweating

Also thief sweating; sweating in bed. Sweating during the night that ceases on awakening and that generally occurs in patients suffering from yīn vacuity. Night sweating is attributable to insufficiency of heart blood, yīn vacuity with internal heat , and spleen vacuity damp encumbrance.

Patterns

Insufficiency of heart blood (心血不足 xīn xuè bù zú) causes night sweating with heart palpitation and reduced sleep, lusterless complexion, shortness of breath and lassitude of spirit, pale tongue with thin fur, and a vacuous pulse.

Medicinal therapy: Supplement the blood, nourish the heart, and constrain sweating. Use Spleen-Returning Decoction (归脾汤 guī pí tāng) plus dragon bone (Mastodi Ossis Fossilia, 龙骨 lóng gǔ), oyster shell (Ostreae Concha, 牡蛎 mǔ lì), and schisandra (Schisandrae Fructus, 五味子 wǔ wèi zǐ).

Acumoxatherapy: Base treatment mainly on LI, SI, and HT. The main points for all patterns are as follows: LI-4 (Union Valley, 合谷 hé gǔ), SI-3 (Back Ravine, 后溪 hòu xī), and HT-6 (Yīn Cleft, 阴郄 yīn xī); needle with even supplementation and drainage. For insufficiency of heart blood, add BL-15 (Heart Transport, 心俞 xīn shù), BL-17 (Diaphragm Transport, 膈俞 gé shù), CV-14 (Great Tower Gate, 巨阙 jù què), SP-6 (Three Yīn Intersection, 三阴交 sān yīn jiāo), CV-6 (Sea of Qì, 气海 qì hǎi), and HT-7 (Spirit Gate, 神门 shén mén); needle with supplementation and moxa.

Yīn vacuity with internal heat (阴虚内热 yīn xū nèi rè) causes frequent night sweating with postmeridian tidal heat, reddening of the cheeks, vexing heat in the five hearts, emaciation, menstrual irregularities in women and dream emission and seminal efflux in men, a red tongue with scant fur, and a rapid fine pulse.

Medicinal therapy: Enrich yīn, downbear fire, and constrain sweating. Use Chinese Angelica Six Yellows Decoction (当归六黄汤 dāng guī liù huáng tāng) plus glutinous rice root (Oryzae Glutinosae Radix, 糯稻根须 nuò dào gēn xū), and light wheat (Tritici Fructus Levis, 浮小麦 fú xiǎo mài).

Acumoxatherapy: To the main points given above add BL-23 (Kidney Transport, 肾俞 shèn shù), KI-3 (Great Ravine, 太溪 tài xī), SP-6 (Three Yīn Intersection, 三阴交 sān yīn jiāo), KI-6 (Shining Sea, 照海 zhào hǎi), and KI-2 (Blazing Valley, 然谷 rán gǔ); needle with supplementation or with even supplementation and drainage.

Spleen vacuity with damp encumbrance (脾虚湿阻 pí xū shī zǔ) causes frequent night sweating with headache with swathed sensation, fatigued cumbersome limbs, torpid intake, sliminess in the mouth, thin slimy white tongue fur, pale tongue, and soggy moderate pulse.

Medicinal therapy: Transform dampness and harmonize the center; free qì dynamic. Use Patchouli, Officinal Magnolia Bark, Pinellia, and Poria Decoction (藿朴夏苓汤 huò pò xià líng tāng) minus apricot kernel (Armeniacae Semen, 杏仁 xìng rén), polyporus (Polyporus, 猪苓 zhū líng), litsea (Litseae Rhizoma et Radix, 豆豉姜 dòu chǐ jiāng), fermented soybean (Sojae Semen Praeparatum, 淡豆豉 dàn dòu chǐ), and alisma (Alismatis Rhizoma, 泽泻 zé xiè), plus glutinous rice root (Oryzae Glutinosae Radix, 糯稻根须 nuò dào gēn xū), atractylodes (Atractylodis Rhizoma, 苍朮 cāng zhú), and tangerine peel (Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium, 陈皮 chén pí).

Acumoxatherapy: To the main points add BL-20 (Spleen Transport, 脾俞 pí shù), LR-13 (Camphorwood Gate, 章门 zhāng mén), CV-12 (Center Stomach Duct, 中脘 zhōng wǎn), ST-36 (Leg Three Lǐ, 足三里 zú sān lǐ), SP-9 (Yīn Mound Spring, 阴陵泉 yīn líng quán), and PC-6 (Inner Pass, 内关 nèi guān); needle with even supplementation and drainage. Moxa may also be used.

Etymology

Chinese: 盗 dào, thief, steal; 汗 hàn, sweat, sweating. The term reflects how this kind of sweating occurs unbeknown to the person while sleeping.