It's normal to sweat in hot weather, but some people sweat so much that it's concerning. Normally, just moving a couple of steps causes sweat beads to roll down. Waking up in the middle of the night during sleep to find the whole body covered in sweat, with palms and soles feeling hot, the mouth painfully dry, and constantly wanting to drink water all day—what is really going on?

This is actually an imbalance of Yin and Yang in the body. Simply put, it means the Yin fluid in our body is insufficient. This Yin fluid is like a clear spring that nourishes the internal organs and can restrain the body's Yang Qi. If this spring diminishes, Yang Qi loses its restraint and easily transforms into deficient fire. When the fire is vigorous, it's like boiling water fiercely in a pot with too little water—the steam will inevitably gush out. Reflected in the body, this manifests as uncontrollable sweating.

For this condition, we might consider a formula from the medical sage Zhang Zhongjing—the Peony and Licorice Decoction. It contains only two simple herbs: peony and licorice. Used properly, it can help stop excessive sweating throughout the body.

The herb peony helps nourish yin and blood, directly addressing the condition where deficient fire forces fluids outward. Honey-fried licorice, on the other hand, tonifies the spleen and stomach, allowing the body to generate more fluids on its own. We all know that the spleen and stomach are the foundation of postnatal health; only when they are strong can they continuously produce the yin fluids the body needs.

Sometimes, white atractylodes is added to the formula. This herb helps strengthen the spleen, giving the spleen and stomach more vigor so that the nourished yin fluids are utilized effectively without going to waste. Overall, this formula doesn’t forcibly stop sweating; instead, it addresses the root by replenishing the yin fluids the body lacks.

This content is for educational purposes only. Exercise caution regarding medication. If you experience any physical discomfort, please seek treatment under the guidance of a qualified physician based on syndrome differentiation!