What symptoms are associated with excessive liver fire?
Generally speaking, excessive liver fire may cause symptoms such as dry mouth and throat, insomnia with vivid dreams, dry and red eyes, irritability, headache, and dizziness. A detailed analysis is as follows:
1. Dry mouth and throat
In traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), excessive liver fire easily damages body fluids, making it difficult to adequately moisturize the mouth and throat. This results in symptoms such as dryness in the mouth, discomfort in the throat, and frequent thirst. Some individuals may also experience a bitter taste in the mouth, and increasing water intake often fails to quickly relieve this dryness.
2. Insomnia with vivid dreams
Excessive liver fire disturbs the mind, making it difficult to enter deep sleep. This often leads to trouble falling asleep, light sleep, frequent dreaming, chaotic dreams, and easy awakening, which result in fatigue the next day.
3. Dry and red eyes
When liver fire is excessive, heat pathogens tend to attack upward to the eyes, consuming the surrounding body fluids and causing dryness and itching due to insufficient lubrication. At the same time, excessive heat may cause dilation of blood vessels in the eyes, making them appear red. Some individuals may also experience blurred vision and eye fatigue.
4. Irritability
The liver governs the smooth flow of qi and regulates emotional fluctuations. Excessive liver fire disrupts this regulatory function, causing internal accumulation of heat that is difficult to expel, thereby affecting emotional control. Individuals with this condition may easily feel annoyed or anxious over minor issues and may become angry quickly when things don't go as planned.
5. Headache and dizziness
Excessive liver fire causes heat pathogens to surge upward along with the qi and blood to the head, interfering with the normal circulation of qi and blood there. Poor circulation of qi and blood in the head can cause headaches, while the upward surge of qi and blood may also affect the clear orifices of the brain, leading to dizziness.
In addition, individuals with excessive liver fire may also experience yellowish urine and constipation. In daily life, it is important to avoid long-term late nights and reduce the intake of spicy and irritating foods to help alleviate symptoms of excessive liver fire.