What are hot flashes and night sweats?

Hot flashes and night sweats are symptom descriptions in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), primarily manifested in two aspects: 1. **Hot flashes**: Referring to fever resembling the rhythmic rise and fall of tidal waves, typically occurring in the afternoon or at night. Patients feel bodily heat, although body temperature may remain normal. This sensation of heat may spread from the trunk to the face, causing discomfort. Hot flashes commonly appear in conditions of internal heat due to yin deficiency, possibly related to imbalance of yin and yang in the zang-fu organs or damage to body fluids in the later stages of warm diseases. 2. **Night sweats**: Referring to sweating during sleep that stops upon waking. Night sweats often result from yin deficiency failing to restrain yang, leading to internal deficiency heat. When entering sleep, defensive yang qi moves inward from the exterior, reducing the skin's ability to hold and regulate perspiration. Consequently, internal heat intensifies, evaporating body fluids outward and causing sweating. Night sweats are also commonly seen in patients with yin deficiency syndromes. In TCM, hot flashes and night sweats are considered manifestations of yin deficiency, potentially associated with various factors such as menopause and endocrine disorders. Treatment typically involves nourishing yin to clear heat, nourishing blood, and astringing sweat.