Treatment of Tinnitus Based on the Theory of"Interaction between the Sovereign Fire and Ministerial Fire"
WANG Zhuofei
YANG Li
Abstract：The Sovereign fire(Jun Huo)is associated with the heart,while the Ministerial fire(Xiang Huo)is harbored in the liver and kidneys.The Sovereign fire and the Ministerial fire interact and correspond with each other.When the Sovereign fire acts in an unrestrained manner,it stirs up the Ministerial fire.When the Ministerial fire oversteps its proper bounds,it affects the Sovereign fire.When these two types of fire combine,the pathogenic fire becomes even more intense,jointly leading to tinnitus.This paper,from the perspective of the interaction between the Sovereign fire and Ministerial fire,elaborates on the clinical diagnosis and treatment approach based on the fundamental principle of harmonizing the two types of fire.In treating the unrestrained Sovereign fire,it is crucial to first determine whether it is of the excess or deficiency type.For excess fire,purging is appropriate,and prescriptions often include bitter-cold herbs such as Huanglian(Coptidis Rhizoma).Meanwhile,care should be taken to protect the Yin fluids.For deficiency fire,tonification is required.In cases where deficiency fire is caused by Yin deficiency,prescriptions usually contain sweet-cold herbs like raw Dihuang(Rehmanniae Radix)and Maidong(Ophiopogonis Radix).When treating the overstepping Ministerial fire,it is necessary to"subdue it in accordance with its nature"based on the characteristics of the internal organs.Medicinal use should follow the principle of correspondence between humans and nature and the law of like-attracting-like.The liver prefers free flow and dislikes stagnation.When treating liver-related issues,while clearing liver fire,it is important to soothe liver Qi.Chaihu(Bupleuri Radix)and Huangqin(Scutellariae Radix)are typical herb pairs for this purpose.The kidney is a water-related organ and dislikes dryness.When treating kidney problems,nourishing kidney Yin and resolving phlegm turbidity should be carried out simultaneously.Modified Zhibai Dihuang Wan with the addition of Shichangpu(Acori Tatarinowii Rhizoma)can be used to pacify the kidney fire.
Keywords：Interaction between the Sovereign fire and Ministerial fireSovereign fire(Jun Huo)Ministerial fire(Xiang Huo)Tinnitus
Publication Date：2025-11-28
Online Publishing Date：2025-12-01(First online date of this platform, not the publication date of the document)
Pages：3( 1895-1897 )