Deficency of Body Fluids(1) Dryness

Dryness

Dryness is characteristic of Autumn/Fall in China. During this season, the temperature and humidity gradually decrease. Lack of moisture causes many things in nature to dry out. Pathogenic dryness usually attacks the lung via the mouth and nose[ as well by the hands, the Prophet  صلى الله عليه و سلم   said;" When one of you wakes up from his sleep[at night], he should not put his hand in the basin until he has washed it three times ( outside of it) for he doesn't know where his hand was( while he was sleeping) Agreed Upon]. Pathogenic dryness is divided into two types.

1.Warm-Dryness

2. Cool-Dryness

Diseases caused by the former often occur in early Fall/Autumn when lingering pathogenic heat and dryness simultaneously attack the body. In late Autumn, cold becomes predominant. At such times, aided by the cold, pathogenic dryness attacks the body; diseases due pathogenic cool-dryness occur. Dryness has two major properties and specific pathological influences.

1. Depletes Body Fluids

2. Disturbs the Lung's Function of Dispersing and Descending Energy

First, dryness depletes body fluids. Exhausting the body fluids, it causes dryness in the mouth, thirst, a dry throat, dry and cracked skin, lusterless hair, scanty urine and constipation.

Second, pathogenic dryness often impairs the lung's function, the"Delicate Organ" which favors moisture over dryness. Though the lung does not tolerate the damp, it also reacts adversely to dryness. Excessive dampness gives rise to phlegm and water retention. while excessive dryness consumes body fluids. The lung dominates respiration, skin, and hair. Its body orifice is the nose. Consequently, pathogenic dryness usually attacks the body through the mouth and nose, impairing the fluids in the lung. When the dispersing  and descending functions of the lung are disturbed, a dry cough with little sputum or expectoration of bloody sputum, shortness of breath, and chest pain may occur.

Clinical Manifestations

 

Dry skin, mouth, nose,lips,throat,eyes, cracked lips,dry cough, hoarse voice, absence of sweating, scanty urination, dry stools, scanty periods

Tongue: Dry

Lungs

Dry throat, dry cough, and dry skin

Stomach

Dry mouth, thirst with desire to sip liquids, and dry tongue.

Kidneys

Dry throat, dry skin, and scanty urination.

Large Intestine

Dry stools

Liver

Dry eyes, dry skin, and scanty periods.