Study of the Pathophysiology of Hot Flush and Cold Feet by Using an Infrared Thermometer
10.3937/kampomed.60.503
- Author:
Kazuyuki ISHIDA
;
Hiroshi SATO
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
hot flush and cold feet;
surface temperature;
infrared thermometer;
ordinary symptoms
- MeSH:
Hot flushes;
Feet, unit of measurement;
Tongue;
Group D;
Group B rank
- From:Kampo Medicine
2009;60(5):503-511
- CountryJapan
- Language:Japanese
-
Abstract:
[Purpose] We studied the pathophysiology of hot flush and cold feet.[Methods] By using an infrared thermometer, we measured the surface temperature of 98 female patients. We classified the patients into 4 groups : Group A patients without hot flushes or cold feet ; Group B patients with hot flushes but without cold feet ; Group C, patients without hot flushes but with cold feet ; and Group D patients with both hot flushes and cold feet. We measured the surface temperature of their tongues, upper abdomen, lower abdomen, and soles.[Results] The tongue temperature in Group B was significantly higher than that in Group A. The difference in the temperatures between the tongue and upper abdomen in Group B was also significantly greater than that in group A. Groups C and D, on the other hand, showed similar surface temperatures. Then, we examined the relationship between tongue temperatures, and the difference in the temperatures between the tongue and sole (Diff T-S) by using a correlation coefficient test : a significant correlation (r=0.77) was observed in Group C but not in Group D. Next, the patients in Group D were divided into 3 subgroups on the basis of their Diff T-S ; we found that these subgroups were characterized by the constitutionally ordinary symptoms (COS) of “yin and yang” and “deficiency and excess.”[Discussion] The occurrence of hot flush with cold feet was shown to depend on the slope of the body temperature, which was influenced by COS.[Conclusion] The occurrence of hot flush is associated with COS.
