Spontaneous Sweating

自汗

Sweating without exertion or external heat.

Quick Facts

Health Topic	Energy & Vitality
Also Known As	Daytime sweating, Sweating without exertion, Easy sweating, Unforced sweat, Sweating at rest
Common Symptoms	Sweating that occurs without heavy activity or high temperature, often during the day or with light movement. The sweat may be on the head, chest or whole body, and can leave the person feeling weak or averse to wind afterward. It is distinct from night sweats that appear during sleep.
Related TCM Patterns	Qi Deficiency · Yang Deficiency · Wind-Cold · Spleen Qi Deficiency · Summer Heat · Yin Deficiency · Stomach Heat
Related Classical Formulas	Xiao Jian Zhong Tang · Huang Qi Jian Zhong Tang · Gui Zhi Tang · Gui Zhi Jia Ge Gen Tang · Shi Quan Da Bu Tang · Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang · Ge Gen Tang · Fang Ji Huang Qi Tang · Dang Gui Liu Huang Tang · Gui Zhi Jia Long Gu Mu Li Tang · Yu Ping Feng San · Qing Shu Yi Qi Tang · Sheng Yu Tang · Sheng Mai San · Yue Bi Jia Zhu Tang · Ju Yuan Jian · Bai Hu Tang

Spontaneous Sweating in Traditional Chinese Medicine

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, spontaneous sweating is differentiated by pattern. Wind-Cold, Yang deficiency, Qi deficiency and Spleen Qi deficiency are among the patterns that may present with sweating at rest or with light activity. Differentiation asks whether there are exterior signs such as chills and body aches, whether the person feels cold and exhausted, whether the voice is weak, and whether the sweating is worse with movement. Classical formulas follow these pattern distinctions rather than sweating alone.

TCM Patterns Associated With Spontaneous Sweating

The same presentation may be understood through more than one pattern. Pattern differentiation weighs the accompanying signs, not the symptom on its own.

Pattern	Common Features	Related Formulas
Qi Deficiency氣虛證Deficiency Patterns	Easy fatigue, shortness of breath on mild effort, a soft or low voice, and spontaneous sweating with light activity. The complexion is often pale, and recovery after exertion is slow. There may be a tendency to catch external pathogens more easily. Tongue pale with a thin white coating; pulse weak or empty.	Shi Quan Da Bu Tang Fang Ji Huang Qi Tang Yu Ping Feng San Sheng Yu Tang Sheng Mai San Ju Yuan Jian
Yang Deficiency陽虛證Deficiency Patterns	Aversion to cold, cold limbs, preference for warm drinks and clothing, and low energy that worsens in cold weather. There may be loose stools, clear copious urine, a pale puffy face, and reduced libido or lumbar weakness. The person feels better with warmth and worse with cold exposure. Tongue pale and possibly swollen with a white coating; pulse deep and weak.	Xiao Jian Zhong Tang Huang Qi Jian Zhong Tang Gui Zhi Jia Long Gu Mu Li Tang
Wind-Cold風寒證Exterior Patterns	Chills that outweigh the fever, no sweating, a stuffy or runny nose with clear discharge, an itchy or scratchy throat rather than a sore one, body aches, and a cough with thin white phlegm. Symptoms often start abruptly after exposure to cold or wind. Tongue with a thin white coating; pulse floating and tight.	Gui Zhi Tang Gui Zhi Jia Ge Gen Tang Ge Gen Tang Yue Bi Jia Zhu Tang
Spleen Qi Deficiency脾氣虛證Deficiency Patterns	Poor appetite, loose or unformed stools, fatigue that worsens after meals, a pale or sallow complexion, and a soft or low voice. There may be abdominal fullness after eating, easy bruising, or a tendency toward thin white phlegm. The person often feels better with rest and simple warm food. Tongue pale with a thin white coating; pulse weak or empty.	Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang
Summer Heat暑熱證Exterior Patterns	Fever or a strong sense of heat after exposure to hot weather, heavy sweating, thirst, and fatigue or heaviness of the body. There may be irritability, scanty dark urine, and a preference for cool drinks. Symptoms often start in high summer. Tongue red with a dry yellow coating; pulse rapid and possibly soft or large.	Qing Shu Yi Qi Tang
Yin Deficiency陰虛證Deficiency Patterns	Dry mouth and throat, night sweats or warm palms and soles, a thin body frame, and restlessness that is worse in the afternoon or at night. Sleep may be light, and there is often a preference for cool drinks. Symptoms feel empty rather than forceful. Tongue red with scant coating; pulse thin and rapid.	Dang Gui Liu Huang Tang
Stomach Heat胃熱證Heat Patterns	Burning or discomfort in the epigastrium, thirst with preference for cold drinks, bad breath, and a tendency toward constipation or dry stools. The gums may feel swollen or sore, and appetite can be strong yet unsettled. Tongue red with a yellow coating, possibly dry in the centre; pulse slippery and rapid.	Bai Hu Tang