Home > Basic Principles > The Six Evils and the Seven Emotions > Wind Evil
Six Evils : I. Wind | II. Cold | III Summer-heat | IV. Dampness | V. Dryness | VI. Fire

­· Wind

External wind can affect the lungs while internal wind is mostly generated by the liver.
Belongs to the element wood and dominates in spring. It is considered the leading evil. In the spring, the body is unaccustomed to the warm temperatures and the pores dilate easily, making it easier for evil-wind excess to enter the body. Suwen (The Book of Plain Questions) says, " The wind evil can hide in the skin. It causes cold symptoms and sweating when the subcutaneous tissue is loosened, it causes heat symptoms but no sweating when the subcutaneous (means beneath the skin) space is closed." Symptoms of "wind-injury" are coughing, stuffy or runny nose, headache, dizziness, and sneezing. Wind often combines with heat, "wind-heat", or cold "wind-cold" depending on the weather, and such winds induce symptoms of both excesses. There is also an "inner-wind" unrelated to weather, which originates in the heart, liver, or kidneys due to energy imbalances. Symptoms of "inner-wind injury" are fainting, weakness, nervous spasms, blurry vision, and stiffness in the muscles and joints.

Characteristics of the Wind Evil:
  The wind is the leading evil of all diseases.
  The wind evil possesses a penetrating ability.
  Wind is characterized by constant movement, moveable and changeable.
  Upward and outgoing dispersion is a yang pathogenic factor.
  Wind, especially pathogenic wind occurs in gusts and is characterized by rapid change, giving rise to abrupt onset, migrating pain and fluctuating symptoms. For example, flare-ups of rheumatic joint pain and skin rashes are associated with wind evils.