Dampness and heat in traditional Chinese medicine: concept, expression and conditioning

Damp-heat is a pathological condition in traditional Chinese medicine theory, which refers to the combination of dampness and heat in the body, resulting in obstruction of the flow of qi and blood and dysfunction of the organs. Its main symptoms include bitter and sticky mouth, heavy limbs, greasy skin or acne, yellow and red urine, sticky stool, etc. Conditioning needs to be divided into priorities: firstly remove dampness, secondly clear away heat, and at the same time strengthen the spleen. This article will start from the causes of damp-heat, typical symptoms, susceptible groups and conditioning methods, combined with practical suggestions such as diet, acupuncture points, and traditional Chinese medicine to help readers scientifically deal with damp-heat constitution.

Causes and core manifestations of damp heat

Damp-heat is mostly caused by external dampness (such as living in wetlands for a long time) or internal damage (eating spicy and greasy food). Damp viscosity and heat inflammation are intertwined and can easily block the spleen and stomach in the middle burner. Typical symptoms can be divided into three categories: first, body surface reactions, such as oily scalp and face, and recurring eczema; second, digestive abnormalities, such as abdominal distension and loss of appetite; third, excretion problems, such as turbid urine and yellow and thick leucorrhea in women. Zhang Jingyue, a physician in the Ming Dynasty, mentioned in "Jingyue Complete Book": "Dampness-heat diseases are lingering and difficult to cure", emphasizing its long course and easy recurrence.

Susceptible groups and daily effects of damp-heat constitution

People who stay up late for a long time, drink alcohol, and are emotionally depressed are more likely to develop a damp-heat constitution. In modern life, habits such as sitting in air-conditioned rooms for long periods of time and eating high-fat takeaway meals will aggravate dampness and heat. For example, programmers, chefs and other professional people often suffer from symptoms such as thick yellow tongue coating and afternoon hot flashes due to prolonged sitting or high temperature environment. The Qing Dynasty's Treatise on Febrile Diseases pointed out: "When dampness and heat trap the spleen, the limbs will become tired." This shows that dampness and heat can significantly reduce work efficiency and quality of life.

Three major directions of traditional Chinese medicine in regulating dampness and heat

1.Chinese medicine conditioning: Commonly used prescriptions such as Yinchenhao Decoction (from "Treatise on Febrile Diseases"), Ermiao Pills (composed of Atractylodes and Cortex Phellodendron), and Chinese patent medicines such as Qingre Qushi Granules (Manufacturer: Baiyunshan, Guangzhou). 2.diet modification: It is recommended to eat dampness-reducing ingredients such as adzuki beans, coix seed, and winter melon. Avoid heat-boosting foods such as mutton and mango. 3.external therapy: Moxibustion on Fenglong point and press on Yinlingquan point to strengthen the spleen and remove dampness. It should be noted that the classification of damp-heat is complicated (such as damp-heat in the liver and gallbladder, damp-heat in the spleen and stomach), and it is recommended to treat based on syndrome differentiation under the guidance of a physician.

Summary and tips

Hot and humid constitution requires long-term comprehensive conditioning, and avoid blindly taking herbal tea or excessive sweating. You can drink lotus leaf and hawthorn tea (brewed with 3g of lotus leaf and 5g of hawthorn) every day, combined with moderate exercise (such as Baduanjin). If symptoms are severe, it is recommended to consult a regular Chinese medicine institution. Remember, individual differences are large. For example, taking the Chinese patent medicine "Shenling Baizhu Powder" (manufacturer: Beijing Tongrentang) requires syndrome differentiation.

Citing sources: 1. Ancient books: "The Classic of Internal Medicine of the Yellow Emperor", "The Complete Book of Jingyue", "Tiaodiao Bing of Febrile Diseases" 2. Modern literature: "Classification and Determination of Constitution of Traditional Chinese Medicine" (Standards of the Chinese Society of Traditional Chinese Medicine) 3. Data on proprietary Chinese medicines: Registration information of the State Food and Drug Administration