Understanding Dampness in Chinese Medicine

With the damp weather we so often experience in January, it feels like a particularly good time to talk about the pathogen of “damp” in Chinese Medicine.

In Chinese Medicine, dampness can be either exterior or interior in nature. Exterior dampness arises from environmental factors such as prolonged wet or humid weather, damp living conditions, wearing wet clothes, or even sitting on damp ground. Over time, these external influences can penetrate the body and disrupt its natural balance.

Exterior dampness frequently begins in the lower body, particularly the legs, creating a feeling of heaviness, fatigue, or sluggishness. It also commonly affects the head, leading to symptoms such as a heavy sensation, foggy thinking, headaches, or sinus congestion.

Interior dampness, on the other hand, is most commonly related to the digestive system — specifically the Spleen in Chinese Medicine. This type of dampness often develops due to dietary habits such as overeating dairy, greasy or sugary foods, consuming excessive cold or raw foods, or simply overeating in general. When the Spleen becomes overwhelmed, it struggles to transform and transport fluids efficiently, allowing dampness to accumulate in the body.

Interior dampness can also be aggravated by emotional factors such as worry, pensiveness, and mental overwork. Together, these influences may result in symptoms such as sluggish energy, a heavy sensation in the body, bloating, and easy weight gain.

While the Spleen is responsible for the creation of dampness, it is often the Lungs and the Large Intestine that store it within the system. At this stage, dampness may transform into phlegm, leading to symptoms such as persistent coughing, chest congestion, or frequent diarrhoea.

If you’ve been in the clinic with me and are experiencing dampness, you may have heard me mention that it can be slow to resolve. This is a classic characteristic of dampness: it is heavy, persistent, prone to recurrence, and often difficult to shift once it has settled in the body.

When dampness invades different organs, it manifests in different ways. Dampness affecting the bladder may cause difficulty with urination; in the eyes, it can lead to oozing or discharge; and in the mouth, it may present as white, sore ulcers. When the stomach is involved, symptoms can include bloating, a sensation of fullness, loose stools, and poor appetite. Dampness may also contribute to painful periods, a cold sensation in the uterus, and swollen or painful joints.

Over time, dampness can transform into damp heat, or damp heat may arise initially in warm and humid conditions. This is a topic I’ll explore in more detail another time.

Addressing dampness begins with understanding why it has developed and making a few targeted lifestyle and dietary adjustments. While we can’t control the damp climate we live in, choosing warming, nourishing foods and ensuring the body is properly warmed after being out in cold or wet conditions can make a significant difference.

If you are experiencing symptoms of dampness, foods that that may be contributing to this and are best reduced include milk dairy products, sugar, processed carbohydrates, rich and greasy foods, cold drinks, and excessive raw vegetables. Foods that help support a damp system include warming spices such as ginger and cinnamon, herbs like basil and rosemary, whole grains, aduki beans, steamed or lightly cooked vegetables, and raw honey as a sweetener.

If you’re experiencing symptoms of dampness and choose to book an appointment, I’ll carry out a full consultation to understand how this has developed in your body and which organs are affected. Treatment is then tailored specifically to you, using acupuncture points based on your individual presentation, and often incorporating moxa (you can read more about this here) to help resolve dampness and restore warmth and balance to the system.

By working with your body — and the seasons — acupuncture offers a gentle yet powerful way to clear dampness and support long-term health, even in the depths of a damp winter.

Sources:

Maciocia, G. (2018). Aetiology, pathology and treatment of dampness. Retrieved from https://giovanni-maciocia.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/aetiology-pathology-and-treatment-of-dampness-sample.pdf

Block, Edward, F. IV. (2008, April). TCM Dampness and Food Therapy. Acupuncture Today. Retrieved from https://acupuncturetoday.com/article/31706-tcm-dampness-and-food-therapy

Image: Rain Reflection © Dan Pososhin