Dampness (in Traditional Chinese Medicine)

Dampness in Traditional Chinese Medicine is a key pathogenic factor categorized by its heavy, sticky, turbid nature and its tendency to cause obstruction, stagnation, and accumulation of fluids and pathological products in the body. It can arise externally (from climate/environment) or internally (due to spleen digestion weakness, poor diet, overwork, emotional disturbance). Symptoms associated with dampness include heaviness, lethargy, swelling, edema, loose stools, cloudy urine, excess mucus/phlegm, joint and muscle aches, digestive troubles, and may contribute to chronic conditions like tumors, cysts, fibroids, skin conditions, infections, and metabolic disorders[1][2][4][6][7]. TCM addresses dampness through diet, herbal medicine, acupuncture, and lifestyle changes aimed at expelling or transforming it, rather than by molecular targeting[1][3][4][5][8].

Other names

DampDamp-heatDamp-coldInternal dampnessExternal dampness