What is "dampness"?

What is "dampness"?

In traditional Chinese medicine, "dampness" is considered one of the six pernicious influences in nature, along with wind, cold, heat, dryness, and fire. Dampness is characterized as heavy, turbid, sticky, and Yin in nature. It has a tendency to harm Yang energy and is believed to be the root cause of many chronic and lingering diseases, earning the reputation as the "source of all evils."

      Dampness can originate from two main sources: external and internal. External dampness is caused by exposure to damp weather, being soaked in water or rain, or living in a damp environment, leading to what is known as "external dampness." Internal dampness refers to the generation of dampness within the body, often resulting from weakened functions of the spleen in transportation, the lungs in descending, or the kidneys in warming, which causes the accumulation of water and dampness within the body. This is known as "internal dampness."

Symptoms of excessive dampness may include:

• Loose or sticky stools, diarrhea, or constipation;
• Sticky and hard-to-flush bowel movements;
• Serrated edges on the tongue;
• Dry mouth, bitter taste, or bad breath;
• Drooling or snoring during sleep;
• Feeling of heaviness and discomfort in the body;
• Joint pain or stiffness throughout the body;
• Itchy or dry throat;
• Oily scalp, hair loss;
• Facial spots, acne, oily skin;
• Dizziness, excessive fatigue, easy tiredness;
• Decreased libido.