What Is Dampness In Chinese Medicine?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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To put it simply, dampness simply refers

to water retention

. Health in Chinese medicine hinges on striking a balance between all the elements in our body. A high proportion of water in the human body is a source of illness. At first, the patient will feel bulky and sleepy all the time when they are damp.

How do you get rid of dampness in Chinese medicine?


Acupuncture

can help us eliminate the dampness in the body by helping promote circulation as well as supporting the body’s digestion center (spleen and stomach in Chinese medicine). The heat from moxibustion can also help to dry dampness.

What foods cause dampness in body?

Foods known to cause dampness include:

milk products (except yogurt)

, sugar and sweets, white-wheat flour, refined starch and highly processed starch products, excess raw fruits (sugar) and raw vegetables (mould from the soil), excess mushrooms and fungi, peppers, cold beverages (which immobilize immune cells on the …

What does it mean when you have dampness in the body?

Dampness is an imbalance arising

from having too much moisture/water trapped in the body

. You can see it as a little bit like water retention but not entirely and not exactly. It is a condition that you get when your body didn’t have the optimal condition to remove the excessive water in the body.

What is damp in Chinese?

What is “dampness?” The TCM approach suggests that there are certain foods that make our internal systems “damp”, or phlegmy, clammy, sluggish, swollen, groggy, or cold , says Jill Blakeway, DACM, a doctor of Chinese medicine and Well+Good Council member.

How do I get rid of dampness?

  1. Wipe down windows and sills every morning. …
  2. Deal with steam from cooking. …
  3. Get rid of bathroom moisture. …
  4. Ensure ventilation. …
  5. Keep your house warm. …
  6. Install insulation. …
  7. Buy a dehumidifier. …
  8. Don’t hang clothes to dry inside.

How do you treat dampness?

  1. Keep on top of outdoor home maintenance. Prevention is better than cure when it comes to damp problems. …
  2. Make sure your home is well-ventilated. …
  3. Avoid producing lots of moisture. …
  4. Take care when cooking. …
  5. Remove excess moisture. …
  6. Choose moisture resistant paint and wallpaper. …
  7. Leave room to breathe.

Are eggs dampening?

Highly nutritious foods such as dairy products, meats, nuts, eggs, oils and fats are strongly capable of supplementing the

body’s yin fluids and substance

. However, in excess, they generate a superabundance of body fluids, which become pathologic dampness.

How do I get rid of damp reflux?

If you suspect that you need to clear dampness from your body, bitter and pungent flavors are the way to go. Try to include

onions, radishes, arugula and bitter melon in your meals

. It’s also important to avoid dairy and cold drinks, as they are common contributors to internal dampness.

What is yang deficiency?

Yang deficiency

causes coldness and clamminess of the skin

. This is because coldness affects the function of the skin (Lung Qi) to open and close when required, i.e. the skin should open, causing sweating and elimination of heat, when the body is hot; and should close and retain the body heat when it is cold.

How do you stop dampness in a room?

  1. Air your home regularly. Open doors and windows for 10-15 minutes each morning, or use a ventilation system. …
  2. Use energy efficient, low emissions heaters. Heat every room being used by someone to at least 18°C. …
  3. Dry washing outside. …
  4. Use extractor fans and rangehoods.

How do I get rid of moisture in my house naturally?

  1. Use Your Air Conditioner. …
  2. Actively Use Your Exhaust/Ventilation Fans. …
  3. Take Cooler Showers. …
  4. Fix Any Leaking Pipes. …
  5. Keep Your Gutters Clean. …
  6. Dry Your Laundry Outside. …
  7. Get a Dehumidifier. …
  8. Move Your House Plants.

What causes damp in bedrooms?


Condensation

is the most common cause of damp in many houses, in particular in bedrooms, bathrooms and kitchens. It occurs when warm moist air comes into contact with cold surfaces causing water to be deposited on the surface.

What causes wall dampness?

It’s caused by

an excess of moisture in the air that reacts with a cold surface such as a wall

. … Condensation forms when warm moist air within a room touches a cold internal wall or surface. This condensation then sits on the internal wall’s surface and creates damp patches on the wall.

What is meant by rising dampness?

Rising damp is a relatively rare form of damp that affects the walls of buildings. It occurs

when moisture from the ground travels up through the walls by capillary action

. This means that ground water is effectively sucked up through tiny tubes in the bricks, like a series of straws.

Does putting the heating on help damp?

Heating. Being smart about

your heating can also help prevent damp

. Some people believe that the warmer their house is, the less likely it is to attract damp. This isn’t really true, especially if you’re not ventilating it properly.

David Martineau
Author
David Martineau
David is an interior designer and home improvement expert. With a degree in architecture, David has worked on various renovation projects and has written for several home and garden publications. David's expertise in decorating, renovation, and repair will help you create your dream home.