Cold-Damp invading the Spleen
Cold-Damp invading the Spleen
Educational content • Consult qualified TCM practitioners for diagnosis and treatment
Diagnostic Signs
Pale with a sticky white coating
Slippery (Hua), Slow (Chi)
Key Characteristic Symptoms
Diagnostic Considerations
The key characteristic symptoms here are the feeling of abdominal fullness, the feeling of heaviness and the sticky white tongue coating.
Causes & Pathology
Common Causes
This can be due from the weather or from someone's living conditions (e.g. living in a damp basement flat).
Pathological Mechanism
This is a description of the pattern in its acute stage, when the Spleen is invaded by exterior Dampness. The pattern can also become chronic, in which case the tongue would be more Pale and the pulse partly Weak or Soggy.
What causes the characteristic feeling of heaviness is the fact that Dampness obstructs the muscles. It also impairs the the clear Yang from ascending tothe head, hence the feeling of heaviness in the head as well.
The feeling of fullness is caused by Dampness preventing the normal movement of Qi. This also causes the nausea as Dampness prevents Stomach-Qi from descending (Qi becomes Rebellious).
What causes the sweet taste in the mouth (or sometimes the absence of taste) is because the Spleen opens into the mouth: disruption to its normal behavior will have repercussions in the mouth.
Lastly Dampness is heavy and has a tendency to drop downwards; this is what causes the excessive white vaginal discharge we see in some cases.
Treatment Approach
Treatment Principle
Resolve Dampness, expel Cold
Recommended Herbal Formulas
Diet & Lifestyle Recommendations
Since the key cause for this pattern is exposure to exterior dampness, the single best lifestyle change you can make is to avoid prolonged exposure to dampness.
Explore More Patterns
Browse all TCM patterns of disharmony