Damp-Heat invading the Spleen
Damp-Heat invading the Spleen
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Diagnostic Signs
Red with sticky yellow coating
Rapid (Shu), Slippery (Hua)
Key Characteristic Symptoms
Diagnostic Considerations
The main characteristic symptoms are the feeling of fullness of the epigastrium and/or the lower abdomen, the feeling of heaviness and the sticky yellow coating on the tongue. Abdominal fullness and a sticky yellow tongue coating are enough in and of themselves to diagnose Damp-Heat invading the Spleen.
Causes & Pathology
Common Causes
More commonly the weather (e.g. in tropical summer for instance).
Prolonged and excessive intake of hot, greasy, fatty, fried or contaminated/unclean foods can cause this pattern. An excessive and prolonged intake of alcohol can also be a cause.
Pathological Mechanism
This pattern is essentially the same as Cold-Damp invading the Spleen except that in this case there is Heat.
Many of the symptoms are due to Dampness: the feeling of fullness and heaviness, the nausea, the sticky tongue coating and the Slippery pulse.
The symptoms that indicate Heat are the foul smell of the stools, the bitter taste in the mouth, the burning sensation of the anus and the scanty dark urine.
The low-grade fever is constant throughout the day, as opposed to low-grade fever from Yin Deficiency which only appears in the afternoon or early evening. It is caused by the combination of Damp-Heat.
The pattern as described here applies to relatively acute cases. In more chronic cases, some of the symptoms are often missing like the fever, the burning sensation of the anus and the dull-yellow complexion.
Treatment Approach
Treatment Principle
Resolve Dampness, clear Heat
Recommended Herbal Formulas
Diet & Lifestyle Recommendations
Avoid greasy, fatty or fried foods and alcohol; eat grains, legumes, vegetables and greens. Rest also abundantly.
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