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Damp-heat in Gall Bladder
Cause
- Spleen Qi deficiency
- negative emotions
- over-consumption of fatty and greasy foods
- living in damp-heat environment
In traditional Chinese medicine the Spleen (the collective work of some organs and systems participating in the digestion rather than the anatomical organ spleen) controls the transformation and transportation of fluids. If the Spleen is weak and the transportation of fluids is impaired there will be fluid retention called “dampness”. "Dampness” may obstruct any organ in the body. In the case of “damp-heat in the Gall Bladder” the organ obstructed is the Gall Bladder.
The major cause for the accumulation of “internal heat” are negative emotions. Anger – the emotion of the Liver/Gall Bladder partnership – stagnates the free flow of Qi in these two organs, which in long term leads to the generation of heat.
When “internal dampness” and “internal heat” combine we have what is called “damp-heat”. The most common organs, which suffer from damp-heat pathology, are the Spleen, the Large Intestine, the Urinary Bladder, and the Gall Bladder.
The over-consumption of fatty and greasy foods also leads to the formation of damp-heat, as these foods are both damping and hot in nature. External climatic damp-heat in hot, damping environments, also leads to the accumulation of internal damp-heat.
If you want to learn more about the Gall Bladder and its functions from the perspective of traditional Chinese medicine go to "The Gall Bladder in Chinese medicine" in the Physiology chapter.
Symptoms
- hypochondriac distention and pain
- Gall Bladder stones
- yellow complexion
- bitter taste in the mouth
- nausea, vomiting
- thirst with no desire to drink
- difficult scanty urination, dark yellow urine
As dampness is obstructive in nature “damp-heat in the Gall Bladder” will be experienced as hypochondriac distention and pain (the Liver/Gall Bladder partnership is located in the hypochondriac region). The obstruction will furthermore interrupt the drainage of bile in the biliary system. This may manifest in yellow complexion (in some cases jaundice) and bitter taste (the taste of the bile). The obstruction of bile interferes with the Gall Bladder’s aid to digest food thus nausea and vomiting may manifest.
As heat manifests in thirst, but dampness, being fluid retention, manifests in lack of thirst, “damp-heat” will manifest in thirst with no desire to drink. There will be difficult, scanty urination because of the obstructive nature of dampness, and the urine will be dark yellow, because of the presence of heat.
Damp-heat in the Gall Bladder often manifests in gallbladder stones (cholelithiasis). This is because the heavy substance of the dampness is under the “steaming and brewing” action of the heat, which congeals and solidifies it. Thus in Chinese medicine stones are considered a manifestation of damp-heat. (1)
Treatment
As “damp-heat” is a complex pathology, a complex treatment is necessary. The treatment principle for clearing damp-heat in the Gall Bladder is resolving “internal dampness” and clearing “ heat” in the Liver/Gallbladder partnership.
On how to clear “internal dampness” with foods and acupressure go to “Dampness in the Spleen” in the Physiology chapter.
On how to clear “heat” from the Liver/Gallbladder partnership with foods and acupressure go to “Heat in the Liver” in the Physiology chapter.
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Food therapy is the cheapest, non-toxic, biochemical approach to illness and disease. Food is something we continuously use to sustain our lives. Learning what foods are healing (and what disruptive) for each condition has the potential to convert every meal into therapy.
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(1) Maciocia, Giovanni (1989). The Foundations of Chinese Medicine. Nanjing: Harcourt Publishers Limited
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