Clearing damp-heat

A method of treatment used to address damp-heat conditions such as liver channel damp-heat, damp-heat jaundice, and persistent damp-heat in externally contracted febrile diseases. Medicinals that clear damp-heat include:

1. Cold bitter heat-clearing dampness-drying medicinals such as coptis (Coptidis Rhizoma, 黄连 huáng lián), phellodendron (Phellodendri Cortex, 黄柏 huáng bǎi), scutellaria (Scutellariae Radix, 黄芩 huáng qín), and gentian (Gentianae Radix, 龙胆 lóng dǎn).
2. Warm bitter dampness-drying medicinals such as atractylodes (Atractylodis Rhizoma, 苍朮 cāng zhú), officinal magnolia bark (Magnoliae Officinalis Cortex, 厚朴 hòu pò), and pinellia (Pinelliae Rhizoma, 半夏 bàn xià).
3. Aromatic dampness-transforming medicinals such as patchouli (Pogostemonis Herba, 藿香 huò xiāng), eupatorium (Eupatorii Herba, 佩兰 pèi lán), and Katsumada’s galangal seed (Alpiniae Katsumadai Semen, 草豆蔻 cǎo dòu kòu).
4. Water-disinhibiting medicinals such as talcum (Talcum, 滑石 huá shí), rice-paper plant pith (Tetrapanacis Medulla, 通草 tōng cǎo), poria (Poria, 茯苓 fú líng), and lophatherum (Lophatheri Herba, 淡竹叶 dàn zhú yè).

If sign of dampness are more pronounced, warm bitter dampness-drying or aromatic dampness-transforming medicinals are used. An appropriate formula for this is Three Kernels Decoction (三仁汤 sān rén tāng). If the heat signs are more pronounced, cold bitter heat-clearing and dampness-drying medicinals are combined in formulas like Sweet Dew Toxin-Dispersing Elixir (甘露消毒丹 gān lù xiāo dú dān). Where damp-heat is severe or leads to fire formation, it is treated with cold bitter medicinals that not only clear heat and transform dampness but also drain fire and resolve toxin. One commonly used method of clearing damp-heat is acrid opening and bitter discharging, i.e., opening with acridity and discharging with bitterness, using pinellia (Pinelliae Rhizoma, 半夏 bàn xià) with scutellaria (Scutellariae Radix, 黄芩 huáng qín), and officinal magnolia bark (Magnoliae Officinalis Cortex, 厚朴 hòu pò) with coptis (Coptidis Rhizoma, 黄连 huáng lián), etc., in formulas such as Coptis and Officinal Magnolia Bark Beverage (连朴饮 lián pò yǐn). Damp-heat skin diseases are frequently treated with flavescent sophora (Sophorae Flavescentis Radix, 苦参 kǔ shēn), and white perilla bark (Perillae Albae Cortex, 白苏皮 bái sū pí). Gentian Liver-Draining Decoction (龙胆泻肝汤 lóng dǎn xiè gān tāng) treats damp-heat in the liver channel. Virgate Wormwood Decoction (茵陈蒿汤 yīn chén hāo tāng) treats damp-heat jaundice.

Acumoxatherapy: Base treatment mainly on ST, LI, and SP. Main points: ST-36 (Leg Three Lǐ, 足三里 zú sān lǐ), LI-4 (Union Valley, 合谷 hé gǔ), SP-9 (Yīn Mound Spring, 阴陵泉 yīn líng quán), and SP-6 (Three Yīn Intersection, 三阴交 sān yīn jiāo); needle with drainage.

• If dampness is predominant, add CV-12 (Center Stomach Duct, 中脘 zhōng wǎn) and BL-20 (Spleen Transport, 脾俞 pí shù).
• If heat is predominant, add GV-14 (Great Hammer, 大椎 dà zhuī). For liver channel damp-heat, add LR-2 (Moving Between, 行间 xíng jiān), GB-43 (Pinched Ravine, 侠溪 xiá xī), and GB-34 (Yáng Mound Spring, 阳陵泉 yáng líng quán).
• For damp-heat jaundice, add BL-19 (Gallbladder Transport, 胆俞 dǎn shù), GB-34 (Yáng Mound Spring, 阳陵泉 yáng líng quán), LR-3 (Supreme Surge, 太冲 tài chōng), and ST-44 (Inner Court, 内庭 nèi tíng).
• For externally contracted febrile disease, add GB-20 (Wind Pool, 风池 fēng chí), TB-5 (Outer Pass, 外关 wài guān), GV-14 (Great Hammer, 大椎 dà zhuī), and LI-11 (Pool at the Bend, 曲池 qū chí), and prick LU-11 (Lesser Shang, 少商 shào shāng) to bleed.