Damp heat in the upper jiao

Damp heat in the upper jiao is the early stage of invasion of the organism by damp heat. The disease is often located in the lung, skin and hair. As damp is closely related to the spleen and stomach, damp heat in the upper jiao is often accompanied by symptoms and signs of these two organs. The main clinical manifestations are severe aversion to cold, mild fever or absence of fever, a heavy sensation in the head as if it were tightly wrapped by a cloth, heaviness of the limbs and trunk, a stifling sensation in the chest, absence of thirst, dull facial expression, epigastric fullness and distension, poor appetite, borborygmus, loose stools, a white, sticky tongue coating and a soft, slowing - down pulse.

This syndrome is often due to invasion of pathogenic damp which remains in the muscles and body surface, and blocks the spleen qi internally. Invasion of the muscles and body surface by pathogenic damp binders wei yang, resulting in severe aversion to cold, although accumulation of damp heat may also lead to fever. Heaviness of the head as if it were tightly wrapped by a cloth is found when damp is lodged in the head. Retention of damp in the muscles and body surface causes heaviness of the limbs and trunk. Obstruction by damp of yang qi in the chest produces a stifling sensation in the chest. Since excessive damp does not consume body fluids, no thirst appears. The turbid damp clouding the clear yang gives rise to dull facial expression. Retention of damp in the spleen and stomach impairs their functions of reception, digestion, transportation and transformation, manifesting as epigastric fullness and distension, poor appetite, borborygmus and loose stools. As this is still at the early stage of the disease, damp has not yet turned into heat. Damp obstructing qi circulation produces a sticky white tongue coating and a soft, slowing - down pulse.

If damp has not turned into heat, the method of treatment is to warm and disperse damp on the exterior and in the interior. If heat signs are already pronounced, the method of treatment is to disperse heat and resolve damp. In acupuncture treatment, points are mainly selected from the Yangming Meridians of Hand and Foot and the Taiyin Meridians of Hand and Foot according to symptoms and signs.