Manifestations of Phlegm-Damp Constitution
Dampness is the gradual accumulation of water, and water can accumulate to form phlegm. Dampness is sticky and pathogenic, causing lingering and difficult-to-resolve conditions. Phlegm can be categorized into cold phlegm, heat phlegm, dry phlegm, and wind phlegm. Visible phlegm can be coughed up or form lumps; invisible phlegm changes with the flow of qi and blood throughout the body. However, amidst the myriad of symptoms, there is a fundamental characteristic: a lazy and turbid feeling, akin to a fat pig’s sluggishness or the stickiness of a water pipe.
Phlegm-damp obstruction manifests as obesity under the skin, fatty liver in the liver; in blood vessels, it leads to arteriosclerosis and coronary heart disease (such as chest tightness, palpitations, angina), and cerebral arteriosclerosis (such as dizziness, tinnitus, blurred vision, memory decline, and even stroke or hemiplegia); locally under the skin, it can present as lumps, nodules, fibroids, cysts, and lipomas. It can truly be said that “all diseases are caused by phlegm.” Many chronic and difficult diseases ultimately trace back to “phlegm” or “dampness,” “turbidity” or “stickiness,” hence the theory of “stubborn phlegm causing strange symptoms.” Chronic and difficult-to-treat syndromes often require a focus on phlegm.
1. Obesity
It is often said that “fat people have more phlegm.” Therefore, individuals with a phlegm-damp constitution are prone to obesity, giving a sense of bulkiness and laziness, and are more susceptible to stroke and myocardial infarction, as well as metabolic syndrome, which correlates positively with the degree of obesity.
2. Heaviness of the Body
Especially heaviness in the legs and feet, which is due to “water flowing to lower places.”
3. Lack of Thirst
Phlegm-damp is inherently water-based, hence there is often a lack of thirst. Even when thirsty, one drinks little water or prefers small amounts of warm water. However, some individuals with a phlegm-damp constitution, in pursuit of “beauty,” believe that drinking water can detoxify, and thus drink even when not thirsty, often consuming “one cup of tea for one newspaper” throughout the day. Little do they know that the excess water consumed today may become harmful phlegm or dampness tomorrow, which is another reason for exacerbating the phlegm-damp constitution. Therefore, it is advisable to “drink only when thirsty” and to stop when thirst is quenched.
4. Cloudy or Foamy Urine
Cloudy or foamy urine is a manifestation of phlegm-damp externalization. In terms of urine color, clear with a slight yellow is normal; white like water indicates yang deficiency or qi deficiency; cloudy and foamy indicates phlegm-damp; yellow indicates damp-heat; deep red indicates blood-heat.
5. Sticky and Difficult Bowel Movements
Bowel movements are the primary means of excreting phlegm-damp, and stickiness and difficulty are the results of phlegm-damp obstructing the intestines.
Author: Zeng Qingming
Provincial TCM Expert, Municipal TCM Expert
Former Director of Luohu District TCM Hospital, Shenzhen
Chief TCM Physician, Professor, Doctoral Supervisor
Leading figure in modern clinical TCM in Shenzhen
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