When it comes to “damp-heat,” many might think of issues like “heat in the upper body, oily skin, and acne.” However, the health problems caused by damp-heat are more often manifested in the lower jiao (lower abdomen), commonly presenting as dampness, itching, and odor in the genital areas, along with frequent urination, urgency, painful urination, sticky stools, joint swelling, damp toxicity, eczema, athlete’s foot, and more. Especially in summer, when damp-heat is rampant, many people experience these various issues.

So what should we do?

There is a traditional Chinese patent medicine called: Er Miao Wan (Two Marvels Pill).

It mainly consists of two herbs: Huang Bai (Phellodendron) and Cang Zhu (Atractylodes).

Huang Bai

Huang Bai is bitter and cold; its bitterness can drain downward, and its coldness can clear heat. Therefore, Huang Bai alone can address the heat issue. Damp-heat implies that dampness precedes heat; prolonged dampness can transform into heat. Thus, to thoroughly resolve damp-heat, we must also completely eliminate dampness. Cang Zhu is an expert in strengthening the spleen and dispelling dampness, and it excels at expelling dampness while also tonifying the spleen.

Cang Zhu

Thus, the combination of Huang Bai and Cang Zhu allows one to treat the symptoms (addressing heat) while the other treats the root cause (eliminating dampness). This combination can effectively improve various symptoms caused by damp-heat in the lower jiao.

But why do some people report that they have eczema, athlete’s foot, and gynecological inflammation, and after using Er Miao Wan, it was effective at first, but recurred after stopping? What is going on?

We need to consider this from two aspects:

First, how does damp-heat actually arise?

From a TCM perspective, it is mainly related to external and internal factors.

External factors are primarily due to prolonged exposure to hot and humid environments, allowing damp-heat pathogens to invade the body from the outside;

Internal factors are mainly due to poor dietary and lifestyle habits, such as a preference for greasy, fried, or barbecued foods, a love for sweets, alcohol consumption, and irregular eating habits. These can easily harm the spleen and stomach.

In TCM, the spleen is responsible for the transformation and transportation of water and dampness. Therefore, once the spleen and stomach are damaged and their function is weakened, dampness can accumulate in the body, gradually increasing over time, leading to the generation of heat. Heavy and turbid dampness tends to flow downward, accumulating in the lower jiao, causing problems wherever it goes.

For example, if it flows to the bladder, damp-heat in the bladder can cause yellow urine, and in men, it may present as dampness in the scrotum. Severe cases can lead to frequent urination, urgency, and painful urination.

If it flows to the female reproductive cavity, damp-heat there can cause vulvar itching, yellowish-white discharge with a foul odor, and in severe cases, can lead to gynecological inflammation, lower back pain, and abdominal pain.

Finally, if it descends to the intestines, stools may become sticky and unformed, and severe cases can lead to enteritis and diarrhea.

Therefore, in response to this situation, TCM emphasizes a dual approach of treating both internal and external factors. If you do not regulate your diet or change your environment, while you are clearing damp-heat on one side, damp-heat will continue to arise on the other side, failing to cut off the source of dampness, and the damp-heat issue will persist.

So what is the second reason for the recurrence of damp-heat?

It is related to the liver.

Many people now have irregular sleep patterns, often staying up until 1-3 AM, or experiencing significant emotional stress, leading to tension, anxiety, and depression. These can easily damage the liver.

Anxiety and panic

In TCM, the liver governs the smooth flow of qi (vital energy) throughout the body. If liver qi is stagnant, it can prevent the smooth circulation of qi, which over time can affect the spleen and stomach’s function.

Many people have experienced a loss of appetite when they are particularly angry, which is a manifestation of liver wood overcoming spleen earth. Poor spleen and stomach function can lead to a vicious cycle where spleen deficiency generates dampness, and prolonged dampness transforms into heat, causing damp-heat issues to recur.

Therefore, in this situation, we must not only clear damp-heat but also pay attention to harmonizing the liver and spleen. How do we do this?

We can first use Er Miao Wan to address the damp-heat issue as a symptomatic treatment, and then follow up with Dan Zhi Xiao Yao Wan (Dan Zhi Relaxation Pill) for a period of time, which will help prevent the recurrence of damp-heat issues for a long time. Do you understand?

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