Symptoms
The main symptoms of Damp-Heat in the Gall Bladder are:
- Pain and distention in the hypochondriac region which is the region on the side of the abdomen covered by the costal cartilages.
- Nausea.
- Vomiting.
- A yellow complexion.
- Scanty and dark yellow urine.
- Fever.
- A bitter taste in the mouth.
Aetiology
The main aetiology for Damp-Heat in the Gall Bladder are:
- Long standing anger.
- A poor diet with an excessive consumption of greasy or fatty food.
- An external invasion of Damp-Heat. For example, this could be through living in an environment which has a very high humidity and heat level, or it could be through exposure to a virus or bacteria such as Hepatitis.
Pathology
The main pathologies for Damp-Heat in the Gall Bladder are:
- An underlying Spleen Qi Deficiency leads to the formation of Damp.
- This Damp then prevents the descending of Stomach Qi, causing it to rebel leading to nausea and vomiting.
- The Damp in the Gall Bladder obstructs the smooth flow of Liver Qi, the Liver being the paired organ of the Gall Bladder, leading to pain and distention.
- The Damp also affects the Gall Bladder’s ability to deal with bile causing it to overflow into the skin and causing a yellow complexion.
- The internal heat can be caused by long standing anger which can lead to Liver Qi Stagnation or Liver Fire.
- In this case, the Liver Qi Stagnation or Liver Fire have created heat in the Liver which has then spread to its paired organ the Gall Bladder.
- The stagnant Liver Qi can also invade the Stomach leading to nausea and vomiting.
- The Liver Invading Stomach pattern is best seen from the Five Element perspective.
- In the Five Element model, the Liver (and its paired organ the Gall Bladder) is associated with the element of Wood whilst the Spleen and its paired organ are associated with the element of Earth.
- In the controlling sequence of the Five Elements, Wood controls Earth and if the Wood element becomes too strong, the excess energy being created in the Wood element can travel across this route to invade the Stomach.
- The excess Heat creates a bitter taste in the mouth, raises the body temperature whilst also drying out body fluids leading to dark and scanty urine.
Treatment principle
The treatment principle for Damp-Heat in the Bladder is to clear the Damp and Damp-Heat and also regulate Liver Qi.
A point prescription for this treatment principle could be:
- Gall Bladder 34 which promotes the smooth flow of Liver Qi and also resolves Damp-Heat in the Liver and Gall Bladder.
- Spleen 6 strengthens the Spleen and resolves Damp.
- Large Intestine 11 clears Damp-Heat in the Skin.
- Large Intestine 4 combined with Liver 3 moves Qi.
- Liver 3 promotes the smooth flow of Liver Qi.
- San Jiao 6 regulates Liver Qi.
