Do you ever wake up feeling heavy, swollen, sluggish, or simply “off”—even though your medical tests are normal? In traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), this cluster of symptoms is called dampness. It’s not about being wet on the outside—it refers to excess moisture and metabolic waste inside the body that slows circulation, digestion, and energy flow.
Dampness may sound abstract, but in TCM it parallels issues that modern medicine associates with poor lymphatic flow, sluggish metabolism, water retention, and chronic inflammation. It’s a pattern that develops gradually and weighs the body down—physically and energetically.
On the NTD (a sister outlet of The Epoch Times) program “She Health,” TCM practitioner and essential oil rehabilitation therapist Lai Ruixin explained how specific essential oils, combined with gentle acupoint massage, can help the body expel internal dampness and restore vitality.
Understanding ‘Dampness’ Through a TCM Lens
In TCM, dampness is a pathological factor—similar to inflammation or congestion in Western terms. It can come from two sources:
External Dampness: Living in a humid climate, spending long hours in damp basements or gyms, or being exposed to rainy, heavy weather.
Internal Dampness: Caused by weak digestive function, poor metabolism, excessive sugar or greasy foods, chronic stress, lack of movement, and insufficient sweating.
TCM sees the spleen and stomach as the body’s “digestive engine.” When they are overburdened, they fail to properly transform water and nutrients, leading to the accumulation of dampness. The result is internal heaviness—almost like a swamp bogging everything down.
