QiLifeDamp-Heat 湿热
Damp-heat combines sluggish fluid with excess heat — the pattern behind breakouts, burning sensations and a bitter taste.
Pinyin: Shi Re · Five Element: Fire · updated
Damp-heat is what happens when dampness and heat meet. Dampness alone is heavy and slow; heat alone is dry and restless. Together they produce a specific and very recognisable picture: heaviness in the body combined with heat in the skin, mouth or bowels.
Heat signs can show up in the small hours — waking at 1am to 3am with a dry mouth is a common one. Dampness shows up in the coating on the tongue and in how the bowels behave. This combination is why the symptom assessment treats the two separately and then looks for the overlap.
The response is cooling and clearing, with attention to what is generating heat: alcohol, spicy food, fried food, and long hot showers before bed. Damp-heat also tends to run in families and to flare in humid weather.
Signs that suggest this pattern
No single sign establishes a pattern — Chinese medicine reads combinations, not isolated symptoms. If several of these are familiar and have been for a while, it is worth running the TCM Body Constitution Test to see what the combination scores.
- Acne, oily skin, or frequent skin flare-ups
- A bitter or unpleasant taste in the mouth
- Dark or scanty urine
- Stools that feel hot, sticky or difficult to pass
- Thirst with a preference for cool drinks
- Restlessness alongside heaviness
Acupoints used for this pattern (3)
Every point below opens the full library entry, including location, technique, frequency and the cautions attached to it.
ST40 · Fenglong
The traditional point for phlegm and dampness: heaviness, a muzzy head, chest congestion and phlegm to clear.
Stomach meridian
LI11 · Quchi
A cooling point. Traditionally used for skin inflammation, acne, heat rashes and a feeling of heat in the body.
Large Intestine meridian
TE6 · Zhigou
Traditionally used for constipation, rib-side tightness and clearing heat from the upper body.
Triple Burner meridian
Foods listed against this pattern (10)
Nature and flavour are the traditional classification. Read the avoid note before changing anything you eat regularly.
Mung bean
Clears heat and damp-heat: breakouts, bitter taste, dark urine, summer irritability.
Cool · Sweet
Chrysanthemum
Clears heat from the head and eyes: red eyes, headache, irritability, wind-heat at the start of a cold.
Slightly cool · Sweet, bitter
Celery
Clears mild heat and calms a rising Liver: headaches, red eyes and irritability in warm weather.
Cool · Sweet, bitter
Kelp
Softens and drains. Traditionally used for phlegm nodules, puffiness and dampness with heat.
Cold · Salty
Mint
Disperses wind-heat and frees stuck Qi. Used for a sore throat, a headache and a tight chest.
Cool · Pungent
Bitter melon
Clears heat strongly: thirst, irritability and breakouts in hot weather.
Cold · Bitter
Winter melon
Drains dampness and clears mild heat. Used for puffiness and summer thirst.
Cool · Sweet, bland
Green tea
Clears heat and refreshes the head. Traditionally used for a heavy head and oily skin in warm weather.
Cool · Bitter, sweet
Cucumber
Clears mild heat and moistens. Used for thirst, a dry mouth and summer irritability.
Cool · Sweet
Tofu
Clears mild heat and moistens dryness. A light protein that suits warm weather.
Cool · Sweet
Tea formulas listed against this pattern (1)
These are traditional reference formulas. Doses shown are traditional reference amounts, not a prescription — check with a qualified practitioner, especially if you are pregnant, on medication, or managing a condition.
Which assessment identifies this pattern
TCM Body Constitution Test
Nine types, 27 questions, about five minutes. No email, no sign-up — you get the result immediately and an explanation of what it means.
TCM Symptom Pattern Decoder
Twenty-eight questions across eight patterns, ranked by fit rather than a single verdict. Free, no email, results you can act on.
Patterns that often appear alongside this one
Food Stagnation
Food stagnation is the Spleen overwhelmed by more food than it can transform — the pattern behind most indigestion complaints.
Warming Yang
Warming Yang is the self-care approach for people who feel cold — warming food, warmth retained, and stimulation of circulation.
Qi Stagnation
Qi stagnation is Qi that cannot move — emotion, breath and digestion pile up, and the pressure shows up in the chest, throat or mood.
Phlegm and Dampness
Phlegm and dampness describe fluids that transform slowly, leaving the body heavy, coated and prone to congestion.
Phlegm
Phlegm is the thickened, obstructive form of trapped fluid — the concrete congestion that dampness produces when it concentrates.
Liver
The Liver governs free coursing — the smooth movement of Qi throughout the body — and stores blood between uses.
Related vocabulary
Search terms this page covers: damp heat, damp-heat, acne, bitter taste, sticky stool, inflammation tcm.