Navigating Dispelling Wind Dampness: Strategies and Applications

The discussion on “Dispelling Wind Dampness” was initiated by Prof Brandt, focusing on its association with treating impediment patterns in Chinese medicine.

Dispelling wind dampness is a vital category in Chinese medicine, particularly employed in treating impediment patterns, known as Bi syndrome. This syndrome, often related to conditions like rheumatic problems and joint pain, is addressed by different subcategories of herbs. Warming herbs dispel wind cold damp, suitable for cold patterns, while herbs dispelling wind damp heat are used for hot patterns like rheumatoid arthritis. There are also herbs to strengthen sinew and bones, treating wind cold damp impediments with deficiency signs. Another category involves aromatic dampness-transforming medicinals, addressing spleen encumbered by dampness. The concept of disinhibiting water and percolating dampness is applied to treat edema and strangury patterns, promoting urination and eliminating dampness. Lastly, dampness-disinhibiting jaundice-abating herbs are used to treat jaundice associated with dampness and heat.