Chinese medicine strives to balance all elements in the body to instill healing. Dampness is an element that refers to water retention. When the body holds on to too much water, this dampness is a source of illness. Patients with damp constitutions frequently feel tired and bloated and are at risk of developing other health problems. At the acupuncture office of Dr. Lisa Oskardmay, she may ask about issues related to water retention dampness to get to the root cause of the problem. Read more to learn about how dampness in the body affects health.
Dampness is the underlying cause of many painful conditions, including achy joints and limb pain, low energy, depression, skin problems, foggy-headedness, headaches, and even digestive problems. Over time, dampness contributes to issues such as high cholesterol and cancer. Dampness affects the flow of qi in every body channel, which is why it has far-reaching effects over time. Dr. Oskardmay reviews each person’s health history to understand how dampness and other factors affect you.
Both external as well as internal factors cause the problem of too much body water retention. Living in a damp climate, such as in certain parts of the US, or spending a lot of time in a wet area, such as a basement, will contribute to the problem. Swimming or otherwise getting wet and staying that way for too long contributes to dampness. While it may seem daunting to change where one lives or works, there are ways to make significant alterations to where one spends time to influence the effect of dampness.
People who do not exercise or move often suffer more from water retention. Their joints ache, and the lack of energy makes it difficult to move enough. Begin with awareness and the goal of more movement and go from there. While it may seem desirable to make changes rapidly, she generally finds that people who strive to take on too much too quickly burn out, suffer injury, and then have to start over. Dr. Oskardmay will make helpful suggestions to each person to enhance functional movement safely.
Additionally, she will review food and beverage intake over time to determine how nutrition influences body dampness. Drinking cold, iced beverages and eating greasy, heavy foods worsen dampness. Alternately, some foods she will discuss, such as certain teas, vegetables, proteins, and grains, help resolve too much water. Once a person knows what causes the problem, it is far easier to handle.
Additionally, Dr. Oskardmay employs acupuncture techniques to stimulate qi flow in the channels. Dampness particularly impedes energy flow of the central earth channels- spleen and stomach; Dr. Oskardmay assesses qi flow with pulse assessment and body palpation before rendering care that improves qi movement throughout the body.
Also, as part of any treatment, Dr. Oskardmay provides massage, which improves blood circulation, reduces swelling, and promotes detoxification. Sometimes she does cupping or gua sha scraping massage to offer additional benefits and balance yin and yang differently.
At Acupractic Natural Healing Center, Dr. Oskardmay aims to help each person achieve their best self by knowing the factors that affect them and using acupuncture and other natural healing methods. Call today at (919) 929-1400 to schedule an appointment or visit us online at acudocnc.com 24 hours a day to learn more about how dampness in the body affects health and make an appointment. Serving the Triangle since 1995 with quality acupuncture and chiropractic natural healing, Dr. Lisa Oskardmay is here for you.