How to manage spleen deficiency and excessive dampness

Generally, spleen deficiency with excessive dampness may be caused by congenital weakness of the spleen and stomach functions, dietary irregularities, excessive fatigue that impairs the spleen, chronic gastroenteritis, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and other related factors. It is recommended to seek timely medical consultation to identify the underlying cause and then proceed with general treatments, medication, and other interventions under a physician's guidance. A detailed analysis is as follows:

1. Congenital Weakness of the Spleen and Stomach Function: Individuals with congenital deficiencies may have incomplete development of the spleen and stomach, leading to poor transformation and transportation of dampness. This can manifest as poor appetite and physical underdevelopment. It is important to maintain regular eating habits, eat smaller meals more frequently, choose easily digestible foods such as yam porridge and millet porridge, avoid raw, cold, or hard-to-digest foods, and perform gentle abdominal massage to promote spleen and stomach function.

2. Dietary Irregularities: Long-term overeating, consumption of excessive spicy, greasy, or cold foods can burden the spleen and stomach, leading to spleen deficiency and internal accumulation of dampness, often accompanied by abdominal distension and loose stools. Adjusting dietary habits, eating regular meals in moderate amounts, reducing intake of spicy, greasy, and cold foods, and incorporating more spleen-strengthening and dampness-resolving ingredients such as pumpkin, lotus seeds, and poria can help reduce damage to the spleen and stomach.

3. Excessive Fatigue Damaging the Spleen Qi: Prolonged physical or mental overexertion can lead to spleen Qi deficiency and reduced transformation and transportation functions, causing difficulty in expelling dampness. Symptoms may include fatigue and shortness of breath. It is important to balance work and rest appropriately, avoid overexertion, ensure sufficient sleep, take breaks during work, and engage in light physical activities such as walking or practicing tai chi to regulate physical and mental health and restore spleen function.

4. Chronic Gastroenteritis: Long-term inflammation of the gastrointestinal mucosa can impair digestion and absorption, leading to spleen and stomach weakness and accumulation of dampness, often accompanied by abdominal pain and diarrhea. Patients should follow medical advice to use medications such as Xiang Sha Yang Wei Wan (Fruit Carminative Stomach-Nourishing Pills), Shen Ling Bai Zhu San (Poria and Atractylodes Powder), and Bu Pi Yi Chang Wan (Spleen-Nourishing and Intestine-Benefiting Pills) for regulation.

5. Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS): Dysfunction of the intestines can impair the spleen's transformation and transportation functions, leading to dampness accumulation and symptoms of sple deficiency with excessive dampness, often accompanied by abdominal bloating and abnormal bowel movements. Patients should follow medical instructions to use medications such as Trimebutine Maleate Tablets, Bifidobacterium Quadruple Active Tablets, and Jian Pi Wan (Spleen-Strengthening Pills) to alleviate symptoms.

Daily care should include keeping the abdomen warm to avoid cold exposure that may worsen spleen and stomach deficiency-cold conditions. Through dietary regulation, regular作息 (作息 should be translated as "作息" here, but since it's in Chinese, it should be translated into English as "lifestyle routines"), and moderate exercise, one can gradually enhance spleen and stomach function, promote the elimination of dampness, improve the condition of spleen deficiency with excessive dampness, and maintain normal body functions.