What diseases can be caused by prolonged dampness and heat?
Aug 27, 2025
Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Sun Lianqing
Introduction
Under normal circumstances, long-term dampness and heat may mainly cause diseases such as acne, eczema, chronic enteritis, cholecystitis, and chronic urethritis. If discomfort symptoms occur, it is recommended to seek timely medical treatment at a正规 hospital. In daily life, one should maintain a dry and well-ventilated living environment, avoid dampness, and follow a light and balanced diet while reducing consumption of spicy foods.
Generally, long-term damp-heat may mainly cause diseases such as acne, eczema, chronic enteritis, cholecystitis, and chronic urethritis. If discomfort symptoms occur, it is recommended to seek timely medical treatment at a regular hospital. Detailed analysis is as follows:
1. Acne
Long-term accumulation of damp-heat on the skin can lead to excessive sebum production by sebaceous glands, clogged pores, bacterial proliferation, and subsequent inflammation causing acne. It is important to maintain skin cleanliness, choose mild facial cleansers, and avoid frequently squeezing pimples.
2. Eczema
Long-term invasion of damp-heat into the skin can damage the skin barrier, triggering inflammatory reactions and resulting in eczema, characterized by skin itching, redness, oozing, and other symptoms. Under a doctor's guidance, medications such as calamine lotion, desonide cream, and hydrocortisone butyrate cream can be used to alleviate symptoms.
3. Chronic Enteritis
Long-term accumulation of damp-heat in the intestines can damage the intestinal mucosa, leading to intestinal dysfunction and causing chronic enteritis, with symptoms such as recurrent abdominal pain, diarrhea, and sticky, unsatisfactory bowel movements. Under a doctor's guidance, medications such as Enteritis Ning tablets, compound berberine tablets, and葛根芩连丸 (Gegen Qinlian pills) can be used to regulate intestinal function. In daily life, attention should be paid to food hygiene, avoiding raw, cold, or spoiled foods, maintaining regular meals, and reducing the burden on the intestines.
4. Cholecystitis
Long-term accumulation of damp-heat in the liver and gallbladder can affect bile secretion and excretion, causing bile stasis that irritates the gallbladder wall, leading to chronic inflammation. Severe cases may trigger acute cholecystitis, presenting symptoms such as right upper abdominal pain, nausea, and bitter taste in the mouth. Patients with milder symptoms can, under a doctor's guidance, use medications such as anti-inflammatory gallbladder tablets, ursodeoxycholic acid capsules, and Jin Dan tablets to alleviate symptoms.
5. Chronic Urethritis
Long-term downward accumulation of damp-heat in the urinary system can promote bacterial growth and damage the urethral mucosa, leading to chronic urethritis. Symptoms include frequent urination, urgency, painful urination, and urine that may have an odor or appear cloudy. Diagnosis requires a urinalysis to examine the number of white blood cells in the urine, and urine culture may be necessary to identify the causative bacteria. Treatment may involve, under a doctor's guidance, the use of medications such as cefixime capsules, levofloxacin hydrochloride tablets, and Sanjin tablets to control the infection.
In daily life, it is important to maintain a dry and well-ventilated living environment, avoid dampness, eat a light and balanced diet while reducing intake of spicy and fried foods, maintain regular sleep patterns to avoid staying up late and affecting body metabolism, engage in moderate exercise to promote the elimination of internal damp-heat, and undergo regular physical examinations to monitor the health status of body organs.
