A guide to medical symptoms, including possible causes, associated conditions as well as management from a traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) perspective.
Sweating in the groin and buttocks are very common since the skin is folded and always covered by clothing. For some people, they tend to sweat heavily in this area causing intense discomfort and embarrassment. It can further lead to odor, rashes, itching and peeling of the skin, due to…
MoreThe palms of the hands and the soles of the feet have more sweat glands than any other part of the body. Excessive hand sweating is the most common sweating problem; sweaty hands usually come along with sweaty feet. In severe cases, this can greatly affect one’s social life, work…
MoreNight sweats is a perspiration disorder that occurs during sleep and stops upon waking. People with night sweats are frequently awakened by damp sleepwear and sheets, leading to an interrupted sleep. The sweating can appear on a particular body region or over the entire body. Night sweats are quite common…
MoreOccasional nosebleeds are very common. The nasal lining is rich in tiny blood vessels, very fragile and sensitive, when the air is too dry or if you pick or blow your nose vigorously, nosebleeds can easily result. Nosebleeds are a nuisance but are usually not a sign of a serious…
MoreThe female external genitalia (also called vulva) include the opening of vagina, labia majora and labia minora (fleshy lips around vagina), clitoris (small organ packed with nerve endings) and the urethra opening. The delicate skin surface can easily be irritated and becomes itching, burning or stinging. Itching of the external…
MoreItching in the scrotum is usually not serious, but a common and embarrassing problem in men. The scrotum is a muscular sac that contains and protects the testicles, blood vessels, and spermatic cord. The folded skin surface is sensitive, thin, and has many glands, making it an ideal location for…
MoreItchy scalp is likely to bring social embarrassment. It can be associated with or without a local problem; common causes include dry scalp, dandruff, allergies, dermatitis, parasites, fungal or bacterial infection. When there are obvious changes on the scalp such as heavy scaling, discharges, painful spots, redness, thickening patches, hair…
MoreItchy eyes are a common symptom that can be due to conjunctivitis, dry eyes or blepharitis (inflammation of the eyelash follicles.) When it becomes a frequent trouble, allergic reaction of the conjunctiva should be considered. Itchy eyes are a typical feature of allergic conjunctivitis. Individuals often accompany with other eye…
MoreAn itchy ear is so distressing that you will scratch or probe it without a second thought. However, scratching or probing the ear not only makes the itching worse, it will further irritate the delicate surface of ear canal, increase the risk of infection, and even damage the eardrum. It…
MoreEveryone has experienced anal itching at some point in their life. Anal itching often indicates an inflammation around the anus (perianal area), that may accompany with a burning feeling or pain sometimes. The itchiness is usually aggravated by direct scratching; self-care measures are very helpful to relieve the symptom. …
MoreSweating too much may be embarrassing; however, a lack of perspiration can be a life-threatening problem. When the body stops sweating or does not perspire enough to cool itself, it can lead to overheating and vulnerability to heat-related diseases such as heat cramps, heat exhaustion and heatstroke. Medically, little or…
MoreLeg cramps are sudden and painful contractions of muscles in the legs. They often occur when the body is rest, typically during sleep. The muscle cramps can last for a few seconds or up to several minutes. Muscle groups that mostly involved in leg cramps are calf (back of the…
MoreMedically, excessive underarm sweating (axillary hyperhidrosis) involves constant heavy sweating in the armpits without any apparent cause. The exact cause of excessive underarm sweating is not known, and specialists believe it may due to increased sensitivity of the sweat glands to neural stimulation. This is a hereditary condition. Other reasons…
MoreThe faces of individuals with this condition tends to sweat uncontrollably even with light physical activities with sweat beads forming continually on the forehead, the nose, above the lips or the whole face. Excessive sweating may occur on the neck and scalp as well, making the skin and hair look…
MoreThis refers to profuse sweating over the entire body which is not due to exertion, hot surroundings, heavy clothing or medication. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) calls this “spontaneous perspiration”, and sees it as a disharmony weakening protective qi, making it unable to regulate the external body, and manage the sweat pores.…
MoreIn this condition, excessive sweating mainly occurs on the chest. It often arises from a dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system, a fluctuating blood sugar level, hyperthyroidism, tuberculosis, rheumatic fever and certain infections. People should get a through checkup to rule out any underlying problem; meanwhile, they can try Chinese…
MoreDrowsiness is a state of near-sleep, a strong desire for sleep, or sleeping for unusually long periods. Drowsy people tend to fall asleep in inappropriate situations or at inappropriate times, which affects their family, social life and job performance. Excessive daytime drowsiness may suggest the presence of a sleep disorder;…
MoreCoughing up blood or blood-tinged sputum indicates that the respiratory tract is bleeding. The symptom occurs in a variety of conditions. It may be a mild symptom that resulted from violent coughing, inhaling smoke, common cold and even dry weather. Coughing up blood can also be one of the many…
MoreBlood in the semen is often a benign condition, and will probably disappear on its own, particular in men under 40 years old. When the semen fluid looks pink, red, or brown color or has blood clots, it may indicate that the male genital tract has inflammation, infection, blockage or…
MoreBruises or red blood spots under the skin are caused by broken and bleeding blood vessels underneath the surface. Blood leaks into the surrounding tissues, and results in tiny red or purple dots (petechiae), or a large area of purple patches (purpura) or a widespread area of bruise marks (ecchymosis).…
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