Acupuncture for Constipation - Treatment Protocols
Submitted by yyh_staff on Tue, 2006-08-15 11:46.
Below you will find some of the more common tcm diagnoses and acupuncture treatment protocols for constipation. There are many ways to treat this condition with Eastern Medicine and our presentation is only one of many possible options.
- Etiology & Pathology:
- Constipation: prolonged period (3-5 days) between defecation where bowel movements are dry a/or hard, possibly difficult to pass, usually accompanied with feelings of distention a/or fullness in the lower abdomen.
- Etiology:
- Valaskatagis & Xinnong (CAM) Differentiations:
- Hot Constipation
- Internal Heat - acute febrile disease effecting organ leading to the fluids drying up.
- Heat - more chronic, emotionally related.
- Qi Constipation - LV overacting on the LI due to emotional causes.
- Wind Constipation - exterior pathogen effecting the bowel functions (LU/LI relationship) - not very common.
- Food Constipation - stagnation of food due to overeating, pain w/constipation.
- Cold Constipation - yang deficient internal cold that has congealed and led to constipation.
- Blood Deficiency - in elderly or after illness, fluid deficiencies can dry up the intestines and cause constipation.
- Maciocia Differentiations:
- Qi Deficiency Constipation - Qi deficiency usually leads to diarrhea, but it can lead to constipation.
- Yin Deficiency Constipation - lack of fluids.
- General Point Selection (in all Valaskatagis/Xinnong prescriptions):
- ST 25 - LI Mu
- UB 25 - LI Shu
- SP 15 - augments ST 25
- ST 44 - ST Water Point, cools heat in the ST & Intestines and moves the stools
- Other Generally Useful Points:
- TH 6 - constipation, esp. w/heat involvement
- KD 6 - nourish yin/fluids
- Differentiation:
- Hot Constipation (Maciocia Cold)
- Signs & Symptoms:
- Hard, dry stools, likely to feel warm or thirsty, foul breath, irritability, mouth ulcers possible.
- Tongue: Red, yellow coat
- Pulse: Rapid w/strength (if heat is beginning to damage fluids Rapid w/o strength)
- Treatment Points:
- Qi Constipation
- Signs & Symptoms:
- Distention, costal pain a/or tenderness, belching, emotional involvement.
- Tongue: Normal or purplish
- Pulse: Deep, wiry
- Treatment Points:
- Wind Constipation
- Signs & Symptoms:
- Not seen very often.
- Acute onset, fever, dry cough, sore throat, dry skin
- Tongue: Red tip a/or thin, yellow coat
- Pulse: Floating
- Treatment Points:
- Food Constipation
- Signs & Symptoms:
- Etiology - poor dietary habits (eating too much, too little, too fast, etc.).
- Pain and distention in the abdomen (more distention than pain), dry mouth/lips, stuffy sensation in the chest, flatulence, nausea, desire to vomit.
- Tongue: Thick, greasy coat
- Pulse: Slippery, tight
- Treatment Points:
- Cold Constipation (not in CAM or Maciocia but seen clinically)
- Signs & Symptoms:
- Deficiency leading to cold in the lower warmer and stagnation.
- Abdominal pain, pain is better with the application of heat, pale face, objective sensation of cold.
- Tongue: Pale
- Pulse: Slow, deep
- Treatment Points:
- Blood Deficient Constipation
- Signs & Symptoms:
- Dizziness, palpitations, insomnia, dry mouth, weakness.
- Tongue: Pale, dry possibly peeled (peel more red - moving towards yin def, more pale - blood def).
- Pulse: Thin, choppy
- Treatment Points:
- Qi Deficient Constipation (Maciocia)
- Signs & Symptoms:
- Treatment Points:
- Yin Deficient Constipation (Maciocia)
The information on our site is drawn from our own lecture notes and clinical experience. The following lecture notes were consulted within this section:
- St. John, Meredith: New England School of Acupuncture, Etiology and Pathology Lecture Notes
- Valaskatgis, Peter: New England School of Acupuncture, Etiology and Pathology Lecture Notes
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