Acupuncture for Constipation - Treatment Protocols
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):
- Differentiation:
- Hot Constipation (Maciocia Cold)
- Signs & Symptoms:
- Treatment Points:
- Qi Constipation
- Signs & Symptoms:
- Treatment Points:
- Wind Constipation
- Signs & Symptoms:
- Treatment Points:
- Food Constipation
- Signs & Symptoms:
- Treatment Points:
- Cold Constipation (not in CAM or Maciocia but seen clinically)
- Signs & Symptoms:
- Treatment Points:
- Blood Deficient Constipation
- Signs & Symptoms:
- Treatment Points:
- Qi Deficient Constipation (Maciocia)
- Yin Deficient Constipation (Maciocia)
- Hot Constipation (Maciocia Cold)
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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