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By Jasmine
Sufi, L.Ac.
 Constipation
is the dreaded symptom that most people have experienced at one point in
their life. Constipation is the catch all phrase for a wide variety of
signs and symptoms, when one or more of the following signs are
experienced you are categorized as constipated:
-
Infrequent
bowel movements
-
Passage
of small amounts of hard and dry stool
-
Difficult
passage of stool of normal consistency, common in elderly people
over 65 years of age
-
Painful
passage of hard and dry stool
-
Straining
during bowel movements and feeling of incomplete evacuation
-
Frequent
straining during bowel movements causing hemorrhoids
-
Frequent
stretching of sphincters by hard stool causing fissures.
Normal bowel
movements vary from person to person and can range from 3 times a day to
three times a week. Normal applies to the individual’s regular bowel
habits that are not accompanied with discomfort. Constipation is fairly
common and usually temporary. If constipation persists for an extended
period of time, you should consult your physician.
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)
Acupuncture
treatments are usually very effective in relieving constipation.
However, long term persistent constipation must be examined by your
physician to ensure that there is no underlying disease or disorder that
is the cause. Once other factors have been eliminated one can pursue
acupuncture and Chinese medicine as an effective modality.
The cause of constipation according to Chinese medicine can be divided
into two broad categories excess type and deficiency type.
Excess type includes:
-
Heat
constipation
-
Qi
stagnation
General signs
and symptoms for this category of constipation include:
Acute onset, short duration, severe signs and symptoms, this type of
condition has an excellent prognosis with acupuncture treatments.
Deficiency type includes:
-
Cold
constipation
-
Deficiency
constipation
General signs ad symptoms for this category of constipation include:
Slow onset, long duration, mild signs and symptoms, this type of
condition has a slow response to acupuncture treatment.
The conditions are broken down further into specific signs and symptoms.
Heat constipation
Signs and symptoms:
Dry and hard stool, difficult and painful elimination, Extended time
between bowel movements, more than three days, abdominal fullness and
pain aggravated by pressure,
dry mouth and bad breath, flushed face and restless, desire for cold
drinks, scanty and yellowish urine.
Treatment: Acupuncture is very successful with this condition.
Qi Stagnation Constipation
Signs and Symptoms:
Normal to dry stool, straining during bowel movement and sensation of
incomplete evacuation, abdominal fullness and a distending hypochondriac
pain and frequent belching.
Treatment: Acupuncture is very effective for this type of condition.
Cold Constipation
Signs and Symptoms:
Normal or dry stool but very difficult evacuation, pale or pallor
complexion,
abdominal cold pain or even prolapsed rectum, desire for warmth and
aversion to cold, cold limbs and soreness in the knees and the lumbar
region, profuse and clear urine.
Treatment: Acupuncture would be effective but would be slow to respond.
Herbal medicine would be a great addition to treat this condition. Ji
Chuan Jian plus Rou Gui would be a good prescription.
Qi and Blood Deficiency Constipation
Signs and Symptoms:
Normal stool, strained elimination and sweaty and exhausted after bowel
movements, blood deficiency marked by very hard and dry stool but
regular bowel movements, pale and lusterless complexion, dizziness and
palpitations, listlessness and lassitude, shortness of breath,
spontaneous sweating.head
Treatment: Acupuncture would be effective but would be slow to respond.
Herbal medicine would be a great addition to treat this condition. Good
examples of prescriptions would include Huang Qi Tang or Run Chang Wan.
The prescription would depend on the individual’s specific condition and
these prescriptions should always be taken from a qualified herbalist.
Constipation is a very common occurrence, it only becomes a problem when
it persists for long periods of time. Advice you can incorporate into
your life to prevent complications include responding to the urge to
defecate, making fiber an essential part of your diet, drinking adequate
amounts of water and do not over use laxatives and enemas. Beyond having
incorporating the above if constipation is still a part of your life,
acupuncture can be a great alternative to relieve your discomfort and
solve the problem from the inside out. |
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