Acupuncture Treatment for Constipation

Constipation

More than three days of dry and/or difficult bowel movements.



Excess Yangming Heat

fullness in the intestines, may be pain (particularly on pressure), bad breath, thirst, T- red with yellow coat, P- slippery full

P/T – clear Heat, induce bowel movement, protect body fluids

Acupuncture – sedate, yangming, *LI 4, 11, *ST 37, 25, *SP 14

- thirst, fever – Ren 23, HT 8

- bad breath – Ren 24, PC 8

Large Intestine Qi stagnation

unfinished feeling, bitty stools, difficult to pass, bloated, belching, T- white coat, P- wiry

P/T – regulate Qi, induce bowel movement

Acupuncture – sedate, Ren, foot jueyin, Ren 12 & ST 25, *Ren 6 (move intestines), LR 2 & GB 34

- hypochondriac pain – LR 14, SJ 6

- bloating – SP 15

Spleen Stomach Qi deficiency

lack of Qi and blood can lead to Lung Qi deficiency, lack of energy to push out stool, sweating and fatigue after bowel movement, T- pale with white coat, P- thin weak

P/T – strengthen Spleen, nourish Qi, induce bowel movement

Acupuncture – tonify, moxa, BL 20, 21, SP 6, ST 36, Ren 4, BL 25 & ST 25, KI 7 & LI 4

- palpitations – PC 6

Spleen Kidney Yang deficient Cold

fatigue, coldness, dizzy, tinnitus, copious clear urine, T- pale, with white moist coat,

P- deep retarded

P/T – warm Spleen and Kidney Yang

Acupuncture – tonify , moxa, foot shaoyin and taiyin, Ren 6, KI 6, 18, BL 23, 20 & SP 6, ST 25

- excess coldness – Du 4, BL 40

- anal prolapse – Du 1, 20

Yin/Blood deficiency

chronic, rabbit stools, whole body Yin deficient signs, dryness

P/T – moisten dryness, nourish Yin

Acupuncture – Shu, foot shaoyin, KI 3, 6, BL 20, SP 6, ST 36, BL 25 & ST 25

- insomnia, palpitations – HT 7, LR 2 or 3

- dry mouth – jin jin, yue ye

Alternative treatment methods

auricular – LI, rectum, SI, sympathetic, medium to strong stimulation, leave for 1-2 hours

injection – jian wei and abdominal ashi points, LI 7, vitamin B 0.3-0.5 ml each, daily

breathing, regulate diet, train body to have regular bowel movement times of the day.