Abdominal Pain – Wei Wan Tang

Pain in the area between the tip of the xyphoid process and the pubis symphysis (level of Ren 12) including appendicitis, gall stones, bladder disorders, hernia, pancreitus and indigestion.

Etiology (causes) of Abdominal Pain:

1. External Pathogen Invasion Esp. Cold – invades digestive system blocking middle jiao yang Qi causing stagnation = pain

2. Chronic Yang Deficiency Spleen yang deficiency – deficient cold in middle jiao causes qi and blood stagnation = pain

3. Diet over consumption of pungent/hot foods creates internal damp heat in digestive system blocking Qi and blood = pain

4. Food Retention induces pain in the abdomen Differentiate: Appendicitis –pain on right side of abdomen, Parasites -pain around and on naval, Bladder Disorders -lower centre of abdomen

Principle of Treatment:

Excess = Purge Deficiency = tonify Cold = warming Heat = cooling Blood Stagnation = remove Qi and Food Stagnation = promoting

Chinese Medicine Differentiation and Treatment

Excess Cold acute - severe abdominal pain with constipation, pain below hypochondriac region, cold hands/feet T– white coating P - wiry / tense

Principle of Treatment: Warm up internal region, expel cold, induce bowel movements to relieve pain.

Herbal Medicine Formula: Da Huang Fu Zi Tang

Deficient Cold dull chronic abdominal pain, ameliorated by warmth and pressure, middle jiao yang deficiency symptoms (cold abdomen limbs, poor appetite, soft stool) T - Pale Pulse - weak, thin

Principle of Treatment: warm middle jiao, nourish spleen, harmonize middle jiao qi to relieve pain.

Herbal Medicine Formula: Huang Qi Jian Zhong Tang

Excess Heat acute distended severe pain, hot feverish feeling, constipation, thirsty (bloated after drinking) gas with possible fluid leakage while passing of, gas with odour, aggravated with pressure. Tongue - red with dots, brown-yellow coating P - forceful, excessive

Principle of Treatment: induce bowel movement to purge fire and relive pain.

Herbal Medicine Formula: Cheng Qi Tang (base formula for excess heat)

Qi Stagnation emotional stress (anger), fullness and moving pain which radiates to side of abdomen, pain relieved by passing of gas and belching, aggravated by emotional stress Tongue - red P - wiry

Principle of Treatment: regulate Qi and sooth liver to relieve pain

Herbal Medicine Formula: Chai Hu Shi Gan Tang

Blood Stasis (masses in abdomen) Fixed pain in the abdomen accompanied with stabbing pain and masses which do not move T - purple Pulse - wiry, un-even

Principle of Treatment: promote blood circulation and remove blood stasis

Herbal Medicine Formula: Xue Fu Zhu Yu Tang

Food Retention pain in abdomen due to diet, pain ameliorated with bowel movement, aggravated by constipation, acid regurgitation, poor appetite T - thick greasy coating Pulse - slippery

Principle of Treatment: promote digestion, remove food retention to relieve pain

Herbal Medicine Formula: Bao He Wan (base formula for food retention)