Constipation - Bian Bi - Feces Blockage

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, Constipation is defined as having more than three days of dry and/or difficult bowel movements.

*Can lead to strokes and high blood pressure.

Etiology (causes) of Constipation:

1. Heat - Re: external heat invasion, wrong treatments, prolong treatments, hidden heat, over consumption of alcohol

2. Spleen Deficiency - PI YUE: weak spleen and strong stomach (usually strong spleen and weak stomach), big appetite, spleen cannot transform / transport food, frequent urination but dry stools

3. Liver Qi Stagnation: patient always sitting, parasites, post surgery

4. Wind: related to lung but moves to L.I. blocking bowels, wind has drying function.

5. Diet: over consumption of pungent / hot / spicy foods  

6. Accumulation of Phlegm: causes phlegm stagnation

7. Qi Deficiency: needs Qi to push stool out (mainly spleen Qi)

8. Blood Deficiency: blood is a fluid = dryness when deficient

9. Yin Deficiency: lack of fluids = dryness in intestines

10. Yang Deficiency: yang cannot move yin = yang cannot move / warm fluids

11. Accumulation of Cold: injures yang Qi, cannot warm intestines to lubricate bowels, yin cold in intestine

Chinese Medicine Differentiation and Treatment for Constipation

Excess Yangming Heat

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

Principle of Treatment  purge bowels to clear heat, protect body fluids

Acupuncture points for Constipation - sedate, yangming, *LI 4, 11, *ST 37, 25, *SP 14 - thirst, fever  Ren 23, Heart 8 - bad breath  Ren 24, Pericardium 8

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

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

Principle of Treatment  regulate Qi, induce bowel movement

Acupuncture points for Constipation - sedate, Ren, foot jueyin, Ren 12 and Stomach 25, *Ren 6 (move intestines), Liver 2 and Gall bladder 34 - hypochondriac pain  Liver 14, SJ 6 - bloating  Spleen 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

Principle of Treatment  strengthen Spleen, nourish Qi, induce bowel movement  

Acupuncture points for Constipation  tonify, Moxa, Bladder 20, 21, Spleen 6, Stomach 36, Ren 4, Bladder 25 and Stomach 25, Kidney 7 and Large Intestine 4 - palpitations  Pericardium 6

Spleen Kidney Yang deficient Cold fatigue, coldness, dizzy, tinnitus, copious clear urine, T- pale, with white moist coat, P- deep retarded

Principle of Treatment  warm Spleen and Kidney Yang

Acupuncture points for Constipation  tonify , Moxa, foot shaoyin and taiyin, Ren 6, Kidney 6, 18, Bladder 23, 20 and Spleen 6, Stomach 25 - excess coldness  Du 4, Bladder 40 - anal prolapse  Du 1, 20

Pi Yue Frequent urination with constipation, stomach heat symptoms, dry mouth, bad breath, hot sensation, sticky feeling in mouth, good appetite T - red, dry coat P - slippery, rapid

Principle of Treatment: clear stomach heat, lubricate intestines, relieve constipation  

Herbal Medicine Formula for Constipation: Ma Zi Ren Wan

Qi Stagnation Dry stools, want to pass stool but cannot, do not have the energy to push, frequent belching, fullness in abdomen and hypochondriac region. T - thin, greasy coat P - wiry

Principle of Treatment: promote Qi circulation, remove Qi stagnation to promote bowel movements.

Herbal Medicine Formula for Constipation: Liu Mo Tang

Accumulation of Wind Numbness and tingling of limbs, wind symptoms Tongue - normal, red P - floating, wiry, thin

Principle of Treatment: eliminate wind to relive constipation

Herbal Medicine Formula: Xiao Xu Ming Tang

Food Retention Poor diet history, food retention symptoms with constipation, fullness in stomach, belching, acid regurgitation, nautious, hard/distended abdomen T - thick coat P - slippery, wiry

Principle of Treatment: promote digestion, regulate stomach Qi to relieve constipation.  

Herbal Medicine Formula for Constipation: Bao He Wan and Da Huang

Phlegm Causing Constipation Hot type of dyspnea and asthma, cough with phlegm, fullness in chest, steaming head syndrome (sweating on head) T - red, yellow coat P - slippery, rapid

Principle of Treatment: eliminate phlegm and promote lung function, disperse lung Qi.  

Herbal Medicine Formula for Constipation: Yue Bi (Bei) Jia Ban Xia Tang

Qi Deficiency Feels they have no force to push stool out, while passing stool sweating and shortness of breath present, general Qi deficiency present Tongue - pale, puffy P - weak  

Principle of Treatment: nourish Qi to lubricate intestines and relieve constipation

Herbal Medicine Formula for Constipation: Huang Qi Tang (spleen tonic)

Blood Deficiency Sheep poop stools (rabbit like droppings  dark/hard), blood deficiency symptoms, dull yellow complexion, palpitations, dizzy, blurred vision. T - pale P - thin

Principle of Treatment: nourish blood to lubricate intestines and relieve constipation  

Acupuncture points for Constipation - Shu, foot shaoyin, Kidney 3, 6, Bladder 20, Spleen 6, Stomach 36, Bladder 25 and Stomach 25 - insomnia, palpitations  Heart 7, Liver 2 or 3 - dry mouth  jin jin, yue ye  

Herbal Medicine Formula for Constipation: Run Chang Wan

Yin Deficiency Yin deficiency symptoms with dry stools T - red, scanty coat P - thin, rapid

Principle of Treatment: nourish yin, lubricate bowels to relieve constipation

Acupuncture points for Constipation - Shu, foot shaoyin, Kidney 3, 6, Bladder 20, Spleen 6, Stomach 36, Bladder 25 and Stomach 25 - insomnia, palpitations  Heart 7, Liver 2 or 3 - dry mouth  jin jin, yue ye  

Herbal Medicine Formula for Constipation: Liu Wei Di Huang Wan

Kidney Yang Deficiency Difficulty pushing stool out (Qi Def.) with yang deficiency signs (cold signs) Tongue - pale, puffy Pulse - deep, weak

Principle of Treatment: warm up kidney yang to strengthen bowels.

Herbal Medicine Formula for Constiaption : Shen Qi Wan, Wu Ren Wan (elderly)  

Stagnation of Cold Dry or not dry stool with difficulty passing, cold pain, fullness in abdomen ameliorated by warmth, lower back cold sensation T - white coat P - deep, delayed

Principle of Treatment: expel cold to induce bowel movement

Herbal Medicine Formula for Constipation: Ji Sheng Jian

Alternative Treatment Methods

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

injection treatments for Constipation jian wei and abdominal ashi points, Large Intestine 7, vitamin B 0.3-0.5 ml each,

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