Constipation

Constipation 

Constipation is a common ailment affects many. Constipation refers to bowl movements that are infrequent or hard to pass. In Chinese Medicine, constipation is a sign that the body is out of balance. Although the symptom is the same, the causes may vary. From the Chinese Medicine perspective, constipation can be the result of several imbalances that are occurring in the body. For each type of imbalance, there are specific herbal remedies to treat, and they treat the symptom as well as the cause. This is what sets Chinese Medicine apart from conventional western treatments of constipation. Diagnosing the correct imbalance could be tricky, and require some specific knowledge, so seek the advise of a Chinese Medicine professional whenever possible.

(1) Qi Deficient Type: Stools may not be dry or hard. Patient feels like having stools to pass, but is having hard time passing them. After the bowl movement, patient feels sweaty and exhausted. A general feeling of persistent tiredness and thick white tongue coating are among other symptoms. The remedy for this type of constipation is to amend the Qi in the middle-burner. The herbal supplement Bu Zhong Yi Qi Wan can be effective for this type of constipation. Look for it in Chinese herbal shops with the label as shown.

 (2) Blood Deficient Type: With this type of constipation the stool will be very dry. Patient may have a pallid face, frequent shortness of breath, many dreams, forgetfulness, and tongue may appear pale with white moss. The remedy for this type of constipation is to use herbs such as angelica and rehmannia that to nourish and generate blood, and Wu-Ren-Wan to lubricate the large intestine. Wu-Ren-Wan consists of five types of nuts and other herbs, and can be an effective and pleasant herbal treatment for this type of condition.

 (3) Yin Deficient Type: Stools are dry and hard, mimic that of sheep droppings. Patient may experience dizziness and ringing in the ears. Patient may also have red cheeks, irritability, sleeplessness, and hot flashes or night sweats. Also may accompany low back and knees pains and cold feelings. When the body does not have enough JinYe (functional fluids in the body), then it results this type of constipation. The treatment calls for Liu Wei Di Huang Wan If you can find a Chinese herbalist store in your area, you can go in and ask them. A lot of times there are some knowledgeable people who can steer you in the right direction. Good luck and hope you find relief.

(4)Yang Deficient Type: Patient may or may not have dry stools, but has difficulty passing them. Patient may experience pain in the stomach, and cold feelings around the stomach. The pain is relieved by applying heat to the affected area. Waist and knees may experience cold feelings and pain. Tongue color pale and with white tongue moss. The goal for treating this type of constipation is warming the middle burner. If the constipation is stemmed from Spleen deficiency, then Wen-Pi-Wan should can relive the symptom; if the constipation is stemmed from kidney deficiency, then Shen-Qi-Wan should be used. As you can see, in Chinese Medicine different types of constipation require different treatment. When the treatment targets the correct diagnosis, it can bring lasting relief rather than temporary relief.