Tag Archives: Constipation

TCM Treatments For Constipation

The techniques used in TCM or Traditional Chinese Medicine discussed below are applicable provided the person has no major health issues such as obstruction or tumor.

Acupressure is the most convenient and versatile way to manage constipation at home. All a person suffering from constipation needs to do is to use his fingers to stimulate a number of specific acupressure points on his body. Some people say they have located of a “poop button” which is three finger widths under the bellybutton although for practicality’s sake, it would be better for a constipated person to undergo regular acupressure treatment for longer sessions.

Here are a few commonly used acupressure points to help treat constipation:

At the back – On the pelvic bone, the point is located a couple of fingers width from the backbone; with crooked arms, use thumbs to feel below the lowest rib bone.

Around the navel – Three fingers width right and left from the navel.

On the arms – Between the fleshy region of the index finger and thumb, between the bony area of the index finger and thumb, below the pinkie, on the wrist, and, when the arm is folded, on the end of the elbow’s crease.

Not Sure About Acupressure?

Both acupuncture and acupressure follow the same TCM principles. People who may not see results from acupressure will probably respond to acupuncture. Needles are stuck to the four acupuncture points around the bellybutton. Acupuncture’s efficacy on postsurgical constipation was recorded on a fluoroscope where the needles stuck on the limbs generated movements in the intestines. Despite the failure of modern science to explain TCM, experienced practitioners in the field of electro medicine have observed that acupressure points and meridians have certain levels of electromagnetic energy in them that non-acupressure points don’t possess.

Gua sha therapy is also another option worth considering. It is a more intense form of constipation treatment at home but not as painful as acupuncture. Gua sha basically means to scrape the skin until petechiae, which are tiny red spots that resemble sand, appear. Gua sha is a popular form of treatment among the homes of people living in Indonesia and Vietnam and in other countries of East Asia. When it comes to treating constipation, the practitioner uses a smooth edge instrument like a porcelain spoon emolliated with herbal oil or rice wine to scrape acupoints in the backbone and around the bellybutton in downward strokes.

In treating constipation, a practitioner of Traditional Chinese Medicine will first observe the patient’s tongue and pulse. He will determine whether the patient’s illness is due to a deficiency of chi in the body, or whether it is due to excess cold or excess warmth. He then rectifies the imbalanced yin and yang appropriately, usually prescribing herbs to reestablish harmony in the body.

In the case of excess heat, for instance, the practitioner will not only prescribe herbs to treat the intestines but to also strengthen or tonify the kidneys and lungs which, in TCM, are deemed sources of fluids for normal bowel movements. Does TCM have a good track record in treating constipation? There are several clinical case studies that will attest to its effectiveness.

Acupressure Techniques For Treating Constipation

The techniques used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) mentioned below will all work provided the patient has no substantial health problem like obstruction or tumor.

Acupressure is the most convenient and ideal form of TCM treatment for constipation that can be done at home. All a patient suffering from constipation requires is to let his fingers stimulate specific acupressure points on his/her body. Housewives have been telling stories of a “poop button” that’s 3 finger widths from under the belly button. However, it seems a lot better to say that a constipated individual would require regular and longer acupressure sessions to cure his/her problem.

Here are a few acupressure points that are commonly used to treat constipation:

On the back – Located a couple of finger widths from the backbone on the pelvic bone; with arms bent, utilize thumbs to feel under the lowest rib bone.

Around the belly button – 3 finger widths and left from the belly button, from the aforementioned further three finger widths downwards.

On the arms – Between the index finger and thumb’s fleshy area, on the wrist under the pinky, between the index finger and thumb’s bony area, and, when the arm is folded, on the end of the elbow’s crease.

Having second thoughts about trying acupressure?

Keep in mind that acupressure is founded on the principles of acupuncture. Patients who aren’t responding to acupressure are most likely to respond when needles are stuck into the four acupuncture points around the belly button. Acupuncture’s effect on post surgical constipation was seen on a fluoroscope in which inserted needles on a person’s limbs stimulated movements in the intestines. While Western medical science is unable to explain how and why Traditional Chinese Medicine works, researchers in the field of electro medicine have noticed that acupressure points and meridians do possess levels of electromagnetic energy that non-acupressure points don’t have.

For a more intensive constipation treatment at home that not as invasive as acupuncture, a healing technique known as gua sha can be a viable alternative. Gua sha means to scrape the surface of the skin until petechiae, which are reddish spots that look like sand, appear. Gua sha is widely used in the homes of Southeast Asian countries like Indonesia and Vietnam. In regard to constipation, the practitioner uses a smooth edge instrument such as a spoon lubricated with herbal oil or rice wine to scrape the acupressure points in downward strokes around the backbone and the belly button.

A patient suffering from constipation will first be examined by a TCM practitioner. The practitioner will use TCM diagnostic techniques such as a tongue and pulse examinations to evaluate the symptoms of the patient. The practitioner will assess whether the problem is the result of excess cold, excess warmth, or chi deficiency in the patient’s body. He then rectifies the yin and yang imbalance accordingly, usually recommending herbs to bring back harmony in the body.

For instance, constipation associated with excess heat would not only require herbs to heal the intestines but also herbs to strengthen the kidneys and lungs which control the fluids responsible for smooth bowel movements. Does Traditional Chinese Medicine work in the treatment of constipation? Several clinical studies show that it does.