Damp-heat abdominal pain

Abdominal pain due to damp-heat brewing in the spleen and stomach. It is intermittent pain that refuses pressure and is sometimes associated with retching and vomiting, or heat effusion and aversion to cold, or yellowing of the body and eyes, and with oppression in the chest. Other accompanying signs include bitter taste or slimy sensation in the mouth, constipation or diarrhea, a slimy yellow tongue fur, and a soggy rapid or surging rapid pulse.

Biomedical correspondence: This pattern is seen in cholecystitis, cholelithiasis (gallstones), intestinal tuberculosis, and chronic bacillary dysentery.

Medicinal therapy: Clear heat and drain fire; move qì and transform dampness. Use formulas like Fire-Dispersing Decoction (散火汤 sàn huǒ tāng) or Major Bupleurum Decoction (大柴胡汤 dà chái hú tāng).

Acumoxatherapy: Base treatment mainly on LI, ST, and SP. Select LI-4 (Union Valley, 合谷 hé gǔ), ST-25 (Celestial Pivot, 天枢 tiān shū), CV-12 (Center Stomach Duct, 中脘 zhōng wǎn), ST-36 (Leg Three Lǐ, 足三里 zú sān lǐ), LI-11 (Pool at the Bend, 曲池 qū chí), SP-9 (Yīn Mound Spring, 阴陵泉 yīn líng quán), and needle with drainage. See also damp-heat dysentery.