Dry retching

Going through the motions of vomiting without bringing up food, despite possible foaming drool. Dry retching is attributed to stomach vacuity counterflow qì or stomach heat.

Patterns

Stomach vacuity (胃虚 wèi xū) is observed in patients weak from enduring disease or after vomiting and diarrhea has damaged stomach qì. It is associated with dull stomach duct pain and no thought of food and drink. The pain comes at set times and likes warmth and pressure. Other signs include scantness of breath and laziness to speak, faint low voice, and withered-yellow facial complexion. The tongue is pale with thin white fur. The pulse is weak and vacuous.

Medicinal therapy: Use Tangerine Peel and Bamboo Shavings Decoction (橘皮汤 jú pí zhú rú tāng).

Acumoxatherapy: Base treatment on alarm and lower uniting points of ST, and on PC, SP, and back transporting points. Select CV-12 (Center Stomach Duct, 中脘 zhōng wǎn), ST-36 (Leg Three Lǐ, 足三里 zú sān lǐ), PC-6 (Inner Pass, 内关 nèi guān), BL-20 (Spleen Transport, 脾俞 pí shù), BL-21 (Stomach Transport, 胃俞 wèi shù), LR-13 (Camphorwood Gate, 章门 zhāng mén), SP-4 (Yellow Emperor, 公孙 gōng sūn), and SP-6 (Three Yīn Intersection, 三阴交 sān yīn jiāo); needle with supplementation.

Stomach cold (胃寒 wèi hán) dry retching is marked by a low weak sound with occasional ejection of small amounts of foamy drool. In stomach repletion cold patterns, there is cold pain in the stomach duct and abdomen, white tongue fur, and a stringlike sunken pulse. In vacuity patterns, there is glomus and fullness below the heart, no desire to eat, and sloppy stool, shortness of breath and laziness, bland taste in the mouth without thirst, a pale tongue with white fur, fine and weak pulse.

Medicinal therapy: Treat repletion cold with dispersing cold by warming the center and dispersing cold and by harmonizing the stomach and downbearing counterflow. Use Pinellia and Dried Ginger Powder (半夏干姜散 bàn xià gān jiāng sǎn). For ejection of small amounts of foamy drool and dizziness, use variations of Evodia Decoction (吴茱萸汤 wú zhū yú tāng). Treat vacuity patterns by supplementing the spleen and boosting the stomach, and by downbearing counterflow and quieting the center. Use Center-Rectifying Decoction (理中汤 lǐ zhōng tāng) plus clove (Caryophylli Flos, 丁香 dīng xiāng), poria (Poria, 茯苓 fú líng), and pinellia (Pinelliae Rhizoma, 半夏 bàn xià).

Acumoxatherapy: See cold vomiting.

Stomach heat (胃热 wèi rè) causes frequent, sonorous retching with glomus and blockage below the heart, bitter taste in the mouth, and heart vexation. Repletion heat patterns are observed when externally contracted evil passes from the exterior to the interior, settle in the yáng brightness (yáng míng), transform into heat, which contends with qì and impairs harmonious downbearing. These are characterized by abdominal pain and fullness with constipation, and thirst with desire to drink, a red tongue with dry yellow fur, and a large replete pulse. Vacuity heat patterns occur when either residual heat in febrile disease or inappropriate use of dry medicinals damage stomach yīn and impair the harmonious downbear of stomach qì. These are marked by a red tongue with scant fur, and a rapid fine pulse.

Medicinal therapy: Treat repletion patterns by clearing heat and freeing the bowels, and by harmonizing the stomach and downbearing counterflow. Use variations of Stomach-Regulating Qì-Coordinating Decoction (调胃承气汤 tiáo wèi chéng qì tāng). Treat vacuity heat by nourishing the stomach and engendering liquid, and by harmonizing and downbearing center qì. Use Lophatherum and Gypsum Decoction (竹叶石膏汤 zhú yè shí gāo tāng).

Acumoxatherapy: See heat vomiting.

Liver depression (肝郁 gān yù) causes dry retching when depressed liver qì runs cross counterflow and invades the stomach, causing disharmony of stomach qì. The dry retching is characterized by a low sound and occurs intermittently in relation to emotional disturbance. Accompanying signs include vexation and oppression in the chest and rib-side, torpid intake, a pale red tongue with thin white fur, and a fine stringlike pulse.

Medicinal therapy: Soothe the liver and rectify qì; harmonize the stomach and downbear counterflow. Use variations of Four-Seven Decoction (四七汤 sì qī tāng).

Acumoxatherapy: Base treatment mainly on ST, LR, and GB. Select CV-12 (Center Stomach Duct, 中脘 zhōng wǎn), CV-13 (Upper Stomach Duct, 上脘 shàng wǎn), PC-6 (Inner Pass, 内关 nèi guān), ST-36 (Leg Three Lǐ, 足三里 zú sān lǐ), LR-3 (Supreme Surge, 太冲 tài chōng), SP-6 (Three Yīn Intersection, 三阴交 sān yīn jiāo), and GB-34 (Yáng Mound Spring, 阳陵泉 yáng líng quán); needle with even supplementation and drainage or with drainage.

Food stagnation (食滞 shí zhì) is the result of dietary irregularities and excessive consumption of liquor and rich foodsand is characterized by dry retching with the malodor of food, desire to but inability to vomit, glomus in the chest, aversion to food, distension and fullness in the stomach duct and abdomen, foul-smelling stool, a thick slimy tongue fur, and a slippery stringlike pulse.

Medicinal therapy: Harmonize the stomach and rectify qì; disperse food and abduct stagnation. Use Harmony-Preserving Pill (保和丸 bǎo hé wán).

Acumoxatherapy: Base treatment on ST and CV. Select CV-12 (Center Stomach Duct, 中脘 zhōng wǎn), CV-10 (Lower Stomach Duct, 下脘 xià wǎn), PC-6 (Inner Pass, 内关 nèi guān), ST-25 (Celestial Pivot, 天枢 tiān shū), CV-6 (Sea of Qì, 气海 qì hǎi), ST-36 (Leg Three Lǐ, 足三里 zú sān lǐ), and Lǐ Inner Court (里内庭 lǐ nèi tíng); needle with drainage.