Food distension

Distension attributable to nontransformation of grain and water stemming from excessive consumption of raw cold foods such as gourds and fruits or irregular eating, and marked by hard distended abdomen with pain in severe cases, belching, and acid upflow. A distinction is made between cold and heat. Cold patterns are usually characterized by uninhibited stool and inability to eat, whereas heat patterns are characterized by dry bound stool.

Cold pattern: Uninhibited stool and reduced eating.

Medicinal therapy:Warm the center and disperse food using Stomach-Calming Poria Five Decoction (胃苓汤 wèi líng tāng) plus crataegus (Crataegi Fructus, 山楂 shān zhā) and barley sprout (Hordei Fructus Germinatus, 麦芽 mài yá). In severe cases, use Center-Rectifying Decoction (理中汤 lǐ zhōng tāng) plus clove (Caryophylli Flos, 丁香 dīng xiāng), officinal magnolia bark (Magnoliae Officinalis Cortex, 厚朴 hòu pò), and aconite (Aconiti Radix Lateralis Praeparata, 附子 fù zǐ).

Acumoxatherapy: Base treatment on the CV, ST, and PC. Select CV-10 (Lower Stomach Duct, 下脘 xià wǎn), ST-25 (Celestial Pivot, 天枢 tiān shū), CV-6 (Sea of Qì, 气海 qì hǎi), PC-6 (Inner Pass, 内关 nèi guān), ST-36 (Leg Three Lǐ, 足三里 zú sān lǐ), ST-21 (Beam Gate, 梁门 liáng mén), and KI-13 (Qì Point, 气穴 qì xué); needle with drainage and add moxa.

Heat pattern: Dry bound stool.

Treat by abductive dispersion and clearing transformation using formulas such as Harmony-Preserving Pill (保和丸 bǎo hé wán) or Costusroot and Areca Pill (木香槟榔丸 mù xiāng bīng láng wán).

Acumoxatherapy: As for cold patterns, but without moxa.