Water swelling occurring after delivery when spleen-kidney vacuity exacerbated by childbirth disturbs the normal distribution of fluids. Postpartum water swelling is characterized by swelling of the extremities and a moist shiny appearance of the skin.
Medicinal therapy: Treat by major supplementation of qì and blood supported by disinhibiting water. Applicable formulas include Eight-Gem Decoction (八珍汤bā zhēn tāng) plus atractylodes (Atractylodis Rhizoma, 苍朮cāng zhú) and poria (Poria, 茯苓fú líng). If there is distension and fullness, add tangerine peel (Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium, 陈皮chén pí), pinellia (Pinelliae Rhizoma, 半夏bàn xià), and cyperus (Cyperi Rhizoma, 香附子xiāng fù zǐ). For pronounced vacuity, add ginseng (Ginseng Radix, 人参rén shēn) and trifoliate akebia (Akebiae Trifoliatae Caulis, 木通mù tōng). For pronounced heat, add scutellaria (Scutellariae Radix, 黄芩huáng qín) and ophiopogon (Ophiopogonis Radix, 麦门冬mài mén dōng).
Acumoxatherapy: Base treatment mainly on CV, back transport points, ST, and SP. Select CV-9 (Water Divide, 水分 shuǐ fēn), CV-6 (Sea of Qì, 气海 qì hǎi), BL-22 (Triple Burner Transport, 三焦俞 sān jiāo shù), BL-20 (Spleen Transport, 脾俞 pí shù), BL-23 (Kidney Transport, 肾俞 shèn shù), BL-17 (Diaphragm Transport, 膈俞 gé shù), ST-36 (Leg Three Lǐ, 足三里 zú sān lǐ), SP-6 (Three Yīn Intersection, 三阴交 sān yīn jiāo), and SP-9 (Yīn Mound Spring, 阴陵泉 yīn líng quán); needle with supplementation and add moxa. For distension and fullness, add ST-25 (Celestial Pivot, 天枢 tiān shū) and PC-6 (Inner Pass, 内关 nèi guān). If heat is present, needle with drainage at LI-4 (Union Valley, 合谷 hé gǔ) and LI-11 (Pool at the Bend, 曲池 qū chí).