Strings and aggregations

Strings are elongated masses located at the side of the umbilicus; aggregations are masses located in the rib-side that occur intermittently with pain and at other times are not detectable by palpation. The two conditions belong to the category of concretions, conglomerations, accumulations, and gatheringsand are usually referred to together. Both are caused by dietary irregularities damaging the spleen and stomach, the gathering and binding of cold and phlegm, and congealing stagnation of qì and blood. Very often they are associated with emaciation, reduced food intake, and fatigue. Treatment takes the form of dispersing accumulations, dispersing cold, flushing phlegm, rectifying qì, harmonizing the blood, and dispersing stasis. See concretions, conglomerations, accumulations, and gatherings.