DEFECATION

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DEFECATION

Chapter contents

DIARRHOEA OR LOOSE STOOLS

Interrogation, Chapter 31

Spleen-Qi deficiency

Loose stools, slight abdominal distension, poor appetite, tiredness, pale complexion, Pale tongue, Empty pulse.

Kidney-Yang deficiency

Early-morning diarrhoea, lower backache, cold knees, a feeling of cold, bright-white complexion, weak knees, tiredness, lassitude, abundant clear urination, urination at night, impotence, decreased libido, Pale and wet tongue, Deep-Weak pulse.

Liver-Qi invading the Spleen

Loose stools or alternation of loose stools and constipation, stools sometimes dry and bitty and sometimes loose, flatulence, irritability, abdominal distension and pain, tiredness, poor appetite, normal-coloured tongue (or slightly Red on the sides in severe cases of Liver-Qi stagnation), pulse Wiry on the left and Weak on the right.

Damp-Heat in the Intestines

Loose stools with foul smell and mucus and possibly blood, offensive odour of stools, burning in the anus, abdominal pain that is not relieved by a bowel movement, scanty dark urine, fever, sweating which does not decrease the fever, a feeling of heat, thirst without a desire to drink, a feeling of heaviness of the body and limbs, Red tongue with sticky yellow coating, Slippery-Rapid pulse.

Cold-Dampness in the Intestines

Loose stools with mucus and without smell, abdominal pain, abdominal fullness, undigested food in the stools, a feeling of cold, cold limbs, a feeling of heaviness, sticky white tongue coating, Slippery-Slow pulse.

Spleen-Qi deficient and sinking

Chronic loose stools or normal but very frequent stools, urgency, a dragging-down feeling, tiredness, depression, poor appetite, weak limbs, Pale tongue with teethmarks, Weak pulse.

Retention of food

Loose stools, fullness, pain and distension of the epigastrium which are relieved by vomiting, nausea, vomiting of sour fluids, foul breath, sour regurgitation, belching, insomnia, poor appetite, thick tongue coating, Full-Slippery pulse.

DIARRHOEA WITH VOMITING

Food poisoning

Violent diarrhoea and vomiting with sudden onset, nausea at the smell of food, epigastric fullness, sour regurgitation, thick tongue coating, Slippery pulse.

Cold-Dampness in the Stomach and Intestines

Diarrhoea without smell, and vomiting, mucus in the stools, abdominal pain that is alleviated by application of heat, epigastric and abdominal fullness, a feeling of heaviness of the head and body, a feeling of cold, cold limbs, sticky white tongue coating, Slippery-Slow pulse.

Stomach and Intestines deficient and cold

Diarrhoea and vomiting of watery fluids, dull abdominal pain, discomfort or dull pain in the epigastrium, better after eating and with pressure or massage, no appetite, preference for warm drinks and foods, vomiting of clear fluid, absence of thirst, cold and weak limbs, tiredness, pale complexion, Pale and wet tongue, Deep-Weak-Slow pulse.

Retention of food

Diarrhoea with vomiting, fullness, pain and distension of the epigastrium which are relieved by vomiting, nausea, vomiting of sour fluids, foul breath, sour regurgitation, belching, insomnia, loose stools or constipation, poor appetite, thick tongue coating, Full-Slippery pulse.

Invasion of Summer-Heat

Sudden diarrhoea and vomiting, epigastric pain, sour regurgitation, aversion to cold, fever, thirst, irritability, a feeling of oppression of the chest, headache, cold hands and feet, dark urine, Floating-Rapid pulse.

CONSTIPATION

Interrogation, Chapter 31

The term ‘constipation’ is used to describe the slow movement of unduly firm contents through the large bowel leading to infrequent passing of small hard stools. Thus, constipation may indicate several different symptoms, among which are:

• bowel movements which do not occur daily

• difficult defecation

• abnormal shape of stools.

Views on what constitutes a normal frequency of bowel movement vary widely. From the point of view of Chinese medicine the bowel movement should occur at least once a day. This view runs counter to the Western medical view, according to which the frequency of bowel movement is not that important so long so they occur regularly.

Heat in the Intestines

Constipation with dry stools, burning sensation in the mouth, dry tongue, burning and swelling in anus, scanty dark urine, thick, dry yellow (or brown or black) tongue coating, Full-Rapid pulse.

Liver-Fire

Constipation with dry stools, headaches, dizziness, tinnitus, irritability, propensity to outbursts of anger, red face, thirst, bitter taste, dark urine, Red tongue with redder sides and dry yellow coating, Wiry-Rapid pulse.

Heat in Bright Yang (organ syndrome)

Constipation with dry stools, abdominal pain and fullness, fever, burning epigastric pain, intense thirst with a desire to drink cold liquids, mental restlessness, dry mouth, mouth ulcers, bleeding gums, sour regurgitation, foul breath, nausea, vomiting soon after eating, a feeling of heat, tongue Red with a thick, dry dark-yellow coating, Deep-Full-Rapid pulse.

This corresponds either to the organ pattern of Heat in Bright Yang within the identification of patterns according to the Six Stages or to the pattern of Dry-Heat in the Intestines within the identification of patterns according to the Four Levels.

Liver-Qi stagnation

Constipation with small stools, or alternation of constipation with diarrhoea, difficulty in defecation, hypochondrial or epigastric distension, irritability, moodiness, a feeling of a lump in the throat, premenstrual tension, Wiry pulse.

Kidney-Yang deficiency

Chronic constipation, exhaustion after bowel movement, stools not dry, lower backache, cold knees, a feeling of cold, bright-white complexion, weak knees, tiredness, lassitude, abundant clear urination, urination at night, impotence, decreased libido, Pale and wet tongue, Deep-Weak pulse.

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