Where to treat gallstones with moxibustion

Gallstones will affect the patient's normal life. First, it will cause abdominal pain, accompanied by upper abdominal discomfort, and dull pain or bloating in the right upper abdomen. Patients often feel very tired and cannot find a suitable treatment plan, which will cause a lot of trouble and burden. Therefore, everyone should try to find some suitable treatment measures according to the actual condition of the body.

Cholelithiasis (in Traditional Chinese Medicine, moxibustion can treat gallstones by applying moxibustion to just a few acupoints) is a relatively common biliary disease. It can be divided into gallbladder stones, cystic duct stones, common bile duct stones, and hepatic duct stones.

The main symptoms during an acute attack include paroxysmal colic in the right upper abdomen or under the xiphoid process, radiating to the right shoulder and back, with tenderness, rebound pain and abdominal muscle tension, which may be accompanied by fever and jaundice. The main symptoms in the chronic stage include upper abdominal discomfort, dull pain in the right upper abdomen, abdominal distension, warm gas, and aversion to greasy food.

It is often caused by emotional discomfort, addiction to fatty and sweet foods, parasite accumulation, external infection, etc., which affect the liver and gallbladder's secretion and the spleen and stomach's function. It may cause stagnation of qi in the liver and gallbladder and poor bile secretion; or it may cause the spleen to lose its healthy function, internal accumulation of dampness and heat, which will turn into stones over time; or it may cause stagnation of qi and obstruction of the internal organs, poor blood circulation, blood stasis and pus accumulation, which may lead to cholecystitis and cholelithiasis.

Cholecystitis and cholelithiasis belong to the categories of "flank pain", "chest congestion" and "jaundice" in traditional Chinese medicine. Cholecystitis and cholelithiasis are located in the gallbladder and are related to the liver, gallbladder, spleen, stomach and other internal organs. "The gallbladder is the house of the essence of the body", its function depends on the liver's secretion and storage of bile, and it also promotes the digestion and metabolism of the spleen and stomach, so as to ensure smooth transportation and descent.

The basic acupoints for moxibustion are: Liver Shu, Gallbladder Shu, Sun and Moon, Zhi Gou, Yanglingquan, Gallbladder Point

Acupoints can be added according to specific classification:

Liver depression and qi stagnation

Pain characteristics: Paroxysmal right upper abdominal colic, radiating to the shoulders and back, closely related to emotional changes

Associated symptoms: decreased appetite, bitter taste in the mouth, belching, nausea, vomiting, mild fever and chills

Add acupoints: Xingjian, Taichong

Moist heat fumigation

Pain characteristics: persistent right upper abdominal distension or cramping pain, pain extending to the shoulders and back

Associated symptoms: fever, chills, chest tightness, poor appetite, nausea, vomiting, bitter taste in the mouth, and sore throat

Added acupoints: Xingjian, Hegu

Heat and blood stasis

Pain characteristics: stabbing pain in the ribs, persistent and worse at night, pain in the shoulders and back, a mass can be felt in the painful area

Associated symptoms: chest and abdominal distension, persistent jaundice, alternating chills and fever, constipation and yellow urine

Added acupoints: Xuehai, Sanyinjiao