TCM Syndrome Differentiation for Gastric Pain

Western medicine and traditional Chinese medicine have great differences in the principles of treatment and the use of drugs. Western medicine seeks to use external methods such as surgery to treat diseases, while traditional Chinese medicine focuses more on internal conditioning, believing that as long as the human body is maintained to a healthy state, many diseases will be cured. Traditional Chinese medicine has different dialectical methods for treating stomach problems. Let’s learn about the dialectical thinking of stomach pain in traditional Chinese medicine.

Stomach bloating and pain are the most common manifestations of chronic gastrointestinal diseases such as chronic gastroenteritis, gastric ulcer, and duodenal ulcer.

The ancients said that "pain means obstruction". Generally, the treatment of stomach bloating and pain usually uses the method of promoting qi and regulating qi, which can achieve good results in most cases. However, in clinical practice, there are many causes of stomach bloating and pain. In specific treatment, it is necessary to carefully examine the deficiency and excess, distinguish yin and yang, and treat the root cause to achieve better results.

If you are usually weak, have mild stomach pain, and have a soft abdomen that likes warmth and pressure, it is usually related to spleen and stomach deficiency and cold, and insufficient middle qi. This is a deficiency pain, and it is more suitable to use warming and tonifying methods. The most commonly used prescriptions are Huangqi Jianzhong Decoction, and the Chinese patent medicine is Huangqi Jianzhong Pills. If the painful area is full, stiff, and resistant to pressure, and the pain is more severe, it is usually a positive syndrome, and it is more suitable to use the method of promoting qi and regulating qi. It is mostly caused by qi stagnation, and you can use Chaihu Shugan San. The medicines mostly use costus root, amomum villosum, lindera scabra, tangerine peel, and magnolia bark.

Clinically, there are also some cases of dull pain caused by yin deficiency and hyperactivity of fire, insufficient stomach yin, and insufficient yin fluid that cannot nourish the stomach. It is advisable to adopt the method of nourishing yin and harmonizing the stomach. Clinically, drugs such as Adenophora, Ophiopogon japonicus, Polygonatum odoratum, Prunus mume, White Peony Root, and Crataegus pinnatifida are often used to transform yin with acid and sweet. Prescriptions such as Yiwei Decoction and Yi Guan Jian can be used with modifications. If you suddenly feel the cold evil and the cold stagnates in the middle burner, causing cold pain in the stomach, you can use prescriptions such as Liangfu Pills and Houpu Wenzhong Decoction for treatment. If you suddenly overeat, food stagnates, and the stomach is bloated and painful and refuses to be pressed, you can use drugs such as Raphanus sativus, Shenqu, and Areca catechu to help digestion and promote digestion. Prescriptions such as Baohe Pills can be used.

Traditional Chinese medicine emphasizes syndrome differentiation and treatment. Different Chinese patent medicine preparations should be selected according to different syndromes of stomach pain.

1. Cold stagnation and qi stagnation

Common groups: It is more common in people who have eaten cold things, such as ice cream, iced drinks, iced fruits, etc.

Main symptoms: Sudden onset of stomach cold, stomach pain will be relieved after drinking warm water.

Chinese patent medicine: Liangfu Pills

2. Diet Stagnation

Common groups: It is most common among foodies, especially those who suffer from buffet syndrome. They cannot control themselves when they see their favorite food, and they would feel guilty if they don’t fill their stomachs.

Main symptoms: stomach pain, bloating, belching, and even vomiting of undigested food.

Chinese patent medicine: Baohe Pills, Jiawei Baohe Pills, Chenxiang Huazhi Pills, Kaiwei Shanzha Pills

Children can take some pediatric cough-relieving oral liquid

3. Liver-stomach disharmony

Common groups: Most common in menopausal women, who are usually angry and unhappy with everything.

Main symptoms: Stomach pain, flank pain, stomach pain aggravated when angry, loss of appetite

Chinese patent medicine: Qizhi Weitong granules, Chaihu Shugan pills, Shugan Hewei pills, Chenxiang Huaqi pills