Traditional Chinese Medicine Treatment for Constipation
TCM offers good efficacy in treating constipation, but treatment must follow the principle of syndrome differentiation and individualized therapy.
① Insufficient Body Fluids: Patients suffer from blood deficiency postpartum, yin deficiency in old age, excessive sweating, intestinal heat, frequent urination, depleting body fluids. Or excessive intake of greasy, rich, spicy foods damages yin and consumes fluids.
Manifestations: Hard, blocky stools, dark brown color, defecating every 3–5 days, small volume, foul odor, often accompanied by dizziness, fatigue, irritability, indigestion, red tongue with little coating, fine and rapid pulse.
Treatment Principle: Nourish yin, enrich blood, increase fluid and moisten intestines.
Formula: Zengye Chengqi Tang combined with Siwu Tang, adjusted as needed.
② Liver Qi Stagnation Type: Caused by emotional distress, excessive sorrow or worry, lack of activity, prolonged bed rest, irregular bowel habits, insufficient food intake, overly refined diet, leading to impaired qi circulation and liver qi stagnation, preventing normal elimination of waste, thus forming disease. Commonly seen with complications such as hemorrhoids, fistulas, fissures.
Manifestations: No dryness or hardness in stools, but difficult expulsion; often accompanied by abdominal distension, anal heaviness, yet no stool passed or incomplete evacuation, or feeling of heaviness even after defecation; chest and flank fullness, dizziness, mental dullness, fatigue, belching; thin greasy coating, wiry fine pulse.
Treatment Principle: Soothe liver, relieve stagnation, elevate clear qi, descend turbid qi.
Formula: Sini San with added Apricot Kernel, Cardamom Seed, and Radish Seed.
③ Dry Heat Accumulation Inside: Caused by external wind-heat or dry-fire invasion, or excessive intake of spicy, rich foods, leading to intestinal heat, scorching body fluids; or lung heat spreading to the large intestine, causing hard, dry stools.
Manifestations: Hard, dry stools, abdominal distension and pain, oral ulcers, flushed face, feverish body, short, red urine, restlessness, thirst.
Treatment Principle: Clear heat, purge fire, break qi stagnation, promote downward movement.
Formula: Xiaochengqi Tang, adjusted as needed.
<TCM Treatment of Constipation>