Acupuncture Treatment for Hiccups
1. Syndrome Differentiation
1. Food Accumulation Internal Stagnation
Main Symptoms: Loud hiccup sounds, fullness in the epigastrium, loss of appetite, thick greasy tongue coating, slippery and forceful pulse.
2. Qi Stagnation
Main Symptoms: Frequent hiccups, distention and pain in the epigastrium, fullness in the chest and hypochondriac regions, thin tongue coating, string-like and forceful pulse.
3. Stomach Cold
Main Symptoms: Deep, slow, strong hiccups, slight relief with warmth, worsened by cold, discomfort in the epigastrium, white and moist tongue coating, slow pulse.
2. Treatment
Primary principle: Harmonize the stomach, descend rebellious Qi, and stop hiccups. Use draining needling for food accumulation and qi stagnation; combine acupuncture and moxibustion for stomach cold.
Prescription: Geshu, Zhongwan, Neiguan, Zusanli.
Add Jueque for food accumulation; add Danzhong and Taichong for qi stagnation; add Shangwan for stomach cold.
Also, cupping therapy may be used. Commonly used points include: Geshu, Ge Guan, Gan Yu, Zhongwan, and Rugen.