🌿 Folk Prescriptions

【Overview】
Diarrhea refers to increased frequency of bowel movements, loose or watery stools, sometimes resembling water. The primary site of pathology lies in the spleen, stomach, and large/small intestines. Clinically, it is categorized as acute or chronic based on onset and duration. Acute diarrhea often results from internal dietary injury or external exposure to cold-dampness, leading to impaired intestinal transmission; or due to summer-autumn damp-heat infection. Chronic diarrhea mostly arises from spleen-kidney yang deficiency and impaired transportation and transformation.
Diarrhea commonly occurs in conditions such as acute/chronic enteritis, indigestion, intestinal functional disorders, allergic colitis, intestinal tuberculosis, and neurotic diarrhea.
【Etiology and Pathogenesis】
(1) Acute Diarrhea
1. Cold-Dampness: Cold-dampness invades the intestines and stomach, disrupting the ascending and descending functions of the spleen and stomach, causing water-dampness to descend into the large intestine and result in diarrhea.
2. Damp-Heat: Exposure to summer-autumn heat during hot seasons lodges in the intestines and stomach, disrupting transmission and causing diarrhea.
3. Dietary Injury: Overeating or consuming unclean food, or excessive intake of raw, cold, fatty, or greasy foods, leads to food stagnation in the middle jiao, damaging the spleen and stomach, impairing their transportation and transformation, and causing diarrhea.
(2) Chronic Diarrhea
1. Spleen Deficiency: Insufficient spleen yang fails to transform and transport properly, causing internal retention of dampness and leading to diarrhea.
2. Kidney Deficiency: Insufficient kidney yang cannot warm and transform, causing internal retention of dampness and resulting in diarrhea.
【Syndrome Differentiation and Treatment】
(1) Acute Diarrhea
1. Cold-Dampness
Principal Symptoms: Loose, watery stools, abdominal pain and rumbling, preference for warmth, aversion to cold, no thirst, pale tongue with white coating, deep slow or delayed pulse.
2. Damp-Heat
Principal Symptoms: Immediate diarrhea after abdominal pain, yellow, foul-smelling stools, anal burning sensation, short red urine, possibly accompanied by fever, thirst, etc. Yellow greasy tongue coating, slippery rapid pulse.
3. Dietary Injury
Principal Symptoms: Stools smelling like rotten eggs, abdominal pain and rumbling, pain relieved after defecation, epigastric fullness, belching, loss of appetite, greasy tongue coating, slippery rapid or wiry pulse.
Treatment Principle: Primarily select points from the Foot Yangming meridian. For cold-dampness, use combined acupuncture and moxibustion (or ginger-separated moxibustion) to warm the center and resolve dampness; for damp-heat, use reducing acupuncture to clear heat and drain dampness; for dietary injury, use reducing acupuncture to regulate digestion and eliminate stagnation.
Prescription: Tianshu, Zusanli
Supplementary Points According to Syndrome: For cold-dampness, add Zhongwan, Guanyuan; for damp-heat, add Quchi, Yinlingquan; for dietary injury, add Neiguan, Liangmen.
Explanation: Tianshu is the front-mu point of the large intestine, regulating intestinal transmission function. Zusanli is the he-point of the stomach meridian, regulating stomach qi. Acupuncture at Zhongwan and Guanyuan warms the center, dispels cold and dampness, and stops diarrhea. Quchi clears yangming heat, Yinlingquan promotes urination to remove dampness; together they clear intestinal heat and treat damp-heat diarrhea. For dietary injury, Neiguan regulates sanjiao qi, Liangmen eliminates food stagnation; these two points jointly achieve digestive regulation and elimination.
(2) Chronic Diarrhea
1. Spleen Deficiency
Principal Symptoms: Loose stools, sometimes undigested food particles, poor appetite, discomfort after eating, sallow complexion, fatigue, weak pulse.
2. Kidney Deficiency
Principal Symptoms: Diarrhea occurring every morning before dawn, intestinal rumbling and abdominal pain, relief after defecation, cold abdomen, occasional bloating, cold limbs, pale tongue with white coating, deep fine weak pulse.
Treatment Principle: Primarily select points from the Ren meridian and spleen-stomach meridians. Use reinforcing technique and moxibustion to warm and tonify the spleen and kidneys, solidify the intestines, and stop diarrhea.
Prescription: Zhongwan, Tianshu, Guanyuan, Zusanli, Diji
Supplementary Points According to Syndrome: For spleen deficiency, add Pishu, Taibai; for kidney deficiency, add Shenshu, Taixi.
Explanation: Zhongwan is the meeting point of fu organs and the front-mu point of the stomach, capable of regulating the intestines and stopping diarrhea. Tianshu is the front-mu point of the large intestine, regulating intestinal function to stop diarrhea. Guanyuan warms the kidneys, Zusanli strengthens the stomach, Diji strengthens the spleen; these three points collectively warm the center, dispel cold, and stop diarrhea. For spleen yang deficiency, add moxibustion at Pishu and Taibai to strengthen spleen and warm yang. For kidney deficiency, add Shenshu and Taixi to warm the kidneys and stop diarrhea.
【Other Therapies】
1. Auricular Acupuncture
Points: Large Intestine, Stomach
Method: Light stimulation, retain needle for 20 minutes.
2. Cupping Therapy
Points: Tianshu, Guanyuan, Dachangshu, Xiaochangshu
Method: Leave cups on for 10 minutes, twice daily.