Intestinal Blockage, Organ Imbalance? TCM Teaches You How to Distinguish Constipation Types

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) believes constipation originates in the large intestine but is related to imbalances in organs like the liver, heart, lungs, spleen, and kidneys. Treatment should be based on syndrome differentiation and not solely on purgatives. 🔴Three Types of Excess Constipation (實秘): 🔸Heat Constipation (熱秘): Dry stools, bad breath, yellow tongue coating. Treatment: Clear heat and resolve stagnation. Formula: Maziren Wan (麻子仁丸) with modifications. 🔸Qi Constipation (氣祕): Urge to defecate but unable to pass, chest and hypochondriac fullness. Treatment: Regulate qi and resolve stagnation. Formula: Liu Mo Tang (六磨湯) with modifications. 🔸Cold Constipation (冷祕): Abdominal pain, urgency, cold extremities. Treatment: Warm the interior and disperse cold. Formula: Wen Pi Tang (溫脾湯) combined with Ban Liu Wan (半硫丸) with modifications. 🔴Four Types of Deficiency Constipation (虛祕): 🔸Qi Deficiency Constipation (氣虛祕): Weak defecation, shortness of breath, sweating. Treatment: Tonify qi and moisten the intestines. Formula: Huang Qi Tang (黃芪湯) with modifications. 🔸Blood Deficiency Constipation (血虛祕): Dry stools, pale complexion. Treatment: Nourish blood and moisten dryness. Formula: Run Chang Wan (潤腸丸) with modifications. 🔸Yin Deficiency Constipation (陰虛祕): Stools like sheep droppings, tidal fever, night sweats. Treatment: Nourish yin and unblock bowels. Formula: Zeng Ye Tang (增液湯) with modifications. 🔸Yang Deficiency Constipation (陽虛祕): Difficulty expelling, clear and long urine. Treatment: Warm yang and unblock bowels. Formula: Ji Chuan Jian (濟川煎) with modifications. 🔴Clinical Modifications: 🔸For Heat Constipation: Add Scrophularia (玄參), Ophiopogon japonicus (麥冬). 🔸For Qi Constipation: Add Bupleurum (柴胡), Curcuma (鬱金). 🔸For Cold Constipation: Add Dry Ginger (乾薑), Fennel (小茴香); for Qi Deficiency: add Codonopsis (黨參), Atractylodes (白朮). 🔸For Blood Deficiency: Add Angelica (當歸), Goji berry (枸杞). 🔸For Yin Deficiency: Add Scrophularia (玄參), Solomon's Seal (玉竹). 🔸For Yang Deficiency: Add Cistanche (肉蓯蓉), Achyranthes (牛膝). Diagnosis should differentiate from intestinal obstruction (腸結), which presents with severe abdominal pain and no gas or stool passage, indicating an acute condition. Daily habits should include regular sleep, a light diet, moderate exercise, and emotional regulation, with reduced intake of strong tea and coffee. Specific medication must be prescribed by a TCM practitioner based on syndrome differentiation. This feels so complicated, I'm dizzy after reading 😵💫 .....If you're sick, it's best to see a doctor first. If you need to buy extra Chinese herbs, ask a pharmacist first.