Hiccup

Type 1: Excess Syndrome
Symptoms:
Cases with cold syndrome of the stomach, manifesting as deep and forcely belching, liking hot drink, cold and distentive middle part of gastric cavity, cold limbs, little eating, clear urine, loose stool, whitish and moist fur, slow and moderate pulse. Cases with heat syndrome of the stomach, manifesting as sonorous and continuous belching, liking cold drink, halitosis, excessive thirst and flushed face, constipation and dark urine, yellowish fur, slippery and rapid pulse. Cases with hyperactive liver-Qi attacking the stomach, manifesting as belching due to emotional changes, eructation, chest distress, fullness in the stomach, hypochondriac pain, thin and whitish fur.
Principle of treatment:
Regulating the stomach and lowering the adverse flow of stomach-Qi are mainly applied. For cases with cold syndrome , moxibustion was used to warm yang; for heat syndrome, acupuncture is applied to clear away heat.For stagnation of Qi, relieving depressed liver and regulating circulation of Qi .
Prescription:
Zhongwan (CV12) Front-Mu Point of the Stomach (RN12), Neiguan (PC6) Luo-Connecting Point the Eight Confluent Point (Neiguan (PC6) Luo-Connecting Point the Eight Confluent Point), Zusanli (ST36) He-Sea Point (Zusanli (ST36) He-Sea Point), Geshu (BL17) (Geshu (BL17))
Modification according to symptoms:
For cases with cold syndrome of stomach Liangmen (ST21) (Liangmen (ST21)) is moxibusted; for heat syndrome of the stomach Xiangu (ST43) Shu-Stream Point (Xiangu (ST43) Shu-Stream Point) is acupunctured with reducing method; for tranverse invasion of hyperactive liver-Qi, Qimen (LR14) Front-Mu Point of the Liver (Qimen (LR14) Front-Mu Point of the Liver), Taichong (LR3) Shu-Stream, Yuan-Source Point (Taichong (LR3) Shu-Stream, Yuan-Source Point) are punctured with reducing method.
Type 2: Deficiency of syndrome
Symptoms:
Cases with deficiency of spleen-Yang and the stomach-Yang, manifesting as belching lowly, dyspneic respiration, emaciation, dim complexion, cold limbs, little eating and tiredness, stomach distension after eating, vomiting and regurgitation of phlegm, bulgy and pale tongue, thready or soft pulse. Cases with flaring -up of asthenic fire due to exhaustion of the stomach-Yin , manifesting as belching intermittently and rapid, dry throat and mouth, excessive thirst, restlessness and emaciation, flushing of zygomatic region, spontaneous perspiration, deep-red tongue and little fur, thready and rapid pulse.
Principle of treatment:
Regulating the stomach and lowering the adverse flowing Qi . For cases with dificiency of Yang , warming the middle-jiao and supplementing Qi ; for dificiency of Yin, nourishing the stomach and promoting the production of the body fluid .
Prescription:
Zhongwan (RN12), Neiguan (PC6), Zusanli (ST36), Geshu (BL17)
Modification according to symptoms:
For deficiency of Yang, Qihai (CV6) (RN6) is moxibusted. For deficiency of Yin, Taixi(KI3) Shu-Stream, Yuan-Source Point (Taixi(KI3) Shu-Stream, Yuan-Source Point) is punctured with reinforcing method.
Cautions and precautions:
For cases with a short-course of illness, curative effect of acupuncture is fairly good. In severe and advanced cases manifesting as belching incessantly, dietary incapability, tendency of collapse due to exhaustion of vital-Qi, prognosis is bad. Healthy persons who belch accidentally because their diaphragms are stimulated while they swallow food down rapidly are treated by sneezing caused by touching nose with paper spill, or by talking with them to shift their attention .

Key Words: hiccup, acupuncture