Constipation

Type 1: Constipation due to retention of pathogenic heat
Symptoms:
Constipation, feeling of fullness in the abdomen, abdominal pain with tenderness and guarding, frequent wind bowels with difficulty to discharge, restlessness and fever, thirst, red complexion, or accompanied with headache, scanty and yellow urine, halitosis, yellow and dry fur, smooth and forceful pulse.
Principle of treatment:
Clearing away heat and promoting the production of body fluid. Select points mainly from Large Intestine Meridian of Hand-Yangming and Stomach Meridian of Foot-Yangming. Needling with reducing method.
Prescription:
Hegu (LI4) Yuan-Source Point (Hegu (LI4) Yuan-Source Point), Quchi (LI11) He-Sea Point (Quchi (LI11) He-Sea Point), Fujie (SP14) (Fujie (SP14)), Shangjuxu (ST37) The Lower He-Sea Point of the Large Intestine (Shangjuxu (ST37) The Lower He-Sea Point of the Large Intestine).
Modification according to symptoms:
For restlessness and fever, thirst, add Shaofu (HT8) Ying-Spring Point (Shaofu (HT8) Ying-Spring Point), Lianquan (CV23) (RN23); for headache, add Yintang (EX-HN3); for halitosis, add Chengjiang (CV24) (RN24).
Type 2: Constiption due to stagnation of qi
Symptoms:
Constipation but not extremely dry, distending pain in hypochondrium and abdomen, bitter taste, dizziness, eructation, red tongue or slight purple tongue, with thin and whitish coating, wiry pulse.
Principle of treatment:
Soothing liver and regulating circulation of qi. Select points mainly from Ren Meridian and Liver Meridian of Foot-Jueyin. Needling with reducing method.
Prescription:
Zhongwan (CV12) Front-Mu Point of the Stomach (RN12), Yanglingquan (GB34) He-Sea Point, Influential Point of Tendon (Yanglingquan (GB34) He-Sea Point, Influential Point of Tendon), Qihai (CV6) (RN6), Xingjian (LR2) Ying-Spring Point (Xingjian (LR2) Ying-Spring Point)
Modification according to symptoms:
For severe pain in hypochondrium, Qimen (LR14) Front-Mu Point of the Liver (Qimen (LR14) Front-Mu Point of the Liver) and Riyue (GB24) Front-Mu Point of the Gallbladder (Riyue (GB24) Front-Mu Point of the Gallbladder) are added; for severe fullness of abdomen, Daheng (SP15) (Daheng (SP15)) is added.
Type 3: Constipation due to deficiency of qi and blood
Symptoms:
No distending pain in the abdomen, only feeling of discomfort in lower abdomen, lack of strenghth to have a bowel movement though having intention. Excessive sweat, shortness of breath, general debility, pale complexion, palpitation, dizzness, difficulty in passing stool, pale tongue with thin coating, small and forceless pulse.
Principle of treatment:
Nourishing qi and supplementing blood. Points of Stomach Meridian of Foot-Yangming and Spleen Meridian of Foot-Taiyin are selected mainly, with points of Ren Meridian and Back-Shu points as supplementary. Needling with reinforcing method. Moxibustion is also applied.
Prescription:
Pishu (BL20) (Pishu (BL20)), Weishu (BL21) (Weishu (BL21)), Dachangshu (BL25) (Dachangshu (BL25)), Sanyinjiao (SP6) (Sanyinjiao (SP6)), Zusanli (ST36) He-Sea Point (Zusanli (ST36) He-Sea Point), Guanyuan (CV4) Front-Mu Point of the SmallIntestine (RN4).
Modification according to symptoms:
For excessive sweat, Yinxi (HT6) Xi-Cleft Point (Yinxi (HT6) Xi-Cleft Point) is added; for palpitation, Neiguan (PC6) Luo-Connecting Point the Eight Confluent Point (Neiguan (PC6) Luo-Connecting Point the Eight Confluent Point) is added.
Type 4: Constipation due to stagnation of coldness
Symptoms:
Defecation with difficulty, even prolapse of the rectum, or abdominal pain with cold sensation, pale complexion, clear and frequent urine, cold limbs, feeling of cold and fatigue in the waist, pale tongue with whitish coating, deep and slow pulse.
Principle of treatment:
Reinforcing the kidney and replenishing yang. Points of Ren Meridian and Kidney Meridian of Foot-Shaoyin are selected aminly, with Back-Shu points as supplementary. Needling with reinforcing method, Moxibustion is also applied.
Prescription:
Qihai (RN6), Zhaohai (KI6) The Eihgt Confluent Point (Zhaohai (KI6) The Eihgt Confluent Point), Shiguan (KI18) (Shiguan (KI18)), Shenshu (BL23) (Shenshu (BL23)), Guanyuanshu (BL26) (Guanyuanshu (BL26)).
Modification according to symptoms:
For prolapse of anus, Changqiang (GV1) Luo-Connecting Point (DU1) and Baihui (GV20) (DU20) are added; for pain in the waist, Weizhong (BL40) He-Sea Point, Lower Confluent Point (Weizhong (BL40) He-Sea Point, Lower Confluent Point) is added.
Cautions and precautions:
Acupuncture and moxibustion are more effective in treating simple constipation. The patients should change the habit of food preference, eating lots of vegetables and fruits, having moderatedly sport exercise, and formating the habit of defecating regulately.

Key Words: constipation, acupuncture