Alcoholic liver disease typically has no symptoms but can manifest as fatigue, lethargy, loss of appetite, abdominal bloating, nausea, and vomiting, as well as signs of obesity and liver enlargement. Patients with long-standing disease may exhibit anemia, neutrophil增多 (Note: There seems to be a typographical error in the original text. It should be "增多" which translates to "increase"), elevated transaminases, and increased serum bilirubin levels. Alcoholic liver disease is more common in Western countries, with 80% to 90% of liver cirrhosis cases caused by drinking. In China, there is a greater focus on liver cirrhosis caused by hepatitis, while alcoholic cirrhosis is considered rare and not given enough attention. However, with the increasing consumption of alcohol in China, there is a trend of rising clinical cases of alcoholic liver disease. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, alcoholic liver disease falls under the categories of "alcohol injury," "alcoholism," "alcohol drum," and "alcohol jaundice." The cause is considered to be the evil of alcohol toxin and damp-heat. The disease primarily involves the liver, gallbladder, spleen, and stomach, and later affects the kidneys. The pathophysiology involves damp-heat and alcohol toxin damaging the body, leading to liver depression and qi stagnation, impaired transportation of water and dampness, internal formation of phlegm and turbidity, blood stasis in the liver and spleen, and deficiency of the internal organs.
Injury from Alcohol (Early Stage): Mild cases may be asymptomatic, or may only have symptoms such as abdominal bloating, fatigue, discomfort in the liver area, poor appetite, diarrhea, occasionally jaundice, edema, obesity, enlarged liver, soft in texture, smooth surface, blunt edges, and tenderness upon pressure; the tongue is red, the coating is yellow and greasy, and the pulse is tight and rapid.
Alcoholism (Middle Stage): Fatigue and poor appetite, pain in the liver area, abdominal pain and diarrhea, fever and jaundice, enlargement of the liver and spleen, ascites and aversion to food, palmar erythema and spider nevus, confusion and tremors; the tongue is dark red, the coating is yellow and greasy, and the pulse is tight, thin, or thin and choppy.
Alcoholic Drum Syndrome (Late Stage): Patients exhibit fatigue and lack of energy, poor appetite, palmar erythema and spider nevus on the skin, ascites, enlargement of the liver and spleen, accompanied by symptoms such as palpitations, shortness of breath, abdominal bloating and pain, confusion, and tremors; the tongue may be red, pale red, dark red, or dusky, with a coating that is white and greasy, yellow and greasy, or scant, and the pulse is deep and thin, tight and thin, or thin and choppy.
It is recommended to perform moxibustion once a day, targeting 2 to 3 acupoints each time, with each acupoint being treated for 30 to 40 minutes. Rotate the points treated, with a 10-day period constituting one course of treatment, and then rest for 2 to 3 days before continuing with the next course. (If time permits and there is a need, more acupoints can be treated with moxibustion. The specific duration should be adjusted according to one's own physical needs.)
1. Since patients with alcoholic liver disease have reduced glycogen reserves in the liver, reduced food intake can lead to enhanced protein catabolism. Patients should consume a nutritional diet rich in vitamins, high in protein, and abundant in calories, as well as magnesium and zinc. 2. Strengthen physical exercise and regulate emotions in daily life.