Gastritis falls within the category of "stomach pain" or "epigastric pain" in Traditional Chinese Medicine. This condition is caused by stagnation of stomach qi, obstruction of the stomach's collaterals, and a lack of nourishment to the stomach, leading to pain in the upper abdomen, primarily in the epigastric region, as the main symptom of a gastrointestinal disorder. The disease is located in the stomach and is closely related to the spleen and liver.
Cold evil invading the stomach type: Sudden onset of stomach pain, alleviated by heat and exacerbated by cold, indifferent to taste without thirst, or prefers warm drinks; thin and white tongue coating, taut and tight pulse. Deficiency-cold of the spleen and stomach type: Dull and persistent stomach pain, uncomfortable cold pain, prefers warmth and pressure, severe pain when hungry which eases with eating, pain episodes or worsening after overwork or consuming cold food or getting chilled, vomiting of clear fluids, reduced appetite, fatigue and weakness, cold hands and feet, loose stools; pale tongue, white coating, and a weak pulse.
Diet-induced stomach injury type: After overeating or binge drinking, there is pain and bloating in the stomach and intestines, resistance to pressure, worsening after eating, belching with a foul smell, or vomiting undigested food with a rotten odor, pain alleviates after vomiting, loss of appetite, uncomfortable bowel movements with a foul smell, slight relief after passing gas or having a bowel movement; the tongue coating is thick and greasy, and the pulse is slippery and moist.
Liver qi invading the stomach type: Bloating and pain in the stomach and intestines, with pain radiating to both hypochondria, chest tightness and belching, tendency to sigh, irregular bowel movements, relief after belching or passing gas, and worsening with irritability or anger; thin and white tongue coating, taut and rapid pulse.
Damp-heat obstruction type: Burning pain in the stomach and intestines, with an urgent and severe pain that prefers cold and dislikes heat, relief with cooling, irritability and easy anger, acid regurgitation and noisy stomach, dry mouth and bitter taste; red tongue with little coating, slippery and rapid pulse.
Stasis of blood type: Pain in the stomach and intestines, as if cut by a knife, with a fixed location and resistance to pressure, worsening at night, or with symptoms of vomiting blood or melena; the tongue appears dark purple or has ecchymosis, and the pulse is choppy.
Stomach yin deficiency type: Dull burning pain in the stomach and intestines, hunger without appetite, dry mouth and throat, thirst with desire to drink, emaciation and fatigue, hard and dry stools; the tongue is red with little fluid or without coating, and the pulse is thin and rapid.
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. Moxibustion therapy is effective for treating acute gastritis, especially the deficiency-cold type and the cold-evil invading the stomach type. 2. Patients should develop good eating habits, striving to eat moderately and regularly, avoiding over-hunger or over-fullness, eating easily digestible foods, avoiding raw, cold, and irritating foods, and quitting smoking and alcohol, while maintaining a pleasant mood. 3. Dietary therapy recipe: Amomum villosum (Sha Ren) and Chinese Yam Porridge. 5 grams of Amomum villosum, 100 grams of millet, and 15 grams of Chinese yam. Cook the millet into porridge, add the ground Amomum villosum to the porridge, and cook for a short time. Once a day. Suitable for deficiency-cold type of gastritis.