Dysentery
Dysentery is diarrhoea in which the stool contains blood, mucus and/or pus, often together with abdominal cramps and a strong, sometimes painful urge to go to the toilet. This distinguishes dysentery from ordinary diarrhoea, where these mixtures do not occur or hardly.
The complaint may occur acutely, for example after an intestinal infection, but may also be present chronically or recurrently, interspersing periods with symptoms with calmer periods. In repeated episodes, digestion is often weakened, which makes recovery more difficult and increases the risk of a new episode.
Because blood, mucus or pus in the stool always points to an underlying process that needs to be further investigated, medical assessment in dysentery is a permanent part of the approach "acupuncture" and Chinese herbs are seen here as complementing, not replacing, conventional care.
Western disorders that can cause dysentery
Dysentery is a symptom and not a condition in itself. Possible causes include:
- infection by bacteria (such as Shigella) or amoebs (bacterial or amoebe dysentery)
- haemorrhagic colitis
- inflammatory bowel diseases such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease
- diverticulitis or ischaemic colitis
- irritable bowel syndrome (may give mucus, usually without blood)
- rare: colon polyps or colon cancer
When to contact your doctor?
Blood, mucus or pus in the stool always requires medical assessment, especially when this occurs for the first time. In any case, please contact: high fever, severe abdominal pain, confusion or drowsiness, signs of severe dehydration, persistent vomiting that prevents you from keeping anything, unintentional weight loss, or if the symptoms persist or return without obvious cause.
Acute infectious dysentery requires microbiological testing and sometimes antibiotics; acupuncture and Chinese herbs are supportive, not replacements for medical treatment. Medical supervision also remains important for chronic or recurring complaints, such as ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease. Very severe or rapidly worsening symptoms, such as a persistent high fever, confusion or inability to keep anything down, may indicate a serious acute situation requiring emergency medical care.
Possible causes
Acute dysentery is usually caused by an infection, e.g. via contaminated food, water or during travel to areas where it is more common. Excessive or irregular eating, a lot of fatty, deep-fried or spicy food and alcohol can add to the burden on digestion and worsen the course.
In chronic or recurrent dysentery often plays a combination of factors: an earlier episode that has not fully recovered, prolonged stress and emotions that make the intestines sensitive, and a digestion that is structurally weakened by repeated episodes, medication or irregular lifestyle.
How can acupuncture help with dysentery?
Acupuncture is almost always used in dysentery as a supplement to medical treatment, aimed at supporting recovery and reducing the symptoms.
During and immediately after treatment, acupuncture may include:
- regulating bowel function and reducing urge
- reducing abdominal cramps and pain
- soothing a burning or irritable sensation in the gut
- reducing the impact of stress on recurrent complaints
- supporting recovery after a through episode
Which acupuncture points are used depends on the overall picture of complaints and the stage in which the complaints are located.
How can Chinese herbal medicine help with dysentery?
Chinese herbs can be especially valuable between episodes by and in chronic or recurrent symptoms, when digestion is structurally weakened. Unlike acupuncture, herbs are used daily to gradually build up the digestion.
Depending on the pattern, herbal treatment may include:
- reducing Dampness-Heat in the gut
- heating the digestion in case of symptoms aggravated by cold
- the structural strengthening of a weakened Spleen
- feeding Yin when prolonged heat has exhausted moisture and liquids
- supporting digestion between episodes by, to prevent relapse
Chinese herbs and acupuncture work in their own way and can complement each other.
How does Chinese medicine view dysentery?
Within Chinese medicine, dysentery is mainly associated with the Spleen and Intestines. An acute episode is usually seen as a form of Dampness-Heat: an accumulation of fluid and heat that hinders the flow of Qi and Blood into the intestines. If this barrier is severe, Heat can damage the vessels in the intestinal wall, which appears as blood in the stool; the presence of mucus within TCM is attributed to the accumulation of Dampness.
In the case of repeated or prolonged complaints, the Spleen is often weakened. Depending on the circumstances, this can lead to a colder, slower form of complaints, or rather to exhaustion of Yin when long-lasting Heat has consumed moisture and liquids. The Liver can also play a role: in people who are clearly suffering from stress or emotions, persistent tension can further weaken the Spleen and provoke episodes.
A recognisable combination of these symptoms and signs is called a TCM pattern. The most common patterns seen in practice are described below. Other, more severe presentations of dysentery are beyond the scope of acupuncture and herbs as an initial treatment and require immediate medical care (see “When should you contact your GP?”). Several patterns may occur together, and not everyone with the same pattern has all the symptoms listed. The pattern is determined from the overall symptom picture.
Most common TCM patterns in dysentery
Dampness-Heat in the Intestines
This is the most common pattern in acute dysentery. Dampness and Heat accumulate in the intestines, disrupt the flow of Qi and Blood and can damage the intestinal wall. This pattern often occurs after infection or spoiled food.
Common symptoms: frequent, foul-scented diarrhoea with mucus and/or blood, abdominal cramps, burning of the anus, strong urge, thirst and sometimes mild fever.
Examples of Western disorders: acute bacterial or amoeba dysentery, and flares of ulcerative colitis.
Cold-Dampness that the Spleen obstructs
In this pattern, the Spleen is hindered by a combination of Cold and Dampness, which means that there is more mucus than blood in the stool. It can occur with an already weakened digestion or after excessive use of cooling herbs or medication.
Common symptoms: diarrhoea with mainly mucus, dull abdominal pain which improves by heat and worsens by pressure, bloating, decreased appetite and feeling cold in the abdomen.
Examples of Western disorders: chronic or recurrent dysentery and some forms of colitis.
Liver-Spleen disharmony
This pattern is recognizable in chronic, recurrent dysentery where episodes are clearly related to stress, tension or emotions. Periods of rest are alternated with flares when the load increases.
Common symptoms: recurrent diarrhoea with mucus and/or blood, abdominal cramps that precede the stool, a bloated or tense abdomen, irritability, and symptoms that clearly worsen during stressful periods.
Examples of Western disorders: ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease and irritable bowel syndrome with stress-related flares.
Spleen-Yang-deficiency
This pattern often follows an earlier episode of dysentery that has not fully recovered, with the heating function of the Spleen becoming insufficient. The symptoms are milder than in an acute episode, but persist longer.
Common symptoms: long-term, thin or aqueous stools with small amounts of mucus, dull abdominal pain that improves by heat and light pressure, fatigue, cold intolerance and cold hands or feet.
Examples of Western disorders: chronic colitis and long-term, difficult to treat dysentery.
Yin-deficiency with residual Dampness-Heat
This pattern can occur when an earlier episode of Dampness-Heat has exhausted the fluids in the body, while a remainder of Heat remains present. This is more common with long-term or inadequately treated complaints.
Common symptoms: chronic diarrhoea with low, sticky mucus and sometimes blood, frequent but often in vain urge, dry mouth, thirst, and symptoms that may worsen in the evening.
Examples of Western disorders: the recovery phase after acute dysentery and chronic colitis with long-term symptoms.
Outlook
How quickly dysentery improves depends heavily on the cause and duration of the symptoms. An acute, infectious episode can improve relatively quickly after proper (medical) treatment, while chronic or recurrent dysentery, such as in inflammatory bowel disease, usually requires much more time and patience.
In the initial phase acupuncture is often applied once a week; severe complaints may require more frequent treatment temporarily. Chronic or recurrent complaints are often treated for longer periods of time, with the aim of structural strengthening digestion and reducing the risk of new episodes. Chinese herbs can be used daily, including between episodes by. These are guidelines and not fixed rules; duration and frequency are tailored to your situation and to any medical treatment.
Contact
Do you suffer from dysentery or recurrent bowel problems with mucus or blood, and do you want to know if acupuncture and/or Chinese herbal medicine can be supportive in addition to your medical treatment? During a first consultation we will discuss your complaints, medical history and general health. On this basis, we will examine which TCM pattern is most likely and which treatment fits.