Indigestion
Indigestion is a collective term for digestive symptoms that occur mainly around or after eating. For example, you may experience a full or heavy feeling in the upper abdomen, bloating, peasantry, low appetite, nausea or feeling that food stays in the stomach for a long time. Sometimes heartburn or changes in stool can also occur.
The symptoms can occur temporarily, for example after too much or heavy food, but they can also return regularly without one obvious cause being found. Within Chinese medicine, therefore, not only the digestive complaint itself, but also the pattern behind it. In one person, digestion can be particularly weakened, while in another tension, food stagnation, Dampness or Cold plays a greater role.
Western diseases that may cause indigestion
Indigestion is a symptom and not a condition in itself. Possible causes include:
- functional dyspepsia
- gastrooesophageal reflux (GERD) and reflux oesophagitis
- chronic gastritis
- stomach ulcer
- gallstone or gallbladder problems
- irritable bowel syndrome (PDS)
- rare: tumours of the esophagus, stomach or pancreas
When to contact your doctor?
Unexplained weight loss, swallowing problems, persistent vomiting, blood vomiting or black stools, newly-emergent symptoms after the 50th year of life, or complaints that persist or worsen despite changes in diet and lifestyle, are reasons to have this medically assessed.
Possible causes
Indigestion can have several causes. Too large meals, fast eating, a lot of fat or heavily digestible food and irregular eating can cause temporary symptoms.
Stress and tension can also clearly affect digestion. In some people, symptoms occur or worsen especially during busy or emotional periods.
How can acupuncture help with indigestion?
Acupuncture looks at which complaints are in the foreground and therefore the digestion seems to be out of balance. A heavy and bloated feeling after eating, for example, requires a different approach than symptoms that arise mainly from stress.
During and immediately after treatment, acupuncture may include:
- regulating gastric function and supporting a normal, decreasing movement of Stomach-Qi
- reducing feeling full or bloated, belching and nausea
- relief of accumulated food and a oppressive feeling after eating
- reducing stress when stress provokes or worsens the symptoms
Which treatment principles are combined depends on the underlying TCM pattern and the overall picture of your complaints.
How can Chinese herbal medicine help with indigestion?
Chinese herbs can be particularly interesting when indigestion comes back regularly or when there is a clearly underlying pattern in addition to stomach problems. Unlike acupuncture, herbs are used daily to gradually build up and support digestion.
Depending on the pattern, herbal treatment may include:
- structural strengthening of a weak or slow digestion
- reducing Dampness and Phlegm causing a heavy or nausea
- heating digestion when Cold plays an important role
- improving the flow of Qi when voltage interferes with digestion
Acupuncture and herbs can be used separately, but can also complement each other.
How does Chinese medicine view indigestion?
Within Chinese medicine, the TCM organ systems Stomach and Spleen are especially important for digestion. This means not only the anatomical stomach and spleen, but a broader set of functions involved in the absorption, processing and further transport of food and moisture.
The Stomach should receive food and allow the contents of the digestive system to move further down. This is described within TCM as falling Stomach-Qi . If this movement is disturbed, for example, a full feeling can occur, belching, reflux, nausea or vomiting.
The Spleen stands within TCM for part of the processing and transport of food and moisture. When this function is weakened, symptoms such as poor appetite, tiredness after eating, bloating and loose stools can arise. In addition, moisture cannot be sufficiently processed, resulting in Dampness: a TCM concept for a pattern that may include heaviness, stickiness and slow digestion.
The Liver also plays a regular role. Stress and emotional tension can interfere with the free movement of Qi according to TCM. This stagnation can then affect the Stomach and cause or worsen digestive symptoms.
A recognizable combination of such complaints and characteristics is called a TCM pattern.
Only some common indigestion patterns are described below. Other patterns are possible and multiple patterns may be present at the same time. Moreover, you do not need to have all of the symptoms mentioned in a pattern. The pattern is determined by the overall symptoms, including digestion, general health, tongue and wrist.
Most common TCM patterns on indigestion
Spleen- and Stomach-Qi- or Yang-deficiency
In this pattern, digestion according to TCM does not function sufficiently powerfully. Food and moisture are less efficiently processed. The symptoms are usually chronic and often become clearer after eating or when someone is tired or overworked. If a deeper deficiency also reduces the heating function of the Spleen, resulting in clearer cold symptoms.
Common symptoms: low appetite, rapid full or bloated feeling, tiredness or sluggishness, nausea after eating, soft or loose stools and sometimes undigested food residues. With a deeper deficiency cold hands and feet, cold intolerance and dull painless discomfort in the abdomen can also occur. The complaints usually improve due to warm and easily digestible food.
Examples of Western disorders: functional dyspepsia, chronic indigestion, chronic gastritis and certain food intolerances.
Food stagnation
Food stagnation occurs when food is temporarily under-processed according to TCM. This can happen for example after too much food, large meals or a lot of heavy and fat food.
Common symptoms: a strong feeling full or bloated, pressure or pain in the upper abdomen, low appetite, belching with an unpleasant smell, flatulence and sometimes nausea. The symptoms can be reduced after someone has vomited or had stools.
Examples of Western disorders: acute indigestion and functional dyspepsia.
Dampness or Phlegm in the Stomach
If moisture is not sufficiently processed, TCM Dampness can be used. If it thickens or accumulates further, Phlegm is also discussed. This may hinder the normal falling movement of the Stomach.
Common symptoms: a heavy or oppressive feeling in the stomach, bloating, nausea, low appetite, belching, a sticky feeling in the mouth, tiredness and a heavy feeling in the body. Sometimes there is dizziness or blurred, heavy feeling in the head.
Examples of Western disorders: functional dyspepsia, chronic gastritis and some forms of reflux.
Liver-Qi that the Stomach disturbs
Tension plays an important role in this pattern. Within TCM, prolonged stress can hinder the free movement of Qi. This stagnation can then disrupt the normal falling motion of the Stomach.
Common symptoms: stomach upsets that are clearly associated with stress, a tense or full feeling in the upper abdomen, many belching, nausea, reflux and varying appetite. In addition, irritability, frustration or feeling tense on the chest or under the ribs may occur.
Examples of Western disorders: functional dyspepsia, reflux and stress-related gastrointestinal symptoms.
Cold and Heat vermengd in the Stomach
This pattern is common in practice. There is a weakened digestion with features of Cold, while at the same time there is also some Heat. This combination can be created by a mix of stress, irregular food and a changing diet, and ensures that digestion does not get off to a good start.
Common symptoms: a full and compressive feeling in the upper abdomen that feels soft when touched, varying or mild nausea with low appetite, occasional mouth ulcers, and a varying feeling of warmth and cold. The symptoms are often mild but persistent.
Examples of Western disorders: functional dyspepsia, gastric ulcer and increased gastric acid production.
Cold and Dampness in the spijsvertering
This pattern inhibits digestive functions according to TCM by a combination of Cold and fluid accumulation. The symptoms can be caused or aggravated by many cold, raw or hard-to-digest food.
Common symptoms: nausea, feeling full and heavy in the upper abdomen, low appetite, decreased taste, loose stools and a heavy feeling in the body. Heat and warm nutrition can feel pleasant.
Examples of Western disorders: functional dyspepsia, gastritis and some forms of irritable bowel symptoms.
Stomach-Yin-deficiency
This pattern is more common with long-term stomach problems. Within TCM it means that the nourishing and moistening function of the Stomach is reduced.
Common symptoms: a whining or burning discomfort in the upper abdomen, sometimes an empty or hungry feeling without really wanting to eat, dry mouth or throat, dry stools and persistent mild nausea. The symptoms can occur when the stomach is empty.
Examples of Western diseases: chronic gastritis, atrophic gastritis, reflux and gastric ulcer.
Outlook
How quickly indigestion improves depends strongly on the cause and duration of the complaints. A temporary disturbance by diet can recover relatively quickly. In case of long-term functional complaints or a clearly underlying deficiency pattern, more time is usually needed.
In the initial phase, about one treatment per week is often maintained. In case of acute or severe symptoms more frequent treatment may be appropriate. When the symptoms are clearly reduced, the frequency can be reduced. In case of chronic complaints Chinese herbs can be used for a longer period to treat the underlying pattern.
Contact
Do you regularly suffer from indigestion and want to know if acupuncture or Chinese herbal medicine can fit in with your complaints? During a first consultation we will discuss your symptoms, health and digestion extensively and we will look into which TCM pattern is probably at the forefront. On this basis a personal treatment plan can be drawn up.