re gerd

[Guest guest]

Does anyone have any input on gerd reflux,and minor hernias?

 

alot of people seem to have this

 

best wishes from Rob in ireland

[Guest guest]

two tablespoons of organic apple cider vinegar take one tablespoon with two

meals a day

 

Rob <emeerob wrote: Does anyone have any input on gerd

reflux,and minor hernias?

 

alot of people seem to have this

 

best wishes from Rob in ireland

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Try the Mail Beta.

 

 

[Guest guest]

Chinese Traditional Medicine , " Rob " <emeerob wrote:

>

> Does anyone have any input on gerd reflux,and minor hernias?

>

> alot of people seem to have this

 

Each meridian (channel) has a proper direction of Qi flow. For

exmple, Stomach Qi is supposed to descend (and downbear

the " Turbid " ). Spleen Qi is supposed to ascend (and upbear

the " Clear " and hold the organs in place.)

 

When Stomach Qi rises instead of descending, this is called Stomach

Qi Rebelling. This is the main mechanism behind acid reflux,

vomiting, and some cases of nausea.

 

There are different reasons why Stomach Qi will Rebel. By far the

number one reason is Liver Invading Stomach (and possibly the Spleen

too). To put this in 5 Element terms, Wood (Liver) Invades Earth

(Stomach and/or Spleen).

 

The following is taken from The Treatment of Modern Western Medical

Diseases with : A Textbook and Clinical Manual, by

Bob Flaws and Philippe Sionneau, Chapter 62, Reflux Esophagitis, pp.

455-459.) " Vacuity " is the term Blue Poppy Publications uses instead

of " Deficiency " . " Repletion " is the term BP uses instead

of " Excess " . A reminder to the beginning TCM students on the list

that Stomach Qi Rebelling is classified as an Excess problem (and

Spleen Qi Sinking is classified as a Deficiency problem).

 

Wood (Liver) Invading Earth (Stomach, Spleen) rarely is seen by

itself in cases of GERD. There are 4 combination patterns that one is

likely to see: 1. Wood-Earth Disharmony Mixed with Cold Dampness

Pattern (p. 456), Wood-Earth Disharmony Mixed with Depressive Heat

Pattern (p. 456), 3. Wood-Earth Disharmony Mixed with Vacuity

(Deficiency) Pattern (p. 457)Wood-Earth Disharmony Mixed with Yang

Ming (Bright Yang) Repletion (Excess) Pattern (p. 458).

 

" 1. Wood-Earth Disharmony Mixed with Cold Dampness Pattern

 

" Main Symptoms: Stomach duct distention and fullness, borborygmus "

(intestinal noises) " , watery, loose stools, dull pain in the stomach

relieved by warmth and pressure, moderate pain when eating,

occasional vomiting of bitter water, a dry mouth but no desire to

drink, a pale tongue with white fur, and a deep, fine, bowstring pulse

 

" Treatment Principles: Course the liver and rectify the qi,

disinhibit the qi mechanism and harmonize upbearing and downbearing. "

(p. 456.)

 

There are combinations of herbs that will " harmonize upbearing and

downbearing " , or putting this another way harmonize the Stomach-

Spleen axis so the Stomach Qi is descending like it should and Spleen

Qi is ascending like it should.

 

There is very little in the preceding paragraphs which is going to

make any kind of sense to readers who are new to TCM until we start

to look at the second combination pattern, Wood-Earth Disharmony

Mixed with Depressive Heat Pattern.

 

" Main Symptoms: Burning pain, clamoring stomach, bitter-tasting

vomit, acid regurgitation, vexation and agitation, irascibility, a

bitter taste in the mouth, a dry mouth and thirst with a predilection

for chilled drinks, a red tongue with yellow fur, and a bowstring,

rapid pulse. " (p. 456.)

 

Note the " clamoring stomach " . This is stomach pain relieved by

eating, in contrast to Wood-Earth Disharmony Mixed with Cold Dampness

Pattern in which there is moderate pain when eating. Also refer back

to the term " indeterminate gnawing hunger " in the post on obesity.

 

A pale tongue with white fur is associated with Cold; a red tongue

with yellow fur is associated with Heat. A rapid pulse also is

associated with Heat (with the exception sometimes of people who are

overweight).

 

Flaws and Sioneau mention " acid regurgitation " which they didn't

mention in the first pattern even though it also occurs in the first

pattern too. This ommission in one and emphasizing it in the other

means that the acid reflux is especially marked in the case of

Depressive Heat Pattern.

 

Also note the mention of " vexation and agitation, irascibility " . This

is a very important diagnostic clue that you're dealing with

Depressive Heat in the Stomach and Stomach channel. Flaws and

Sionneau don't mention this, but you also may see sores around the

mouth, and the person may also have a toothache. The Stomach meridian

flows in this part of the body too.

 

Qi is warm. Whenever Qi Stagnates - becomes blocked due to some

reason, becomes " depressed " or " constrained " - eventually Heat will

build up.

 

" Treatment Principles: Course the liver and clear heat, disinhibit

the qi mechanism and harmonize upbearing and downbearing. " (p. 456.)

 

This is the same treatment principle as for Wood-Earth Disharmony

Mixed with Cold Dampness Pattern with the addition of " clear heat " .

 

" 3. Wood-Earth Disharmony Mixed with Vacuity Pattern

 

" Main Symptoms: Stomach duct pain which is tolerable and which

lessens with eating, torpid intake, reduced food intake, abdominal

distention after meals, fatigue, lassitude of the spirit, lack of

strength, clear, watery vomit, a pale, fat tongue with teeth-marks on

its edges and thin, white fur, and a fine, bowstring or soggy,

bowstring pulse. " (p. 457.)

 

This is another of the eating helps the pain disharmonies underlying

GERD. So how do you tell the difference between WED (Wood-Earth

Disharmony) with Depressive Heat Pattern and WED Mixed with Vacuity

Pattern? Those symptoms Flaws and Sionneau mention like fatigue,

lack of strength, a fat tontue with teeth-marks on the edges, and a

soggy pulse are symptoms of Spleen Deficiency. The gnawing hunger

along with " vexation and agitation " and some other things like sores

around the mouth and possibly toothache points to Heat.

 

Now here's where it starts to get really complicated. You will

occasionally see WED with Depressive Heat and WED Mixed with Vacuity

Pattern in the same person at the same time. The person will have the

symptoms of Spleen Qi Deficiency but without the poor appetite. The

appetite is excessive instead, and there will be other symptoms of

Depressive Heat in the Stomach like the irritability and sores around

the mouth and possibly toothache.

 

Something that Flaws and Sionneau don't spell out but need to is that

sometimes the Liver Invades the Stomach and Spleen because they are

weak. (The information is implied in some of the herbs they list for

WED with Vacuity Pattern as well as in the Treatment Principles.) It

is going to be extremely difficult to stop the Liver from Invading

the Spleen and Stomach until they are strengthened.

 

" Treatment Principles: Course the liver and fortify the spleen,

disinhibit the qi mechanism and harmonize upbearing and

downbearning. " (p. 457.)

 

" 4. Wood-Earth Disharmony Mixed with Yang Ming Repletion Pattern

 

" Main Symptoms: Stomach duct distention and fullness, severe pain,

retching and bitter flooding vomiting worsened by eating, a bitter

taste in the mouth, bad breath, dry, bound stools, a red tongue with

yellow fur, and a bowstring, rapid, slippery, forceful pulse

 

" Note: The yang ming repletion in this pattern's name is both heat

and food stanation

 

" Treament Principles: Clear heat and abduct stagnation, disinhibit

the qi mechanism and harmonize upbearing and downbearing " (p. 458.)

 

Actually bad breath also can occur with WED Mixed with Depressive

Heat Pattern.

 

This pattern can be far more serious than the other 3.

 

From the Remarks section on GERD:

 

" In most Western patientsw with this condition, there will be

depressive heat. When there is bile reflux, there is always either

damp or depressive heat. " (p. 458.)

 

" 2. The disease mechanisms and patterns of hiatal hernia are

essentially the same as for reflux esophagitis. Its root is a wood-

earth disharmony causing stomach venter or chest pain. However,

although depressive heat may be seen in hiatal hernia, its presence

is not as common as in reflux esophagitis where one can mostly assume

its presence in Western patients. " (p. 459.)

 

People suffering from GERD (aka reflux esophagitis) and/or hiatal

hernia should be aware that herbs in the mint family have a tendency

to relax the closure between the esophagus and the stomach too much.

(Advanced TCM: However, there some times when a person may need the

opening-relaxing properties of a mint herb. Just because the opening

between the esophagus and stomach is too relaxed and aggravating the

GERD, openings in other parts of the body may be too tight.

 

Sometimes people are born with hiatal hernias. Problems with the

alignment of the spine also can trigger or aggravate GERD and hiatal

hernia problems.