Dysentery

Dysentery is characterized by abdominal pain , tenesmus and frequent stools containing blood and mucus . It is a common epidemic disease in summer and autumn . It is called red - white dysentery , bloody dysentery , purulent and bloody dysentery or heat dysentery , and known as persistent dysentery if it lasts for a long time , and intermittent dysentery if it comes on and off .

The common patterns are damp - heat dysentery , cold - damp dysentery , food - resistant dysentery and intermittent dysentery .

This disease is often due to the invasion by the epidemic damp heat and internal injury by intake of raw , cold and unclean food , which binders and damages the stomach and intestines .

Etiology and Pathogenesis

The summer epidemic heat dampness invades the stomach and intestines , impeding the flow of their qi and blood . Pus and blood are formed from the stagnated qi and blood in struggling against heat dampness , and hence occurs dysentery . In case dampness is preponderant to heat , white dysentery results , in case heat preponderant to dampness , red dysentery appears , and in case both dampness and heat are excessive , red - white dysentery occurs .

Preference for fatty and sweet food , internal accumulation of damp heat plus irregular diet , or intake of unclean food leads to stagnation of qi and blood in the fu organs , which turns into pus and blood in the stool and results in dysentery .

Excessive intake of raw , cold , or dirty food leads to internal accumulation of cold dampness , impeding the stomach and intestines . The stagnated qi in the large intestine also injures the blood , leading to discharge of pus and blood and resulting in cold - damp dysentery .

Although the above - mentioned etiological factors can be classified into the exogenous pathogenic factors and food intake , the two are usually mutually affected .

The disease is in the intestine , but closely related to the stomach . If the epidemic toxic and damp heat attack the stomach , which fails to receive food , food - resistant dysentery occurs . If dysentery lasts longer , the body resistance is weaker and the spleen qi becomes more insufficient , persistent or intermittent dysentery therefore appears .

Differentiation

Damp - heat dysentery :

Main manifestations : Abdominal pain , tenesmus , mixing of pus and blood in stool , burning sensation of the anus , scanty and yellow urine , or chills , fever , restlessness , thirst , yellow , sticky tongue coating , rolling , rapid or soft , rapid pulse .

Analysis : In case the damp heat stagnates in the intestines , the qi and blood are blocked , leading to disturbance of transmission , so abdominal pain and tenesmus occur . When the blood vessels of the intestine are injured by damp heat , blood , pus and mucus appear in stools . Burning sensation of the anus , and scanty yellow urine are also manifestations of down - pouring of damp heat . When the summer heat and dampness attack the body , the body resistance will fight against it , so there are chills and fever . In case of excess of pathogenic heat , restlessness and thirst result . Sticky tongue coating and rolling or soft pulse indicate dampness , while yellow tongue coating and rapid pulse suggest heat .

Cold damp dysentery :

Main manifestations : Difficult defecation , white mucus in stools , preference for warmth and aversion to cold , mostly accompanied with fullness in the chest and epigagastrium , lingering abdominal pain , tastelessness in the mouth , absence of thirst , white , sticky tongue coating , deep , slow pulse

Analysis : Accumulation of internal cold damages the spleen and stomach blocks the qi flow of the large intestine . Cold is characterized by causing contraction and stagnation , while dampness is characterized by turbidity , so there are stuffiness in the chest and epigastrium , difficult defecation , white mucus in stools . Cold dampness is a yin pathogenic factor damage yang qi . When the yang blocked and fails to disperse , preference warmth , aversion to cold and lingering pain result . Tastelessness , absence of thirst , sticky tongue coating are the signs of accumulation of dampness . Deep , slow pulse is the sign of excessive cold .

Food - resistant dysentery :

Main manifestations : Frequent stools with blood and pus , total loss of appetite , nausea , vomiting , yellow , sticky tongue coating , soft , rapid pulse .

Analysis : This condition is developed from the damp - heat dysentery . The epidemic summer heat dampness , when accumulated in the intestines , may attack the stomach and impair its function in sending its contents downwards . Thus the stomach fails to receive food , and the appetite is totally lost . The stomach qi ascends instead of descends , so nausea and vomiting occur . Yellow , sticky tongue coating , and soft , rapid pulse are the signs of damp heat .

Intermittent dysentery :

Main manifestations : Dysentery occurring on and off , difficult to cure , lassitude , aversion to cold , somnolence , anorexia , pale tongue , sticky coating , soft pulse .

Analysis : In case of the weakened body resistance with existence of the pathogenic factors impairing the transmitting function of the stomach and intestine , the condition is complicated with mixed deficiency and excess , and so the disease is lingering and recurrent . When the spleen yang is weak , and the qi is short , there may be lassitude , aversion to cold and somnolence . Soft pulse and persistent sticky coating are the signs of continuing presence of dampness .

Treatment

Method : The points of Yangming Meridians of Hand and Foot as well as the Front - ( Mu ) point and Lower He - ( Sea ) point of the large intestine are selected as the principal points to remove stagnation from the intestines . Reducing is used for the damp - heat dysentery , both acupuncture and moxibustion are used for the cold - damp dysentery , and acupuncture and moxibustion , with both reinforcing and reducing methods , are used for the persistent dysentery .

Prescription : Tianshu ( S 25 ) , Shangjuxu ( S 37 ) .

Damp - heat dysentery : Quchi ( Li11 ) , Hegu ( Li4 ) are added .

Cold - damp dysentery : Zhongwan ( Ren 12 ) is added with moxibustion to Qihai ( Ren 6 ) and Yinlingquan ( Sp 9 ) .

Food - resistant dysentery : Zhongwan ( Ren 12 ) and Neiguan ( P 6 ) are added .

Intermittent dysentery : Pishu ( B 20 ) , Weishu ( B 21 ) , Guanyuan ( Ren 4 ) and Zusanii ( S 36 ) are added . Supplementary points : Fever : Dazhui ( Du 14 ) . Tenesmus : Zhonglushu ( B 29 ) . Prolapse of rectum : Baihui ( Du 20 ) with moxibustion , Changqiang ( Du 1 ) .

Explanation : It is recorded in Internal Classic that the He - ( Sea ) points are applied for the diseases of the fu organs . Therefore , Tianshu ( S 25 ) , the Front - ( Mu ) point of the large intestine , and Shangjuxu ( S 37 ) , the He - ( Sea ) point of the large intestine , are selected as the principal points to remove stagnation of qi in the large intestine . Dampness will be resolved in case qi is regulated . Quchi ( Li11 ) and Hegu ( Li4 ) may dispel the damp heat from the stomach and intestines . Moxibustion to Zhongwan ( Ren 12 ) and Qihai ( Ren 6 ) is applied to warm the spleen and stomach , remove cold and regulate the flow of qi . Yinlingquan ( Sp 9 ) is needled to strengthen the spleen function to resolve dampness . For food - resistant dysentery , Zhongwan ( Ren 12 ) and Neiguan ( P 6 ) are used to pacify the stomach and resolve dampness . Acupuncture with both reinforcing and reducing methods and moxibustion may warm the spleen and stomach and eliminate the intestinal stagnation . Guanyuan ( Ren 4 ) , the Front - ( Mu ) point of the small intestine , is applied to separate the food essence from the waste , reinforce qi and activate yang .

Remarks

This condition includes acute and chronic bacillary and amebic dysentery .