Acute enteritis according to Chinese Medicine

The information provided here is not a replacement for a doctor. You shouldn't use it for the purpose of self-diagnosing or self-medicating but rather so you can have a more informed discussion with a professional TCM practitioner.

Acute enteritis factsheet

Possible causes and remedies:

Phlegm

Symptoms: Lumps Nausea Tumors and ten other symptoms

Recommended formula: Er Chen Tang and six other formulas

Spleen Deficiency with Dampness

Symptoms: Edema Diarrhea Urinary difficulty and one other symptom

Recommended formula: Wu Ling San

and one other possible cause

In Chinese Medicine, acute enteritis can be associated with three so-called "patterns of disharmony". Chinese Medicine sees the body as a system, not a sum of isolated parts. A "pattern" is when the system's harmony is disrupted. It is not equivalent to the Western concept of "disease", as a matter of fact here acute enteritis can be caused by three different patterns.

To understand whether someone's acute enteritis might be caused by a given pattern, one needs to look for signs and symptoms associated with the pattern beyond what one might typically experience from acute enteritis alone. For instance when acute enteritis is caused by the pattern Phlegm, patients also experience symptoms such as feeling of oppression of the chest, muzziness of the head, dizziness and nausea. Similarly, patients with Phlegm typically exhibit slippery (Hua) or wiry (Xian) pulses as well as swollen tongue with sticky coating .

We've listed below a description of the three patterns associated with acute enteritis so that you can start to get an understanding of the various possibilities according to Chinese Medicine.

Once identified, patterns are often treated using herbal formulas. Drinking herbal infusions is the most common remedy in Chinese Medicine, together with acupuncture. Here we detail below five formulas that can help treat the various patterns associated with acute enteritis, depending on which pattern fits your profile.

The three "patterns of disharmony" associated with acute enteritis

Crow-Dipper Rhizomes (Ban Xia) is the key herb for Er Chen Tang, a formula used for Phlegm

Phlegm

Pulse type(s): Slippery (Hua), Wiry (Xian)

Tongue coating: Sticky coating, Thick coating

Tongue shape: Swollen

Symptoms: Lumps Nausea Tumors Nodules Obesity Delirium Dizziness Overweight Feeling of heaviness Muzziness of the head Numbness in the limbs Thick greasy secretions Feeling of oppression of the chest

Phlegm has a great importance in Chinese Medicine as it is both a condition in and of itself as well as a cause for other diseases.

The main cause for the formation of Phlegm is Spleen Deficiency since the Spleen rules the transformation and transportation of Body Fluids. If this function is impaired, Body Fluids accumulates and change into Phlegm.

The Lungs and Kidneys may also be involved since they each play a role in handling body Fluids: the Lungs disperse and descend Body Fluids while the Kidneys transform and excrete them. Again, if they fail to perform those roles, Body Fluids will accumulate and become Phlegm.

That being said, the Spleen malfunction is the fundamental reason behind the formation of Phlegm and, as such, treatments will focus on it first and foremost.

There are two broad types of Phlegm: so-called "Substantial Phlegm" and "Non-Substantial Phlegm". Simply put, Substantial Phlegm can be seen, such as sputum in the Lungs and throat. Non-Substantial Phlegm is more hidden and will manifest itself into, for instance, kidney stones, gallstones or arthritic bone deformities.

Phlegm can accumulate and settle down in different parts of the body and lead to corresponding symptoms. For example, if it stays in the joints, muscles and Channels, there are muscle numbness, bone deformities and etc. If it mists the Heart, it causes many mental illness. If it settles in the Gall Bladder or Kidney, it leads to stones in these Organs.

Phlegm can further be categorized according to its nature: there is Damp-Phlegm, Phlegm-Heat, Cold-Phlegm, Wind-Phlegm, Qi-Phlegm, Phlegm-Fluids and etc.

"Phlegm-Fluids" is very similar to Dampness and is very watery and thin. It can be heard splashing in the body, found usually in the Stomach and Small Intestines, hypochondrium, limbs or above the diaphragm.

Spleen Deficiency with Dampness

Recommended herbal formula: Wu Ling San

Symptoms: Edema Diarrhea Urinary difficulty General sensation of heaviness

Acute enteritis might be due to Spleen Deficiency with Dampness if the condition is paired with typical pattern symptoms such as edema, general sensation of heaviness, diarrhea and urinary difficulty.

The Triple Burner is a so-called "Fu" Organ. Learn more about the Triple Burner in Chinese Medicine

Phlegm in the Lower Burner

Recommended herbal formula: Wu Ling San

Symptoms: Vertigo Coughing Shortness of breath Vomiting frothy saliva Throbbing pulsations just below the umbilicus

Acute enteritis might be due to Phlegm in the Lower Burner if the condition is paired with typical pattern symptoms such as throbbing pulsations just below the umbilicus, vomiting frothy saliva, vertigo and shortness of breath.

The five herbal formulas that might help with acute enteritis

The top herbs in Wu Ling San are Water Plantain (Ze Xie), Poria-Cocos Mushrooms (Fu Ling) and Polyporus (Zhu Ling)

Wu Ling San

Source date: 220 AD

Number of ingredients: 5 herbs

Key actions: Promotes urination,. Warms the Yang. Strengthens the Spleen. Promotes Qi transformation function. Drains Dampness. Clears edema.

Why might Wu Ling San help with acute enteritis?

Because it is a formula often recommended to help with the patterns Phlegm, Spleen Deficiency with Dampness and Phlegm in the Lower Burner which are sometimes associated with acute enteritis. If any of these patterns look like something you might suffer from, this formula might help (although please seek confirmation with a professional practitioner beforehand).

Ge Gen Tang

Source date: 220 AD

Number of ingredients: 7 herbs

Key actions: Releases the Exterior and muscle layer. Forms Body Fluids.

Why might Ge Gen Tang help with acute enteritis?

Because it is a formula often recommended to help treat , a pattern sometimes associated with acute enteritis. If it looks like you might suffer from , this formula might help (although please seek confirmation with a professional practitioner beforehand).