The patient should be advised to avoid eating late at night and eating too fast.
Phlegm-Fluids in the Stomach
Clinical Manifestations
Epigastric fullness and distension, nausea, vomiting of watery and frothy fluids, dry tongue and
mouth without desire to drink, splashing sound in the stomach, feeling of fullness of the chest,
loose stools, loss of weight, lethargy, dizziness, dull frontal headache.
Tongue: Swollen with a sticky coating.
Pulse: Deep-Slippery or Wiry-Fine.
Phlegm-Fluids are a form of Phlegm, seen only in very chronic conditions and usually in old
people. They are characterized by expectoration (or vomiting as in this case) of white, watery
and frothy fluids. The splashing sound in the epigastrium on movement is also characteristic of
Phlegm-Fluids. All other symptoms and signs in this condition reflect Phlegm. The dry mouth is
due to the accumulation of fluids into Phlegm-Fluids so that the normal fluids do not reach the
mouth. The loss of weight, not normally associated with Phlegm conditions, is due to the chronic
dysfunction of Stomach and Spleen.
Treatment Principle
Resolve Phlegm, harmonize the Stomach, tonify the Spleen.
Acupuncture
General Prescription
Ren-10 Xiawan, Ren-12 Zhongwan, Ren-9 Shuifen, ST-36 Zusanli, ST-40 Fenglong, BL-20
Pishu, BL-21 Weishu. Even method, except for Ren-12, ST-36 and BL-20 which should be
reinforced to tonify the Spleen.
Explanation
- Ren-10 stimulates Stomach-Qi to descend.
- Ren-9 promotes the transformation of fluids to resolve Phlegm.
- Ren-12, ST-36 and BL-20 tonify the Spleen.