Stomach-Yin.Ren-11 Jianli and ST-44 Neiting to clear Stomach Empty-Heat.Herbal treatment The herbal formula used was a variation of Yang Wei Tang Nourishing
the Stomach Decoction:
Bei Sha Shen Radix Glehniae littoralis 6 g
Mai Men Dong Tuber Ophiopogonis japonici 6 g
Yu Zhu Rhizoma Polygonati odorati 6 g
Bian Dou Semen Dolichoris lablab 6 g
Shi Hu Herba Dendrobii 4 g
Zhi Gan Cao Radix Glycyrrhizae uralensis praeparata 6 g
Tai Zi Shen Radix Pseudostellariae heterophyllae 6 g
Bai Shao Radix Paeoniae albae 6 gExplanation The first six herbs constitute the Yang Wei Tang which nourishes
Stomach-Yin. Sang Ye Folium Mori albae was omitted as this patient
did not have a dry throat.
Tai Zi Shen was added to nourish Spleen-Yin.Bai Shao was added because, in combination with Gan Cao, it stops
pain. For this reason, the dosage of Gan Cao was increased to 6 g.Prognosis and Prevention
Both acupuncture and Chinese herbs give excellent results in the treatment of epigastric pain. Of
all the patterns discussed, the most difficult to treat are Stasis of Blood in the Stomach and
Phlegm-Fluids in the Stomach. The easiest to treat, and probably the one that best reacts to
acupuncture, is Liver-Qi invading the Stomach; this is also one of the most common patterns
seen in epigastric pain.
Irrespective of the Western diagnosis, proper diagnosis and treatment as discussed in this chapter
will yield results. For example, if a patient with epigastric pain is found to have a stomach ulcer,
this should be treated according to the above identification of patterns and, if our diagnosis and
treatment are correct, both acupuncture and Chinese herbs will promote the healing of such an
ulcer.
Obviously, if a patient over 40 has been suffering from epigastric pain and poor digestion for
some years, a Western diagnosis should always be sought to exclude the possibility of stomach
cancer. This can also be treated with Chinese herbs (although not with acupuncture) but
according to guidelines that differ from those given in this chapter.