Library

Pediatric dysentery in children mainly manifests in three types. It is not solely caused by food stagnation and malnutrition (Gan syndrome), but also varies between cold and heat patterns. Treatment should primarily focus on harmonizing Qi and Blood, with distinguishing Yin and Yang as the key principle.

For dysentery presenting with both red (blood) and white (mucus) discharge, it results from injury to both Blood and Qi, involving both heat and cold signs. Treatment should prioritize harmonization, employing methods to distinguish Yin and Yang. Techniques include: moving the Eight Trigrams (Bagua), lateral pushing of the Large Intestine meridian up to the Tiger's Mouth, tonifying Spleen Earth, tonifying Kidney Water, rubbing the navel and Guishui (Turtle Tail) acupoints, and wiping the Seven-Section Bone. The sequence of manipulation is first reducing (draining) then tonifying. Additional techniques include: Tianmen entering the Tiger's Mouth, and heavy rubbing of the elbow acupoint.

For red dysentery (predominantly bloody stool), it is caused by damp-heat injuring the Blood level. Treatment should prioritize regulating Blood, while still distinguishing Yin and Yang. In this pattern, Yin is heavier than Yang. Techniques include: moving the Eight Trigrams, with emphasis on the Kan palace; if the presentation shows less red and more white mucus, only push the Three Gates (San Guan) laterally, without draining the Six Fu. Other techniques include: lateral pushing of the Large Intestine meridian, pinching the Large Intestine acupoint, scooping the Bright Moon (Mingyue), Tianmen to Tiger's Mouth and Elbow manipulations, rubbing the navel and Guishui, and wiping the Seven-Section Bone. The sequence is first reducing then tonifying.

For white dysentery (predominantly mucoid stool), it is caused by damp-heat injuring the Qi level. Treatment should prioritize harmonizing Qi, employing methods to distinguish Yin and Yang. Here, Yang is heavier than Yin. Techniques include: moving the Eight Trigrams, with emphasis on the Li palace, tonifying Spleen Earth, lateral pushing of the Large Intestine meridian to the Tiger's Mouth, Tianmen to Elbow, rubbing the navel and Guishui, and wiping the Seven-Section Bone. The sequence is first reducing then tonifying.

For "Jinkou" dysentery (dysentery accompanied by vomiting and inability to eat), it arises because internal heat is not cleared. If proper methods are not applied promptly, it develops into a condition of closure and slippage. Treatment involves distinguishing Yin and Yang, moving the Eight Trigrams, moving the Five Meridians, pushing the Three Gates, draining the Six Fu, clearing the Heavenly River Water, rubbing Neilaogong (Inner Laogong), tonifying Spleen Earth, Phoenix Spreading Single Wing, Tianmen to Tiger's Mouth and Elbow manipulations, scooping the Bright Moon, rubbing the navel and Guishui, and wiping the Seven-Section Bone. The sequence is first reducing then tonifying. The formula Yanshou Dan (Longevity Pill) can be used with miraculous effect.

The Stomach is the sea of water and grain. Its essence spreads throughout the body to nourish the Zang-Fu organs, while the dregs are transported to the Large Intestine for excretion. If injured internally by raw, cold, or milk/food items, and externally affected by wind, cold, summer-heat, or dampness, combined with irregular eating habits leading to Spleen failure in transformation, cold and heat interfere with each other, resulting in watery diarrhea. If Spleen and Stomach Qi coordinate to digest water and grain, and separation of clear and turbid occurs, how could watery diarrhea arise? Generally, Spleen deficiency leads to vomiting, and Stomach deficiency leads to diarrhea. When both Spleen and Stomach are deficient, vomiting and diarrhea occur together. Prolonged diarrhea without cessation leads to the sinking of Yuan Qi, inevitably transmitting to slow convulsions (Man Jing). At this stage, major tonification is required. Treatment involves distinguishing Yin and Yang, moving the Eight Trigrams, lateral pushing of the Large Intestine meridian to the Tiger's Mouth, tonifying Spleen Earth, pushing the Three Gates, moving water into Earth, rubbing the navel and Guishui, followed by tonifying pushing of the Seven-Section Bone. If heat signs are present, add scooping the Bright Moon and beating the horse across the Heavenly River. A poem states: "Liver cold transmitting to Spleen causes foul green stool; scorched yellow Spleen Earth indicates heat formation. Lung cold injury presents with pus-like sticky white stool; red heat forms due to Heart and Kidney heat." (This refers to Cholera.) Cholera (Huoluan) refers to sudden onset and chaotic symptoms. It is caused by external pathogens and internal injuries, leading to Yin-Yang disharmony, presenting with upper vomiting and lower diarrhea, mental restlessness, and chest oppression. Treatment involves distinguishing Yin and Yang, moving the Eight Trigrams, moving the Five Meridians, lateral pushing of the Large Intestine meridian, tonifying Spleen Earth, pinching the Four Horizontal Lines, moving water into Earth, pushing the Three Gates, draining the Six Fu, pushing Neilaogong to the Da Hengwen (Large Transverse Line), and rotating the Da Hengwen back to Neilaogong.