Gallbladder inflammation is a common gastrointestinal disease that causes severe pain. Traditional Chinese scraping therapy has a certain auxiliary therapeutic effect on gallbladder inflammation. So, where should scraping therapy be applied for gallbladder inflammation?
Where to apply scraping therapy for gallbladder inflammation
I. Areas for scraping therapy
1. Select the gallbladder shu, yanggang, and zhongwan points of the foot taiyang bladder meridian to promote the flow of liver and gallbladder qi.
2. Select the yanglingquan point of the foot shaoyang gallbladder meridian and the zhigou point of the hand shaoyang sanjiao meridian to promote the flow of liver and gallbladder meridian qi, and clear heat and dampness.
3. Select the zhiyang point of the governor vessel to treat jaundice.
II. Scraping methods
1. Scraping the back
Scrape from left to right on the back to the yang, yanggang, and gallbladder shu points.
2. Scraping the abdomen
Scrape from left to right on the zhongwan point.
3. Scraping the back of the upper limbs
Press or scrape the zhigou point.
4. Scraping the outer side of the lower limbs
Scrape down along the foot shaoyang gallbladder meridian, focusing on scraping the yanglingquan point.
III. Indications
Suitable for patients with gallbladder inflammation or gallstones, who have upper abdominal or right upper abdominal pain, accompanied by symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and jaundice.
Some patients may also experience bloating, discomfort in the upper abdomen or right upper abdomen, gastric burning, belching, and acid reflux. Eating fried or high-fat foods can exacerbate the symptoms.
Tips for relieving gallbladder pain
I. Massage
When gallbladder inflammation occurs and the pain is unbearable, don't rush to take medication. Massage these acupoints to quickly relieve the pain. Massage has the function of soothing the liver and gallbladder, promoting blood circulation, and relieving pain.
Techniques: Rolling, kneading, acupressure, and pushing
Acupoints: Zhangmen, Qimen, Ganshu, Danzhong, Yinlingquan, Taichong, Neiting, Sanyinjiao, etc.
Procedure:
(1) Abdomen: The patient lies on their back and massages Zhangmen, Qimen, and pushes Tantong for one minute each.
(2) Back: Use rolling technique on the back along the foot taiyang bladder meridian for 2 minutes, focusing on kneading Ganshu and Danzhong for one minute each. Rub the right side of the back to generate heat.
(3) Lower limbs: Massage both sides of Yinlingquan, Taichong, and Sanyinjiao for one minute each.
(4) Rib cage: The patient sits upright and massages the rib cage area with the base of the palm 20-30 times, ending with the shoulder well technique.
II. Ear acupressure
Select the "gallbladder acupoint" and "common bile duct acupoint" on the ear, and also select the auxiliary acupoint "liver acupoint" which has the function of soothing the liver and gallbladder.
Procedure:
1. Disinfect the skin of the ear with alcohol, remove the earwax, and then use a sterilized cotton swab to dry the ear.
2. Cut medical adhesive tape into squares of 0.15cm*0.15cm, and attach one seed of Wangbuliuxing to each square (you can use mung beans as a substitute).
3. Find the acupoints and stick the squares of adhesive tape on the acupoints. Use the index finger and thumb to press and twist the seeds of Wangbuliuxing until there is a tingling or pain sensation. Only press, do not rub, to avoid moving the adhesive tape.
4. Press the acupoints 3-5 times a day, 60 times each time.
Leave the adhesive tape on each acupoint for 2-3 days until the next treatment, then change the acupoints and replace the seeds of Wangbuliuxing. Alternate between the ears. Generally, continue the acupressure for 2 weeks. After several courses of treatment, the frequency and intensity of gallbladder pain will decrease.
Note: This method should be used with caution for pregnant women.
III. Hot compress
Gallbladder inflammation causes pain mainly due to spasm of the smooth muscles of the gallbladder and bile duct. Using hot compress to relieve muscle spasms can slightly alleviate the pain, but the effect is limited.
IV. Nasogastric tube insertion
During a gallbladder inflammation attack, abdominal pain and vomiting may occur. In this case, you can go to the hospital to have a nasogastric tube inserted by a doctor to relieve gastric pressure and reduce pain, which can help the recovery of gallbladder inflammation.
V. Medication
During a gallbladder inflammation attack, antispasmodic drugs are commonly used to relax the smooth muscles of the bile duct, relieve gallbladder pressure, and analgesics are used to reduce pain and sedate. Specific medication should be followed according to medical advice.
Folk remedies for treating gallbladder inflammation
Remedy 1
Ingredients: 15g of Bupleurum, 10g of Scutellaria, 15g of Lily, 15g of Salvia, 13g of Evodia, 10g of Melia toosendan, 15g of Curcuma, 30g of Lysimachia christinae.
Preparation and usage: Put all the ingredients in a pot, add water, boil, remove the residue, and drink the warm liquid.
Efficacy: This remedy mainly treats gallbladder inflammation caused by liver stagnation and qi stagnation, and damp-heat in the middle burner.
Remedy 2
Ingredients: 9g of Bupleurum, 9g of Scutellaria, half a ginger, 15g of White Paeony, 3 slices of fresh ginger, 6g of Fructus Aurantii, 6g of Rheum palmatum, 30g of Curcuma, 30g of Lysimachia christinae, 5 jujubes.
Preparation and usage: Put all the ingredients in a pot and decoct with water.
Efficacy: This remedy mainly treats gallbladder inflammation caused by liver meridian damp-heat.
Remedy 3
Ingredients: 12g of Bupleurum, 12g of Talcum, 12g of Curcuma zedoaria, 9g of White Paeony, 9g of Scutellaria, 9g of half a ginger, 6g of Fructus Aurantii, 6g of Gardenia jasminoides, 15g of fresh ginger, 4 jujubes, 24g of Lysimachia christinae.
Preparation and usage: Put all the ingredients and an appropriate amount of water in a pot, boil, and drink the warm liquid.
Efficacy: This remedy mainly treats gallbladder inflammation caused by excessive heat in the liver meridian and gallbladder heat invading the stomach.
How to prevent gallbladder inflammation attacks
1. First of all, maintain a regular diet, eat three meals a day on time, and avoid overeating at each meal.
2. Avoid eating greasy foods that can cause indigestion and trigger pain.
3. Avoid eating spicy foods, smoking, and drinking alcohol. Smoking and alcohol can cause congestion in the intestines and stomach, stimulate gallbladder contraction, and cause pain.
Advantages and disadvantages of regular scraping therapy
Advantages
(1) Promotes metabolism and excretion of waste products. The human body undergoes constant metabolism every day, and the waste products produced during the metabolism need to be excreted in a timely manner. Scraping therapy can help eliminate the metabolic "garbage" from the body by scraping it to the skin surface and depositing it in the subcutaneous pores. This promotes smooth blood flow and restores natural metabolic vitality.
(2) Relieves muscle tension and promotes blood circulation. More and more people suffer from cervical spondylosis, frozen shoulder, and back pain due to damage to the body's "soft tissues" (joint capsules, ligaments, fascia, etc.). When the soft tissues are injured, the muscles will be in a state of tension, contraction, or even spasm, causing pain. If not treated in time, it can lead to varying degrees of adhesion, fibrosis, or scar formation, worsening the condition. Scraping therapy can relax muscles, relieve pain, and help the recovery of the affected areas, while significantly reducing pain symptoms.
(3) Adjusts the balance of yin and yang. Traditional Chinese medicine emphasizes the balance of yin and yang in the body. Scraping therapy has a bidirectional regulatory effect on body functions, improving and adjusting the functions of organs to restore balance.
Disadvantages
The disadvantages of scraping therapy are usually caused by not paying attention to contraindications and improper operation.
(1) Regular scraping without moderation can cause damage to the external tissues, which not only does not help relieve fatigue but also increases the burden on the body.
(2) For people with weak qi and blood, regular scraping can deplete their qi, causing symptoms such as mental fatigue, weakness, dizziness, etc., making their condition worse.
(3) For people with skin ulcers or other skin conditions, scraping is not a pleasure, but a torture. It can cause greater damage to the already fragile skin tissue and even lead to infection, worsening the condition.
(4) People with certain blood disorders or problems with heart and liver function should avoid scraping therapy as it can cause greater harm to the body.
Precautions for gallbladder scraping therapy
I. Precautions before scraping therapy
1. Scraping therapy requires exposing the skin, and the skin pores are open during scraping therapy. If exposed to external cold wind, the pathogenic wind can enter the body through the open pores, affecting the effectiveness of scraping therapy, and may even cause new diseases. Therefore, choose a good treatment location for scraping therapy, with fresh and well-ventilated air, and pay attention to keeping warm and avoiding drafts. Minimize skin exposure.
2. Choose a comfortable position for scraping therapy to facilitate scraping and prevent dizziness from scraping.
3. The scraping tools must be strictly sterilized to prevent cross-infection. Before scraping, carefully check the scraping tools to avoid scraping the skin.
4. The hands of the operator should also be disinfected.
5. Explain the general knowledge of scraping therapy to the patient before scraping therapy, eliminate their fear, and gain their cooperation to avoid dizziness from scraping therapy.
6. Avoid scraping therapy in patients who are excessively hungry, full, or under excessive stress.
II. Precautions during scraping therapy
1. The scraping technique should be applied with even force, based on the patient's tolerance, until the appearance of "sha" (reddish rash).
2. Infants, young children, and the elderly should be treated with gentle scraping techniques.
3. Do not blindly pursue the appearance of "sha" and use excessive force or extend the scraping time. The amount of "sha" is influenced by many factors. In general, blood stasis is more likely to produce "sha"; excess syndrome and heat syndrome are more likely to produce "sha"; deficiency syndrome and cold syndrome are less likely to produce "sha"; patients who take excessive medication, especially steroids, are not easy to produce "sha"; obese and muscular individuals are not easy to produce "sha"; yin meridians are less likely to produce "sha" than yang meridians; "sha" is less likely to appear in a room with low temperature.
4. During the scraping process, it is important to frequently ask the patient about their sensations. If dizziness occurs, such as mental fatigue, dizziness, paleness, nausea, cold sweat, palpitations, cold limbs, or decreased blood pressure and loss of consciousness, scraping should be stopped immediately. Comfort the patient and avoid panic, help them lie down, keep warm, and drink warm water or sugar water. If the symptoms persist, gently press the water channel points at the corners of the scraping board, with light force to avoid swelling after heavy pressure. Perform draining scraping on Baihui and Yongquan points. After the patient's condition improves, continue scraping Neiguan and Zusanli points.
III. Precautions after scraping therapy
1. Scraping therapy causes the sweat pores to open, and the elimination of pathogenic wind requires the consumption of body fluids. After scraping therapy, the patient should drink a cup of warm water and rest for a while.
2. After scraping therapy, to prevent the invasion of pathogenic wind, the skin pores should be closed and return to their original state before bathing, which usually takes about 3 hours.
3. For patients with complex and critical conditions, in addition to scraping therapy, other therapies should also be used in combination, such as medication, to avoid delaying the condition.
