### Treating Chronic Gastritis with Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Acupuncture
**Introduction**
The stomach is a vital organ in the human body. However, irregular eating habits often lead to various stomach ailments, with chronic gastritis being one of the most common. How can chronic gastritis be treated? Today, I will introduce the methods of treating chronic gastritis with TCM acupuncture and some precautions to take during the process.
**Treatment of Chronic Gastritis**
Chronic gastritis primarily manifests as chronic inflammation of the gastric mucosa. Based on endoscopic findings and relevant pathological data, it can be classified into three types: chronic superficial gastritis, chronic atrophic gastritis, and chronic hypertrophic gastritis. Superficial and atrophic gastritis are the most common clinically.
The main symptoms include bloating, belching, or pain in the stomach area. The progression of the disease is slow, with recurring episodes accompanied by vomiting, heartburn, weight loss, and weakness. Sometimes, positive fecal occult blood tests may be observed, and there may be widespread upper abdominal tenderness. Although TCM does not have specific records of this disease, its main symptoms are closely related to conditions such as "stomach pain," "fullness," and "vomiting" in TCM. Modern TCM understanding and treatment of this disease are based on summarizing previous experiences in treating these symptoms.
**Etiology of Chronic Gastritis**
According to TCM, the etiology of "stomach pain," "fullness," and "vomiting" is considered to be related to multiple internal and external factors. The "Su Wen · Ju Tong Lun" states: "Cold qi invades the intestines and stomach, causing counterflow and vomiting." The "Su Wen · Bi Lun" states: "Overeating damages the intestines and stomach." In the "Su Wen · Liu Yuan Zheng Ji Da Lun," it is also mentioned: "When earth stagnation occurs... people suffer from abdominal distension, rumbling in the intestines, frequent defecation, and in severe cases, heart pain and rib pain, vomiting, cholera, and other symptoms."
It can be seen that external pathogenic factors and irregular diet are important causes of such diseases. The dysfunction of liver and spleen functions is the basic pathological mechanism. The etiology and changes of the disease can be categorized as deficient or excessive. Excessive conditions include liver qi stagnation, liver-stomach disharmony, while deficient conditions include weakness of the spleen and stomach with inadequate transportation, or spleen-stomach yin injury leading to loss of stomach moisture. Among these, the presence of deficiency can give rise to the generation of phlegm-dampness, stagnation-heat, and blood stasis, making the symptoms more complicated.
**Acupuncture Treatment for Chronic Gastritis**
The records of acupuncture treatment for symptoms commonly associated with chronic gastritis such as stomach pain, vomiting, and bloating can be traced back to ancient times. In the "Nei Jing," many treatment prescriptions are recorded. For example, "Ling Shu · Jue Bing" states: "When there is heart pain, abdominal distension, chest fullness, especially severe heart pain, it is stomach-heart pain. Use Da Du and Tai Bai points." "Ling Shu · Si Shi Qi" states: "Good vomiting, bitter vomiting... when the pathogen is in the gallbladder and regurgitates into the stomach... use Xia San Li below San Li; if the stomach qi is rebellious, then needle the blood vessels of the Shaoyang meridian... when there is difficulty in eating and drinking, and the diaphragm is blocked, and the pathogen is in the epigastric region, then needle the upper epigastric region to suppress and descend it; if it is in the lower epigastric region, then disperse and eliminate it."
The "Qian Jin Yao Fang" provides detailed records of treatment prescriptions for gastric diseases. For example: "For patients with gastric diseases, who suffer from stomach distension, pain around the stomach area, upper abdominal pain extending to both sides, obstruction in the diaphragm, difficulty in eating and drinking, needle Zu San Li; for patients with gastric heat diseases, moxibustion at Zusanli thrice; for persistent dry retching, vomiting after eating porridge or soup, moxibustion at San Yin Jiao thrice; for patients with dry retching, moxibustion at the Heart Shu and Pericardium Shu, or moxibustion at the point one inch below the nipple; for treating hiccup and dry retching, moxibustion at the point below the navel and three inches to the side; for treating inability to vomit, moxibustion at the point between the eyebrows; for persistent vomiting, moxibustion at the point near the ear; for hiccup and dry retching, moxibustion at the Shimen point; for treating stomach pain and abdominal distension, take Xue Hai."
In conclusion, acupuncture treatment for chronic gastritis has a long history in TCM, with numerous effective treatment methods recorded in ancient texts. These methods target specific symptoms and provide comprehensive therapeutic approaches for managing this condition effectively.
### Conclusion
The treatment of chronic gastritis through TCM acupuncture offers a holistic approach that addresses both the symptoms and underlying causes of the condition. By understanding the etiology of chronic gastritis and applying appropriate acupuncture techniques, patients can experience relief from their symptoms and improve their overall well-being.
