What is rectal prolapse? Rectal prolapse can cause great pain in life, but how do you know if you have rectal prolapse? You need to understand the symptoms of rectal prolapse, diagnose the condition, and then treat it accordingly. Traditional Chinese medicine often uses the herb acidum clematidis to treat rectal prolapse. Let's understand the efficacy and function of acidum clematidis together.
What is Rectal Prolapse?
1. Bleeding: Generally, there are no bleeding symptoms. Occasionally, when the stool is dry, there may be some blood when wiping the mucosa. The stool may also have blood, but the amount of bleeding is small.
2. Prolapse: This is the main symptom of rectal prolapse. In the early stages, the rectal mucosa prolapses during bowel movements but returns on its own after defecation. As the condition worsens and the body's resistance gradually weakens, the entire layer or part of the colon may protrude, even during coughing, heavy lifting, walking, or squatting. It is difficult to reduce the prolapse without manual assistance or rest in bed.
3. Moisture: Some patients have a feeling of moisture due to relaxation and weakness of the anal sphincter, which causes mucous to flow out of the anus. If the prolapse is not reduced in a timely manner, the rectal mucosa may become congested, swollen, or ulcerated, and the mucus can irritate the perianal skin, causing itching.
4. Heaviness: The prolapse of the rectal or colonic mucosa can cause compression and heaviness in the anal region. Some may also feel heaviness in the groin and coccyx area.
5. Incarceration: When the rectal prolapse cannot be reduced in time during defecation, if the duration is prolonged, local venous return may be obstructed, leading to inflammation, swelling, and incarceration. At this time, the mucosa gradually changes from red to dark red, and even superficial mucosal erosion or necrosis may occur. In some cases, the prolapsed segment of the intestine may become strangulated and necrotic due to contraction of the anal sphincter.
The symptoms of patients will progress from local reactions to systemic reactions, with increasing body temperature, decreased appetite, difficult urination, constipation, intensified pain and heaviness, restlessness when sitting or lying down, and even symptoms of intestinal obstruction.
Treatment of Rectal Prolapse with Acidum Clematidis
Boil 30g of acidum clematidis root, 15g of castor bean root, and 25g of lelu root (root of the climbing fern) together with chicken. Take the decoction orally. (Reference: "Identification and Application of Common Chinese Herbal Medicines")
Efficacy and Function of Acidum Clematidis
Acidum clematidis has the effects of clearing heat, detoxifying, dispelling stasis, and stopping bleeding. It is mainly used to treat redness and swelling of the throat, bleeding gums, dysentery, diarrhea, ulcers, itching skin, painful and swollen hemorrhoids, and bruises.
1. "Lu Chuan Ben Cao": Anti-inflammatory, antibacterial. Used to treat oral inflammation, pharyngitis, gingivitis, ulcers, etc. It can also counteract the toxicity of large amounts of tea, wood, and croton.
2. "Nanning Pharmaceutical Journal": Insecticidal, reducing swelling, promoting digestion. Used externally for bruises and ulcerations. Internally used to treat internal and external hemorrhoids (also used for external washing), sore throat, and painful feet (cooked with dog feet).
3. "Manual of Commonly Used Chinese Herbal Medicines in Guangzhou Military Region": Blood-activating and pain-relieving, astringent and anti-diarrheal. Used to treat bruises and pain from falls, enteritis and diarrhea, and sore throat.
Dietary Therapy for Rectal Prolapse
1. Astragalus, eel, and red dates soup: Take 200g of fresh eel, remove the internal organs and cut into sections. Add 30g of astragalus and 10 red dates to a sand pot. Add an appropriate amount of water and a little vegetable oil. Simmer until the eel is tender. Season to taste. Drink the soup and eat the meat. This soup can nourish Qi and blood and lift the Qi. It is mainly used to treat rectal prolapse in the elderly. Symptoms include fatigue, dizziness, shortness of breath, sore and weak waist, and pale complexion.
2. Astragalus and coix seed stewed pig intestines: Boil 150g of pig intestines in boiling water for a short time to remove any foul taste. Add 30g of astragalus and 30g of coix seed. Add an appropriate amount of water and simmer over low heat until the intestines are tender. Season to taste. Drink the soup and eat the intestines.
3. Astragalus and white atractylodes porridge: Take 30g of astragalus, 15g of white atractylodes, and 15g of bupleurum. Simmer with an appropriate amount of water for 40 minutes, strain and remove the residue, then add 100g of glutinous rice to cook into porridge. This porridge can tonify Qi, invigorate the spleen, and lift the Yang. It is mainly used to treat elderly patients with insufficient Qi and visceral prolapse due to weakness. Symptoms include fatigue, shortness of breath, spontaneous sweating, and worsened symptoms with movement.
