Bloating is a very common condition, so most people don't pay much attention to it. But did you know that bloating can be very harmful and can even lead to various diseases? Therefore, getting rid of bloating is very important. Traditional Chinese medicine teaches you how to massage the Gongsun acupoint to quickly eliminate bloating.
[What causes bloating?]
1. Poor eating habits
Irregular eating habits, overeating or starving for a long time can easily damage the stomach. Eating too much greasy food can deplete the enzymes responsible for digesting fats and proteins, leading to poor digestion. Eating a diet high in protein or fat can also alter the gut microbiota and affect the survival of beneficial bacteria.
Eating too quickly without chewing thoroughly can prevent proper mixing of digestive juices and food, resulting in insufficient digestion and damage to the intestines. Eating too many gas-producing foods, such as legumes and sweet potatoes, which are difficult to be absorbed by the small intestine and instead are broken down in the large intestine, can cause excessive gas production by the bacteria in the large intestine, leading to stomach bloating.
Drinking too little water or consuming too little fiber can easily cause constipation and increase the risk of secondary colon cancer. Many people eat while talking, immediately sit down after eating, which can trap gas in the stomach and cause stomach bloating.
2. Irregular lifestyle
Irregular lifestyle, staying up late frequently, irregular mealtimes, and disrupted hunger and satiety signals can lead to abnormal intestinal movements and long-term burden on the gastrointestinal tract.
3. Various disease factors
Some gastrointestinal diseases, such as peptic ulcers, gastritis, intestinal obstruction, intussusception, gastrointestinal tumors, etc., can easily accumulate intestinal gas and cause bloating. In addition, people with rhinitis or nasal allergies often breathe through their mouths, which can easily suck air into the digestive tract and cause stomach bloating.
Image of the location of the Gongsun acupoint
[Massage the Gongsun acupoint to eliminate bloating]
The main symptoms of "food stagnation" include abdominal pain, intestinal rumbling, foul-smelling stools after diarrhea, relief of abdominal pain after diarrhea, accompanied by bloating in the epigastric region, belching with a rotten and sour smell, loss of appetite, and thick greasy tongue coating.
According to Chinese medicine, if the stomach is not harmonious, sleep will be disturbed. For example, eating too much for dinner can cause food stagnation and indigestion, resulting in disharmony of stomach qi. The disrupted qi flow in the middle and upper burners can then disturb the heart and mind, affecting sleep. Massaging the Gongsun acupoint can effectively relieve symptoms such as bloating. When the stomach qi is harmonious, the mind and heart will be at ease, and the problem of insomnia will naturally be resolved.
The specific technique is to use the thumb to press and rub the acupoint with moderate force for 10 minutes each time. Both feet should be massaged. If combined with massaging the Neiguan acupoint (located two fingers' width from the transverse crease of the wrist on the inner side of the forearm), which is an acupoint on the Hand Jueyin Pericardium Meridian, it will have a better effect in regulating stomach qi, widening the chest, and soothing the mind.
Studies have shown that massaging the Gongsun acupoint can also inhibit gastric acid secretion. People with excessive gastric acid can massage this acupoint between meals for 15-20 minutes.
[How to find the location of the Gongsun acupoint?]
1. Standard positioning
On the inner edge of the foot, below and in front of the base of the first metatarsal bone.
2. Method of locating the acupoint
Sit upright or lie supine, the back of the foot's big toe on the inner side, the acupoint is located one cun away from the Taibai acupoint or pushed back along the Taibai meridian to a depression.
Image of the location of the Gongsun acupoint
3. Anatomy of the acupoint
Located in the extensor hallucis brevis muscle; it is associated with the dorsal venous network of the foot, the medial plantar artery, and the medial tarsal artery branch; and it is innervated by the saphenous nerve and the superficial peroneal nerve.
[Functions and effects of the Gongsun acupoint]
1. Functions of the Gongsun acupoint
The Gongsun acupoint has the functions of strengthening the spleen, benefiting the stomach, and regulating the meridians. Massaging the Gongsun acupoint can alleviate symptoms of dysmenorrhea and have auxiliary effects on stomach pain, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and dysentery.
2. Effects of the Gongsun acupoint
The Gongsun acupoint has the functions of regulating the spleen and stomach and harmonizing the Chong and Ren meridians.
The Gongsun acupoint has the effects of regulating the spleen and stomach, regulating the Chong meridian, and clearing the mind and consciousness.
The Gongsun acupoint is an acupoint on the Foot Taiyin Spleen Meridian, which connects with the Foot Yangming Stomach Meridian. Its main function is to regulate the spleen and stomach. It is one of the main acupoints for treating digestive system diseases, and it can be used to treat indigestion, bloating, diarrhea, and edema caused by weak spleen and stomach.
The Gongsun acupoint is one of the eight confluent points, connected to the Chong meridian, and located in the chest and heart area. The Chong meridian originates from the uterus and disperses in the chest. The Foot Taiyin Spleen Meridian also ascends to the heart. Therefore, it can treat diseases related to the spleen, stomach, chest, and heart.
The Gongsun acupoint is one of the eight confluent points, connected to the Chong meridian, and has the functions of regulating qi, widening the chest, and eliminating phlegm and restlessness.
