Infantile diarrhea is a digestive syndrome characterized by increased frequency and changes in stool consistency due to various reasons. It is most common in the summer and autumn seasons and has a significant impact on children's health. If not treated in a timely manner, it can affect their growth and development, and even endanger their lives. Therefore, it should be taken seriously. Massage techniques can provide some relief. Let's take a look at the massage techniques for infantile diarrhea.
Massage Techniques for Cold Damp Diarrhea in Infants
Main Symptoms: Watery stools with many bubbles, pale and odorless, abdominal pain with bowel movements, pale face, no thirst, clear and long urine, white and greasy tongue coating, moist pulse, red fingerprints.
Treatment Principles: Warm the middle and dispel cold, transform dampness and stop diarrhea.
Massage Techniques: Tonify the Spleen Meridian, massage Sanguan acupoints, tonify the large intestine, rub the Outer Labor Palace, rub the navel, massage the upper seven vertebral joints, massage the tail of the turtle, and knead the Zusanli acupoint on the foot.
Rationale: Massaging the Sanguan acupoints and rubbing the Outer Labor Palace can warm and dispel cold. Combined with tonifying the Spleen Meridian, rubbing the navel, and kneading the Zusanli acupoint, it can invigorate the spleen, transform dampness, warm the middle, and dispel cold. Tonifying the large intestine, massaging the upper seven vertebral joints, and rubbing the tail of the turtle can warm the middle and stop diarrhea.
If there is severe abdominal pain and intense bowel movements, add rubbing the Yiwofeng acupoint and pressing the Du Meridian; if there is weakness, add pinching the spine; if there is restlessness, add clearing the Liver Meridian and pinching the five finger joints.
Massage Techniques for Damp Heat Diarrhea in Infants
Main Symptoms: Abdominal pain followed by immediate diarrhea, urgent and explosive stools, yellow-brown and foul-smelling, slight fever, thirst, decreased urine with yellow color, yellow and greasy tongue coating, slippery and rapid pulse, purple fingerprints.
Treatment Principles: Clear heat, promote urination, regulate the middle, and stop diarrhea.
Massage Techniques: Clear the Spleen and Stomach, clear the large intestine, clear the small intestine, retreat the six fu organs, rub the Tian Shu acupoint, rub the tail of the turtle.
Rationale: Clearing the Spleen and Stomach can clear damp heat from the middle burner. Clearing the large intestine, rubbing the Tian Shu acupoint, can clear and promote the smooth flow of the intestines and remove dampness and heat. Retreating the six fu organs and clearing the small intestine can clear heat, promote urination, and eliminate dampness. Rubbing the tail of the turtle can regulate the intestines and stop diarrhea.
Massage Techniques for Food Stagnation Diarrhea in Infants
Main Symptoms: Abdominal pain and bloating, crying and fussiness before diarrhea, relief of pain after diarrhea, large amount of sour-smelling stools, bad breath, sometimes accompanied by vomiting sour or spoiled food, thick or greasy tongue coating, slippery pulse.
Treatment Principles: Promote digestion, invigorate the middle, and assist in transportation.
Massage Techniques: Tonify the Spleen Meridian, clear the large intestine, rub the Banmen acupoint, move the internal Bagua, wipe the Zhongwan acupoint, rub the abdomen, rub the Tian Shu acupoint, rub the tail of the turtle.
Rationale: Tonifying the Spleen Meridian, rubbing the Zhongwan acupoint, moving the internal Bagua, and rubbing the Banmen acupoint can invigorate the spleen, harmonize the stomach, and promote digestion to relieve stagnation. Clearing the large intestine, rubbing the Tian Shu acupoint, can smooth and regulate the intestines and relieve stagnation. Rubbing the tail of the turtle can regulate the intestines and stop diarrhea.
Massage Techniques for Spleen Deficiency Diarrhea in Infants
Main Symptoms: Persistent and recurring diarrhea, pale face, poor appetite, loose stools with curdled milk and food residue, or diarrhea immediately after eating, pale tongue with thin coating, moist pulse. If the diarrhea persists for a long time and affects the Kidney Yang, symptoms such as pale face, watery stools, frequent bowel movements, cold limbs, pale tongue with white coating, weak and feeble pulse may appear. In severe cases, there may be continuous diarrhea, failure to digest grains, cold limbs, weak and almost imperceptible pulse, and even coma.
Treatment Principles: Strengthen the spleen, replenish qi, warm the Yang, and stop diarrhea.
Massage Techniques: Tonify the Spleen Meridian, replenish the large intestine to strengthen the spleen and replenish qi, solidify the intestines and promote regular bowel movements; massage the Sanguan acupoints, rub the abdomen, knead the navel, pinch the spine to warm the Yang and replenish the middle; combined with massaging the upper seven vertebral joints and rubbing the tail of the turtle to warm the Yang and stop diarrhea.
If there is Kidney Yang deficiency, add tonifying the Kidney Meridian and rubbing the Outer Labor Palace; if there is abdominal distension, add moving the internal Bagua; if the diarrhea is persistent, add rubbing the Baihui acupoint.
Precautions for Massage Techniques for Infantile Diarrhea
If the child has pale face, very little or no urine, sunken eye sockets, frequent vomiting, difficulty eating, listlessness, etc. along with diarrhea, it is necessary to seize the opportunity and use a combination of Chinese and Western medicine for treatment.
