Baby constipation, also known as dry stool, is a common condition in infants. Massage can be used to regulate the spleen and stomach, relieve discomfort. Let's take a look at the massage techniques for baby constipation.
Causes of Baby Constipation
Baby constipation is often caused by insufficient breast milk and being fed with formula milk, inadequate water intake, or excessive consumption of spicy and greasy foods, leading to accumulation of heat in the intestines and stomach and depletion of body fluids, resulting in dry and hard stool. If the baby is weak after an illness, qi and blood deficiency can cause weakness in the large intestine, making it difficult to pass stool. Blood deficiency can result in lack of moisture in the intestines, leading to dry stool. In addition, if the baby does not develop a habit of regular bowel movements, it can also cause habitual constipation.
Massage Techniques for Dry Stool in Babies
Main symptoms: dry and hard stool, red face and hot body, restlessness, excessive sweating, reduced appetite, abdominal distension and pain, dry and foul mouth, craving for cold drinks, short and red urine, thick yellow tongue coating, purple fingerprints, indicating heat accumulation in the intestines and stomach; dry and difficult stool, fullness in the abdomen, preference for warmth and aversion to cold, cold limbs, belching or vomiting, white tongue coating, pale fingerprints, indicating cold stagnation.
Treatment principle: regulate the spleen and stomach, resolve accumulation and relieve stagnation.
Massage prescription: massage the large intestine and abdomen 300 times each, regulate the spleen meridian (add tonification after regulation), retreat the six fu organs, perform the inner bagua exercise 200 times each, massage the shoulder yang pool, push down the seven vertebral segments 100 times each, massage the Three Miles Point on the foot, rub and massage the ribcage, pinch the spine 20 times each.
Massage explanation: Regulating the spleen meridian, massaging the abdomen, pinching the spine, and massaging the Three Miles Point on the foot have the function of invigorating the spleen and promoting movement. Performing the inner bagua exercise and rubbing and massaging the ribcage can soothe the liver and regulate qi, and regulate the spleen and stomach. Massaging the large intestine, retreating the six fu organs, massaging the shoulder yang pool, and pushing down the seven vertebral segments can resolve accumulation and relieve stagnation.
Differentiation and modification: For those with red face and hot body, add regulation of the spleen and stomach meridians, and regulate the Tianhe water point; for those with distension and fullness in the epigastrium, add rubbing the four transverse lines and massaging the middle epigastrium; for those with nausea and vomiting, add pushing the transverse lines towards the Banmen acupoint.
Massage Techniques for Weak and Dry Stool in Babies
Treatment principle: invigorate the spleen, nourish qi, nourish blood, and nourish yin.
Massage prescription: tonify the spleen meridian, massage the Three Gates Point, massage the abdomen 300 times each, tonify the kidney meridian, massage the large intestine 200 times each, massage the shoulder yang pool, massage the upper horse point, massage the Three Miles Point on the foot, pinch the spine 20 times each.
Massage explanation: Tonifying the spleen meridian, massaging the Three Gates Point, massaging the abdomen, pinching the spine, and massaging the Three Miles Point on the foot can invigorate the spleen, regulate the middle, nourish qi, and nourish blood. Tonifying the kidney meridian, massaging the large intestine, massaging the shoulder yang pool, and massaging the upper horse point can nourish yin and moisturize dryness.
Differentiation and modification: For those with fatigue, poor appetite, and abdominal distension, add massaging the Banmen and middle epigastrium, massaging the navel, massaging the Pishu and Weishu points; for those with abdominal pain, add massaging the outer labor palace.
Care and Taboos for Baby Constipation
1. For those caused by congenital or organic lesions, they are not within the scope of massage treatment.
2. Baby should be fed with more high-fiber foods, such as whole grains and vegetables.
3. Cultivate a habit of regular bowel movements for the baby.
4. For those with weak spleen and stomach, little food and stool, attention should be paid to nourishing the stomach qi.
Differential Diagnosis of Baby Constipation
1. Meconium plug syndrome: Due to the concentrated and thick meconium, transient low-level intestinal obstruction symptoms may occur. After flushing out the meconium through enema, normal bowel movements can be restored and no longer relapse.
2. Congenital megacolon: This is a common congenital intestinal malformation in children. Clinical manifestations include delayed passage of meconium, intractable constipation, abdominal distension, vomiting, malnutrition, delayed development, empty ampulla of the rectum on digital rectal examination. After the finger is withdrawn, due to the accumulation of a large amount of feces in the proximal intestine, foul-smelling gas and stool can be discharged.
