Title: After-Dinner Stomach Pain vs. Midnight Stomach Pain: One "Deficiency" and Two "Fires"
Author: Zhu Yongbing, a licensed Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Practitioner (Practice License Number: 241340321000051). This article is written by Dr. Zhu Yongbing and is based on classical TCM theories and clinical experience, intended for general knowledge and educational purposes only. The professional qualifications can be verified on the official website of the National Health Commission of China.
Why do some people start feeling a subtle pain in their stomach half an hour after eating, while others are woken up by pain in the middle of the night? In clinical practice of Traditional Chinese Medicine, this often hides two fundamentally different types of "fire"—one being "deficient fire" and the other "excess fire." Deficient fire is like the smoldering embers in a hearth, warm and slow but continuously consuming the body; excess fire, on the other hand, is like a sudden burst of fierce flames from a furnace...
Title: Understanding Deficient Fire and Excess Fire
Deficient fire, as described in TCM, is often associated with internal heat due to yin deficiency. It manifests as a chronic, mild discomfort that may be exacerbated after eating, leading to after-dinner stomach pain. The pain is usually described as a dull ache, and the affected individual may experience symptoms such as a dry mouth, red tongue, and a thin, yellow coating.
Excess fire, conversely, is a result of an imbalance in the body's energy, leading to an accumulation of heat. This type of fire manifests as acute, sharp pain, often waking individuals in the middle of the night. The pain may be accompanied by symptoms such as a bitter taste in the mouth, a red tongue with a thick, yellow coating, and a feeling of heat in the body.
Title: TCM Treatment for Stomach Pain
In TCM, the treatment of stomach pain is based on the diagnosis of the underlying imbalance. For cases of deficient fire, the focus is on nourishing yin and clearing heat. Herbs such as Rehmannia, Scrophularia, and Alisma are commonly used to nourish the yin and alleviate the heat. For excess fire, the treatment aims to clear heat and remove toxins. Herbs like Bupleurum, Scutellaria, and Forsythia are often prescribed to achieve this.
It is important to note that the diagnosis and treatment of stomach pain should be conducted by a qualified TCM practitioner. Self-medication based on this article is not recommended.