Diarrhea Medication: Which TCM Herbs Work?
Diarrhea is a common condition that most people experience at some point in their lives. While it often resolves on its own, understanding its causes, symptoms, and treatment options is essential for effective management. Let's explore the basics of diarrhea, self-care tips, and how Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) offers unique remedies to address various types of this condition.
What is Diarrhea and how does it affect me?
Diarrhea is characterised by the frequent passage of loose, watery stools. It typically lasts for a few days and often resolves without specific treatment. Chronic diarrhea, however, may persist for weeks or longer and might indicate a serious underlying condition.
What are the Causes for Diarrhea?
Diarrhea can result from various factors, including:
Infections: Viral infections from Rotavirus, Norovirus, Adenovirus; Bacterial infections from E. coli, Salmonella, Shigella, Campylobacter; Parasite infections from Giardia lamblia, Cryptosporidium.
Food-related: Food poisoning e.g. from contaminated food or water; food intolerance e.g. lactose intolerance, gluten intolerance; food allergies e.g. allergies to eggs, nuts or shellfish.
Medications: Antibiotics (can disrupt normal gut flora); Laxatives; Chemotherapy drugs.
Digestive Disorders: Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS): Characterized by a mix of diarrhea and constipation; Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD): Includes Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis; Celiac Disease: An immune reaction to gluten.
Other causes: Traveler's Diarrhea: Often due to consuming contaminated food or water while traveling; Hyperthyroidism: Overactive thyroid gland can speed up digestion; Surgery: Particularly on the stomach or gallbladder.
What are the Symptoms of Diarrhea?
In addition to frequent, loose or watery stools that is a trademark symptom of diarrhea, other symptoms include:
Abdominal cramps
Urgency to have a bowel movement
Nausea or vomiting
Blood or mucus in stool
Weight loss
Fever
Dehydration (indicated by dry mouth, reduced urination, dizziness)
Self-Help and Prevention Tips for Diarrhea
With dietary management and proper hydration, diarrhea can be managed and recovery can be sped up. Below are some self-care and lifestyle changes that can help:
Dietary management: BRAT diet: Bananas, rice, applesauce and toast. Food high in soluble fiber that can help slow down the speed of excrement from the bowels. Avoid dairy, food high in fat, insoluble fiber as well as caffeine.
Hydration: Oral rehydration solutions contain salts and sugars to replace lost fluids and electrolytes which can become imbalanced after prolonged diarrhea. In severe cases, intravenous fluids can be given should the patient be unable to drink.
How Traditional Chinese Medicine views Diarrhea
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), Diarrhea is viewed as being both a symptom and an illness per se. Referred to in the TCM texts as 泄泻 Xie Xie or 痢疾 Li Ji as an illness and a myriad of different descriptions alluding to frequent, loose or watery stools as a symptom, it is often categorized according to three main categories of excess, deficiency and a combination of the two. In the excess category, there are sub-categories like "Cold-Dampness, Damp-Heat, Food-Stagnation etc." In the deficiency category, there are sub-categories like "Spleen-Stomach deficiency, Kidney Yang deficiency etc." Lastly, an individual can have both excess and deficiency combined together in a unique way like “Liver Qi Invading Spleen”. Consequently, formulas or herbs that address these imbalances can be useful in the management of Diarrhea.
TCM Treatments: Herbs That Work for Diarrhea
To address the different sub-categories of diarrhea, TCM treatment employs the use of specific formulations to tackle the imbalance presented. Formulations avoid the use of a single herb, instead it uses a combination of many herbs that come together to be decocted into a single formula to be consumed. Below are some commonly used formulae used for the treatment of the above mentioned categories of diarrhea:
Cold-Dampness: 藿香正气散(Huo Xiang Zheng Qi powder) - important component herbs include:藿香(Huo Xiang) 紫苏(Zi Su)
Damp-Heat: 葛根芩连汤 (Ge Gen Qin Lian decoction) - important component herbs include: 葛根(Ge Gen) 黄芩(Huang Qin)
Food-Stagnation: 保和丸 (Bao He pills) - important component herbs include: 神曲(Shen Qu) 山楂(Shan Zha)
Spleen-Stomach deficiency: 参苓白术散 (Shen Ling Bai Zhu powder) - important component herbs include: 茯苓(Fu Ling) 白术(Bai Zhu)
Kidney Yang deficiency: 四神丸 (Si Shen pills) - important component herbs include: 补骨脂(Bu Gu Zhi) 吴茱萸(Wu Zhu Yu)
Liver Qi Invading Spleen: 痛泻要方(Tong Xie Yao Fang) - important component herbs include: 防风(Fang Feng) 陈皮 (Chen Pi)
Of all the 6 formulae mentioned above, only the first one - Huo Xiang Zheng Qi powder is readily available in TCM medical halls or western medicine pharmacies. This is both a testament to the phenomenon that sudden onset of diarrhea tends to belong to the Cold-Dampness variety as well as the safety of Huo Xiang Zheng Qi powder in addressing this form of diarrhea. Other herbs and formulae tend to require the guidance of a TCM practitioner before being prescribed and consumed by the patient.
Out in the market, there are numerous over-the-counter Chinese Proprietary Medicine (CPM) that are formulated to alleviate diarrhea. These include the often-heard Po Chai pills or Teck Aun Chi Kit pills. Sometimes, TCM medical halls have their own formulated powders or pills that address diarrhea as well. In general, these medicines address uncomplicated forms of diarrhea (those without the 7 other symptoms mentioned above) and are safe and well-tolerated by our bodies. Consumption of said medicine also stops when the symptoms get better thus the risk of overdosing on them is slim. However, should diarrhea worsen or persist even after 3 days of consumption of these medicines, stop immediately and seek professional medical advice.
How Many Sessions Do I Need?
Generally, treatments and herbal medications for diarrhea are quick acting and have long lasting effects. Upon diagnosis, any underlying conditions should also be tackled to resolve the problem at its root.
At Common TCM, your physician will review your medical history and determine the optimal frequency of visits based on the duration, severity of symptoms as well as any other underlying medication conditions (e.g. IBS) that may affect the prognosis.
Who is this suitable for?
Treatment is suitable for everyone, with that being said a personalised consultation with the physician will be necessary to determine the treatments chosen. This consultation can also be an opportunity to review your well-being status, stress levels, so as to personalise your healthcare journey.
Most importantly, do your research and seek advice from reputable professionals at a good TCM clinic in Singapore for an elevated healing experience. For more information, visit our website to learn more about our treatments and physicians or to book an appointment. Your well-being is our priority, and we are here to support you on your journey towards better health.
