Lower abdominal pain is caused by severe irritation or injury to intra-abdominal tissues or organs. Furthermore, abdominal pain is a subjective sensation, and the type and intensity of abdominal pain are influenced not only by the condition of the lesion and the degree of irritation, but also by neurological and psychological factors.
Abdominal pain can be divided into two categories: acute and chronic. The aetiology is extremely complex and includes inflammation, tumour, haemorrhage, obstruction, perforation, trauma and dysfunction. The causes of lower abdominal pain are diverse and encompass many specialties.
Symptoms
Persistent or recurrent pain in the lower abdomen.
TCM acupuncture treatment of lower abdominal pain is based on the determination of cold, heat, deficiency and excess of qi and blood. When treating pain due to excess, the focus should be on eliminating the pathogenic factors; when treating pain due to deficiency, one should warm and tone Qi and nourish Blood. For long-lasting pain, one can activate meridians and blood to reopen the meridians.
Numerous clinical studies show that acupuncture can relieve acute lower abdominal pain. Acupuncture has the best effect on acute spastic, allergic and functional lower abdominal pain.
Acupuncture often shows an immediate effect in treating abdominal pain. Acupuncture can decongest the meridians, regulate the flow of Qi and relieve pain. The treatment plan is designed according to a variety of causes. Acupuncture can be used in combination with phytotherapy or moxibustion.
For patients with liver and qi stagnation, a reducing method is used; for patients suffering from cold, acupuncture and moxibustion can be used to warm the centre and dispel the cold; for patients with spleen yang complaints, a strengthening method is used to warm the spleen yang.