Abdominal Pain Flashcards
Abdominal Pain
General Red Flags
5 things
- Difficulty doing day to day activites
- Rigidity
- Guarding
- Swelling
- Rebound Tenderness
Red Flag
Acute Appendicitis
- Tenderness in lower RIGHT quadrant
- Pain starts around umbilicus –> towards right lower abdominal region
Red Flag
Acute Pancreatitis
( pancreas is located behind the ST, helps with digestion)
Pain improves when leaning forward
Red Flags
Peritonitis
Very Painful
Abdominal organs are inflamed
Red Flags
Bowel Obstruction
- Pain in mid - lower abdomen (colic)
- Inability to pass stool
Red Flags
Ruptured Abdomen
High mortality rate - 911 immediatly
Abdominal aneurysm
- Severe pain in ab
- Throbbing sensation in abdomin
Red Flags
Kidney Stones
- Pain starts in loin and radiates to abdominal region, groin and sometimes the back.
- Pain comes in waves
Red Flags
Colon Cancer
Age: 50+
- Epigastric pain
- Dyspepsia (impaired digestion) for the first time
- Blood in stool
- Unexplained weight loss
Red Flags
Helicobacter Pylori Infection
Bacterial Infection of ST and Duodenum
Age: 50+
- Epigastric pain
- Dyspepsia (impaired digestion) for the first time
Red Flag
Diverticulitis
Inflamed Protrusions in colon
- Unilateral Pain - more often on lower left side
- alternating dirrhea and constipation
Red Flags
IBS
Disorder of entire digestive tract
- pain is lateral
*or * - pain varies from ache to spastic pain
emotional factors can trigger
Red Flags
Ulcerative Colitis
chronic inflammation of bowel ( LI)
Attacks of bloody diarrhea
LI becomes inflamed and ulcerated
Red Flags
Crohn’s Disease
Inflammation of GI track mostly SI ( Ileum )
Chronic diarrhea, sometimes bloody
Etiology of Abdominal Pain
EPI Invasion
(External Pathogenic Invasion)
Explain how EPI can cause Ab Pain?
- Cold, heat, damp-heat can obstruct QI and BLOOD flow.
- T & T Function becomes inpaired
Etology of Ab Pain
Improper Diet
Explain how improper diet can cause Ab pain?
- Greasy, sweet, cold, raw foods created stagnation.
- Stagnation impairs T & T Function.
Etiology of Ab Pain
Emotions
Explain how emotions can cause Ab pain?
- Emotions affect the flow of QI
- That affects Liver’s smoothe flow of Qi
- Qi then stagnates leading to Blood stasis
- LR can also overact on ST/SP causing pain
Etiology of Ab Pain
Consitiutional Yang Deficiency
Explain how Yang XU can cause Ab pain?
- Chronic Yang XU leads to COLD
- Cold congeals/contracts
- Cold causes chronic XU pain
Name some points to use for Ab Pain:
Cold Invasion
sharp pain, prefer warm, no thirst, abundant clear urine, loose stool
ST 36 - command of ab
ST 25 - Mu of LI
SP 4 - imperical to stop diarrhea
ST 34 - Xi cleft of ST, use for pain
CV 12 - Mu of ST
PC 6 - Yin Linking (use for chest and trunk)
Name some Points to use for Ab Pain:
Accumulation of Damp Heat
Burining pain, diarrhea or constipation, thirst, dark scanty urine
foul breath, sweating/fever, irritability
ST 25 - Mu LI
LI 11 - Heat clearing (reduce)
SP 9 - Clear damp, SP He Sea
ST 44 - Ying Spring (reduce)
ST 37 - Lower He Sea LI
GB 34 - Move Qi, GB He Sea
ST 36 - ST He Sea
Name some Points to use for Ab Pain:
Food Retention
fullness/pain, Ab distention, nausea after meals, belching, acid reflux
aggrivated by pressure, diarrhea with undigested food or constipation.
Li Nei Ting - under ST 44, for food retention
ST 44 - Ying spring
ST 25 - Mu LI
ST 34 - Xi Cleft (pain)
CV 12 - Mu ST
PC 6 - pain on trunk
LI 4 + LR3 - 4 gates (move Qi)
Name some Points to use for Ab Pain:
Qi Stagnation / Blood Stasis
Stabbing pain, fixed, sharp, often chronic, may be masses
BL 17 - Command Blood
SP 10 - Sea of Blood
CV 12 - Mu ST
ST 34 - Xi Cleft ST
ST 36 - Command Abdomin
LI4 + LR3 - Move Qi
Name some Points to use for Ab Pain:
SP / KD Yang XU
dull pain, like pressure/warmth, feels cold, tired, pale, loose stool
CV 8 - Moxa
CV 6 - Qi High
CV 12 - Mu ST
ST 25
ST 36
SP 4 - imperical for stop diarrhea
BL 20 - Back Shu SP
BL 21- Back Shu ST
BL 23 - Back Shu KD
