The Large Intestine According To Chinese Medicine

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THE LARGE INTESTINE ACCORDING TO CHINESE MEDICINE

CHINESE: 大肠

PINYIN: Dà Cháng

SUMMARY

The Large Intestine's main function is to receive the digested turbid content from the Small Intestine, absorb remaining water, move it downwards, form stools and discharge it through the anus.

THE FUNCTIONS OF THE LARGE INTESTINES

The large intestine meridian communicates with the lung (肺), with which it is externally-internally related. The two paired organs are associated with the metal element (金) and the emotion of grief.
The main function of the large intestine is to receive the waste material sent down from the small intestine, absorb its fluid content, and form the remainder into faeces to be excreted.

CLASSIFICATION

THE TCM LARGE INTESTINE FUNCTIONS

MAIN SYMPTOMS

Dysfunction of the Large Intestine may result in abdominal pain, loose stools or constipation. Digestive Disorder such as indigestions, Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and Heartburn may arise from such a disharmony.

PATTERNS OF DISHARMONY

1. DAMP-HEAT IN THE LARGE INTESTINE

The Large Intestine’s main function is to absorb fluids to form and excrete stools. This can be greatly disturbed due to the Dampness in the Organ. As a result, fluids cannot be absorbed properly, and diarrhoea happens. Dampness can also be reflected by the mucus in the stools, feeling of heaviness, abdominal fullness and pain, a sticky tongue coating and Slippery pulse. Finally, fever, which doesn’t disappear by sweating, might also occur due to Dampness. Please be aware that fever usually happens only for severe cases. If there are Heat in the Large Intestine, blood in the stools can happen as the Blood gets rebellious and leaks out of vessels due to excessive Heat. In additional to that, awfully stool smell, anus burning, thirst, dark urine, fever, red tongue and Rapid pulse are also the signs of Heat pattern. Depending on if Heat or Dampness predominates for a case, the symptoms of both patterns can vary greatly. Sometimes the patients only have symptoms of one pattern such as the Heat. Then that is the other pattern of Heat in the Large Intestine.

2. HEAT IN THE LARGE INTESTINE

Generally speaking, this pattern happens more as acute condition. The Full Heat burns the Body Fluids in the Large Intestine and give rises to Dryness, hence the symptoms of dry stools, burning and swelling of anus, thick yellow dry coating and a Rapid pulse. The Stomach is closely related to the Large Intestine through the Bright Yang. Therefore, the Heat normally co-exists in both Organs and it leads to dry mouth and dry tongue.

3. LARGE INTESTINE COLD

This is an Empty Cold pattern which is caused by prolong Deficiency of Spleen Yang. The Yang fails to warm the Large Intestine, hence the symptoms of dull abdominal pain and cold limbs. The function of absorbing Body Fluids is also impaired and thus the patients develop loose stools like duck droppings. It is different from the pattern of Cold invading the Large Intestine as the Cold here is Full. The Empty pattern often exists in chronic cases, while the Full one happens more in acute cases.

4. COLD INVADING THE LARGE INTESTINE

Like the Stomach and the Uterus, the large Intestine is one of the three Organs that the external Cold can invade directly. It is a Full Cold pattern and the Cold Evil penetrates the Defensive Qi and resides in the Large Intestine. The Cold then impairs the Qi circulation of the Lower Burner, hence the symptoms of sudden abdominal pain and cold sensation in the abdomen. The Cold also disturbs the Large Intestine’s function of absorbing Body Fluids and it causes diarrhoea with pain. The thick tongue coating indicates a Pernicious Influence sudden invasion. The Deep pulse reflects this Pernicious Influence is in the Interior and the Tight pulse suggests there are actual Full Cold.

5. LARGE INTESTINE QI STAGNATION

The main symptoms of Large Intestine Qi Stagnation are abdominal distension and pain, as Qi fails to circulate properly there. The bitty stools and irritability are also the typical manifestation.