When stomach pain strikes, many people's first reaction is to take acid-suppressing medication.
These drugs can indeed alleviate some symptoms, but for certain types of stomach ailments, their effectiveness is less than satisfactory.
Western medicine is not a universal key, especially when the cause is not excessive stomach acid。
The reasons behind stomach pain are complex and varied
organic lesion
- such as gastric ulcer, atrophic gastritis, gastric tumor, etc.
Functional disorder
- such as functional dyspepsia, gastroesophageal reflux
Neurogenic Factors
- Anxiety and stress-induced gastrointestinal dysfunction
Metabolic Issues
- Diabetic Gastroparesis and Others
In patients with atrophic gastritis, gastric mucosal atrophy often leads to reduced gastric acid secretionInsufficiency rather than excess。
At this point, using strong acid-suppressing drugs may further weaken digestive function and mask the underlying condition.
Why do acid-suppressing drugs make you feel worse the more you take themWestern medicine treatment focuses on inhibiting gastric acid secretion or neutralizing gastric acid, which is effective for common gastritis.
However, when atrophic gastritis is accompanied by intestinal metaplasia, the etiology involves multiple complex factors, including mucosal atrophy, decline in digestive function, and bile reflux.
Simply suppressing acid is like only blocking a flood without dredging the river channel, which cannot solve the fundamental problem.
Traditional Chinese medicine theory emphasizes "treating the root cause of disease," which is precisely the insight Ms. Liang's case offers us.
Ms. Liang, 42 years old, has been diagnosed with "atrophic gastritis with intestinal metaplasia" for half a year. Her suffering far exceeds what ordinary people can imagine:
- Daily stomach cramps feel like being pierced by needles
- heartburn and bitter taste in the mouth
- Recurrent acid reflux prevents lying flat
- Western medicine treatment showed no improvement after half a year
Traditional Chinese Medicine syndrome differentiation identifies the root cause of the problem
After the initial consultation online, it was found that the root cause lies in the imbalance of the liver, gallbladder, spleen, and stomach.
- hypochondriac and abdominal distension and pain radiating to the back—qi and blood stasis in the liver meridian
- Heartburn, bitter taste in the mouth, and acid reflux—gallbladder qi ascending to invade the stomach
- loose stool and fatigue - spleen deficiency and impaired transportation
- dark tongue with yellow greasy coating—coexistence of damp-heat and blood stasis
Three-stage dynamic treatment plan
Phase 1:Soothing the Liver, Dispersing Turbidity, and Relieving Acute Pain
- softening the liver and relieving depression to alleviate needle-like colic
- Drain gallbladder fire to relieve bitter taste in mouth and acid reflux
- Two weeks later, the frequency of colic attacks decreased by 50%
Phase Two:Strengthen the Spleen, Resolve Dampness, Regulate Qi Movement
- Restore the ascending and descending functions of the spleen and stomach
- Eliminate abdominal distension and loose stools
- After 1 month of treatment, the sensation of heartburn disappeared
Phase 3:Nourishing Stomach Yin and Unblocking Stasis Collaterals
- Repair atrophic gastric mucosa
- Reverse the trend of intestinal metaplasia
- After 3 months, gastroscopy showed mucosal repair
Efficacy Testimony:
3 months: Frequency of colic attacks reduced
6-month follow-up: significant improvement in gastric mucosal atrophy, regression of intestinal metaplasia foci
Follow-up for 1 year: Diet and lifestyle have returned to normal, with no recurrence.
Stomach pain is not a trivial matter, especially when it occurs repeatedly over a long period and Western medicine treatments are ineffective. It is crucial to undergo a timely gastroscopy for a clear diagnosis.
For complex gastric diseases, the combination of traditional Chinese and Western medicine often achieves a "1+1>2" effect.
Intervention before organic lesions occur in the gastric mucosa is a critical window period for blocking cancer progression。
