Insufficient Gastric Motility (Indigestion)

Summary of Insufficient Gastric Motility (Indigestion) from a TCM Perspective

In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), insufficient gastric motility, or indigestion, is categorized as “Epigastric Fullness” (脘痞, Wǎn Pǐ) or “Stomach Pain” (胃痛, Wèi Tòng).

The condition is fundamentally seen as a dysfunction of the Spleen and Stomach, the central organs of digestion. The free flow of Qi in the middle burner is obstructed, leading to a feeling of blockage, fullness, bloating, and pain. This process often involves the Liver, as emotional stress can lead to Liver Qi Stagnation, which in turn disrupts the stomach’s function and worsens the symptoms.

Pathogenic factors such as food stagnation, phlegm-damp, Qi stagnation, or accumulated heat can cause or exacerbate this obstruction, leading to a failure of the stomach’s normal descending function.

The primary treatment principle is to regulate the Spleen and Stomach, move Qi to resolve the blockage, and restore the proper ascending and descending functions of digestive Qi. Treatment is tailored to the specific underlying pattern, which commonly includes:

• Food Stagnation (饮食停滞): Caused by overeating or improper diet.

• Phlegm-Damp Obstruction (痰湿内阻): Characterized by a heavy, stuffy feeling and a thick, greasy tongue coating.

• Liver Qi Stagnation (肝郁气滞): Caused by emotional factors, leading to bloating, irritability, and sighing.

• Spleen-Stomach Deficiency (脾胃虚弱): An underlying weakness of the digestive system, leading to chronic bloating and fatigue.

• Pathogenic Heat Trapped Internally (邪热内陷): Involves a burning sensation and thirst.