Reflexology treatment for vomiting

The regurgitation of vomitus from stomach with or without vomiting noise is caused by the adverse ascent of stomach qi.
   
Differential diagnosis: Patients with vomiting caused by cold pathogens may have sudden vomiting with vomitus containing clear fluid and saliva, white tongue coating, and floating pulse. Patients whose  conditions is caused by heat pathogens may have repeated vomiting with vomitus containing sour and bitter bile, thirst with desire to drink cold water, red tongue, and rapid pulse. Patients with vomiting caused by improper food may have vomiting with vomitus containing undigested food with relief of symptoms after vomiting, fullness and distension of upper abdomen, anorexia, foul stool, thick and greasy tongue coating, arid rolling and forceful pulse. Patients with vomiting caused by stagnation of phlegm may suffer from distension of abdomen, vomiting with vomitus containing sputum, preference for hot drinks after vomiting, anorexia, dizziness, heart palpitations, pale tongue with white coating, and rolling and soft pulse. And patients with an attack of liver qi to the stomach may have vomiting after meals caused by emotional distress, relieved of symptoms after vomiting, tidiness and distension or pain in chest and flank, annoyance and depression, red borders of tongue, and wiry pulse. Vomiting due to nerves, gastritis, spasms or obstruction of pylorus, cholecystitis, cerebrovascular accident and hepatic coma recognized by modern medicine may be treated by the following methods.
   
Treatment:
Foot massage: The massage is applied to spleen (34), stomach (15), coeliac plexus (20), liver (18) and duodenum (16) reflecting areas (Fig. 67).
   
Foot acupuncture:
1) Meridianal acupoints: At Qiuxu (GB40), Pucan (BL61), Zutonggu (BL66), Yinbai (SP 1), Dadu (SP 2), Taibai (SP3), a reducing technique is applied and the needles are retained for 20 minutes. Moxibustion after acupuncture may be applied to patients with cold pathogens or phlegm stagnation.

2) Extra acupoint: A reducing technique is applied at Nuxi (EX-F6) acupoint and the needle is retained for 20 minutes. Moxibustion after acupuncture may be applied to patients with cold pathogens or phlegm stagnation.

3) Foot acupoints: At Stomach (FA-P 8), Colon (FA-P 13), Small intestine (FA-P 11) and Spleen (FA-P 10) acupoints, a moderate twisting stimulation is applied with the needles not retained. Patients with vomiting caused by cold pathogens or phlegm stagnation may be treated with moxibustion after acupuncture with the needles retained for 20 minutes.
   
External application of drugs:
1) After pig oil is smeared on the soles, a garlic paste is applied over the central area of both soles and wrapped with gauze.

2) The powder of alum and wheat flour in an adequate amount are mixed with vinegar or boiled water to prepare a paste for application over Yongquan (KI 1) acupoint and covered by a piece of sulfate paper and gauze.
   
Foot bath:
For vomiting and diarrhea due to improper food, a warm decoction of 3000 ml in 40 degrees centigrade prepared by boiling pepper 20 gm, a handful of mung beans, Huanglian (Chinese goldthread rhizome) 120 gm and dry ginger 120 gm in water for 20 minutes is used for shower of chest and abdomen, and then for soaking and washing both feet for 30 to 60 minutes, one or two times a day.