3 Acupoints and a Gut-Soothing Porridge for Every Type of Diarrhea

Herbs, acupuncture, and diet changes can help bring relief by targeting the root causes of diarrhea.

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Frequent diarrhea can often stem from imbalances in the body’s energy or disordered metabolism. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) provides a holistic framework, categorizing diarrhea into various types based on underlying causes and offering targeted treatments to restore the body’s natural harmony.

Types of Diarrhea

A central concept in TCM for understanding digestive issues like diarrhea is “dampness,” which refers to an accumulation of unprocessed fats and waste that disrupts your body’s water metabolism, potentially leading to indigestion and loose, unformed stools.

The dampness condition is primarily split into cold-damp and damp-heat types.

Diarrhea of Cold-Damp Type

Cold-damp type diarrhea is triggered by excessive cold and dampness in the body, often occurring after eating raw or cold foods. Symptoms include abdominal pain, watery stools, loss of appetite, and feeling cold, sometimes accompanied by fever.