Information sheets

If you suffer from intense, drenching night sweats, a feeling of "heat steaming from the bones," severe anxiety, and a mind that won't switch off, you may be experiencing an extreme pattern called Kidney Yin Deficiency with Empty-Heat Blazing. This occurs when the body's cooling, moistening fluids (Yin) are so depleted that the body's normal warmth (Yang) rages out of control, creating an intense, agitating "empty fire."

Key signs include:

• Profuse night sweats.
• Severe mental restlessness, anxiety, and insomnia.
• A feeling of heat in the evening.
• A very dry mouth and throat.

This is a pattern of extreme deficiency creating what feels like an excess. Our acupressure treatments aim to strongly clear this empty heat while starting the slow process of replenishing Yin. We provide crucial guidance on a strictly cooling diet and radical rest to help you douse the flames and restore your inner calm.

Do you suffer from urgent, foul-smelling diarrhea with a painful burning sensation, mucus in the stool, and a feeling of not being "finished"? This is a classic presentation of Damp-Heat in the Large Intestine, an acute and inflammatory condition in Chinese Medicine. It's like a "hot, toxic swamp" in the lower bowel, caused by a diet of greasy, spicy, sugary foods and alcohol.

Key signs of this pattern include:

• Urgent diarrhea with a foul smell and burning sensation.
• Mucus or blood in the stool.
• Abdominal pain and possibly a fever.

It is crucial to see a medical doctor for these symptoms, especially if blood is present. Our acupressure therapy works alongside medical care to clear the underlying pattern. The lifestyle advice is paramount, requiring a strict, clean, and cooling diet to "drain the swamp" and extinguish the inflammatory fire.

Do you struggle with constipation characterized by dry, hard-to-pass stools, a burning sensation, and a strong thirst for cold drinks? This is a classic presentation of Heat in the Large Intestine. In Chinese Medicine, this excess pattern occurs when a "fire" in the bowel bakes the contents, drying up all the fluids and making elimination difficult.

Key signs of this pattern include:

• Dry constipation.
• Burning sensations, bad breath, and thirst for cold drinks.
• A general feeling of heat.

This is often caused by a long-term diet of spicy, heating foods and alcohol. Our acupressure treatments aim to clear this fire directly. The lifestyle advice is paramount, focusing on a cooling and moistening diet to douse the flames, rehydrate the system, and restore comfortable, regular bowel function.

Severe, constant abdominal pain that worsens with touch, combined with constipation (no stool or wind), high fever, and intense thirst are the signs of a serious, acute pattern called Heat Obstructing the Large Intestine. In Chinese Medicine, this means a "fire" in the bowel has baked the stool into a hard mass, creating a physical blockage.

Key signs of this pattern include:

• Severe abdominal pain, worse with pressure.
• Complete inability to pass stool or wind.
• High fever and intense thirst.

This pattern represents a medical emergency. If you have these symptoms, you must seek immediate medical attention at a hospital. Our acupressure therapy is only appropriate as a supportive measure after a serious medical condition like bowel obstruction has been ruled out or managed by a doctor.

Have you ever experienced a sudden attack of severe, cramping abdominal pain and watery diarrhea, often after eating cold/raw foods or getting chilled? This is a classic presentation of an acute pattern called Cold Invading the Large Intestine. In Chinese Medicine, this means external Cold has attacked the bowel, causing it to constrict and spasm.

Key signs of this pattern include:

• Sudden, severe, cramping pain in the abdomen.
• The pain is noticeably better with a hot water bottle.
• Acute, watery diarrhea.

This is an acute excess condition, not a chronic weakness. Our acupressure treatments aim to urgently expel the Cold and relax the spasm. The lifestyle advice is crucial and focuses on a strict, short-term diet of only hot, warming foods and the direct application of heat to resolve the pain quickly and effectively.

Do your digestive issues flare up with stress? Do you suffer from bloating, moving cramps, and irregular bowels that swing between constipation and diarrhea? This is the classic picture of Qi Stagnation in the Large Intestine, the primary Chinese Medicine pattern associated with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). It happens when emotional stress causes the Liver's energy to stagnate and "attack" the bowel, disrupting its normal rhythmic function.

Key signs of this pattern include:

• Abdominal distention and cramping pain.
• Pain that is relieved by passing wind or having a bowel movement.
• Symptoms that are always triggered or worsened by stress.

Our acupressure treatments focus on soothing the nervous system (the Liver) and directly regulating the bowel to "un-tie the knots." The lifestyle advice is crucial, centered on stress management techniques and regular exercise to restore a smooth, comfortable digestive flow.