Most mums-to-be experience morning sickness, an unpleasant side effect of pregnancy. Symptoms may vary, but common symptoms include loss of appetite and bouts of nausea and vomiting.
In most cases, morning sickness gradually resolves by the end of the first trimester without the need for medication. But some women experience symptoms throughout their pregnancy. Severe cases of morning sickness that some women experience (hyperemesis gravidarum) can cause dehydration and serious complications that may be harmful if left untreated.
While you can try certain tactics to prevent morning sickness, you can also look to natural Traditional Chinese Medicine(TCM) treatments to manage the symptoms and ease discomfort.
How can TCM be used to alleviate morning sickness?
In TCM, it is believed that morning sickness is related to the reversal of Qi in the Chong meridian after pregnancy, as well as issues with the stomach’s ability to descend. Diagnosis and treatment are based on the pregnant woman’s constitution, lifestyle habits, and other accompanying symptoms.
TCM treatments range from acupuncture to herbal remedies and Tuina, depending on each patient’s needs. Overall, TCM helps to reduce nausea and minimize discomforts like headaches, dizziness and insomnia. It can also improve digestion and ease acid reflux.
What are some TCM remedies that are suitable for pregnant women?
In TCM treatment for morning sickness, TCM physicians will prescribe different herbal remedies based on the specific symptoms, which include tonifying the spleen and qi, regulating liver qi, dispersing dampness and resolving phlegm, along with using medicines to help descend the stomach and alleviate nausea. This approach aims to alleviate the discomfort of morning sickness. There are a wide variety of effective Chinese herbal formulas that can be used to treat morning sickness.
TCM treats morning sickness by categorizing it based on one’s constitution, primarily into two types: Spleen-Stomach weakness and Liver-Qi disharmony.
For pregnant women with Spleen-Stomach weakness, their stools are loose, they may have a bland taste in their mouths, seasoning seems to make food tasteless, and they often feel fatigued. TCM primarily uses Xiang Sha Liu Jun Zi Tang for treatment.
Note: Pregnant women with this type of constitution should avoid consuming cold foods such as ice cream, watermelon, pomelo, grapes, and oranges.
Pregnant women with Liver-Qi disharmony typically experience a bitter taste in their mouths, the fluid they vomit is also bitter, and they may feel stuffiness and fullness in the chest and ribcage area. TCM primarily uses a herbal formula called Su Ye Huang Lian Tang for treatment. Besides, here are three simple remedies:
Si Shen Soup
This nourishing prescription strengthens the digestive system and improves immunity. Si Shen soup treats patients with “damp” body constitutions and typically consists of pearl barley, Poria, Chinese yam and Gordon Euryale seeds.
Li Zhong Wan
It is mainly composed of ginseng, Atractylodes, dried ginger, and Zhigancao, and is used as a Chinese herbal supplement to warm and reinforce the spleen and stomach. This pill relieves bloating, gas, and minor indigestion.
Shou Tai Wan
The main raw materials of Shou Tai Wan: dodder, locust, Dipsacus, donkey-hide gelatin. It is formulated to nourish the kidneys and strengthen the spleen. It helps pregnant women with “yang-deficient” constitutions whose symptoms include cold limbs, low tolerance for cold weather and lethargy.
Consult a licensed TCM physician before supplementing your diet with any herbal remedies.
Is it safe to undergo acupuncture during pregnancy?
Yes, the acupuncturist will avoid pressure points that are unsafe for pregnancy. Common acupuncture points used during the treatments are located around the head, forearms, legs, feet, and ears. These points stimulate the stomach, kidney, liver, and du meridians.
Are there some acupressure points to ease nausea?
In addition to herbal medicine, there are three acupressure points that pregnant women can perform at home. It can quickly alleviate the nausea and vomiting of morning sickness.
It’s advisable to massage these points regularly for 3 to 5 minutes each time, applying enough pressure to the following points:
- Neiguan 内关 (PC6)
Efficacy: It relieves nausea, calms the mind, regulates qi, and harmonizes the stomach.
Location: It is located on the inner wrist – about the distance of three finger widths below the wrist – between the tendons of the palmaris longus and flexor carpi radialis muscles.
- Zusanli 足三里 (ST36)
Efficacy: It relieve stomach discomfort, nausea, and vomiting.
Location: It is located below your kneecap, between the two bones of your lower leg.
