Rectal prolapse is an uncomfortable and difficult to treat condition characterized by the rectum slipping into – or past – the anus. The exact cause isn’t known in western medicine, though straining during bowel movements and weakened pelvic muscles are frequently blamed on the condition.
In Chinese medicine, the diagnosis and prognosis are a bit different. And one of the tools that Houston practitioners use to treat the condition is herbal medicine.
Rectal Prolapse: a Western and Chinese Medicine Perspective
In western medicine, there aren’t many treatment options for a prolapsed rectum. They largely consist of surgical options, too, which come with risks that a patient may not want to take on.
In Chinese medicine, though, rectal prolapse is typically attributed to a weakened spleen. Specifically, a weakening of the spleen’s Qi – the essential, fundamental energy that our bodies use to function. From a practitioner’s perspective, the spleen is the body’s ultimate support organ, helping regulate other organs and the energy they express. When the spleen suffers from weakness, that weakness can spread to other parts of the body, sometimes down to the structural support that holds the pelvic organs in place.
Rectal prolapse may follow this “sinking spleen Qi,” but Chinese medicine does offer treatments other than surgery.
How the Sheng Ma Herb Can Be Used to Treat Rectal Prolapse
The goal of practitioners is to build up the spleen and replenish its Qi. One way Houston practitioners do this is by prescribing herbal formulas that target the spleen.
Sheng Ma is one such herb and is used in a variety of conditions in Chinese medicine. This herb boosts the spleen’s health and function, giving it the nourishment it needs to support other organs. Other herbs are frequently blended with Sheng Ma to enhance its effects, including Chai Hu and Huang Qi.
As dosing is critical with herbal formulas, it’s highly recommended that people suffering from rectal prolapse talk to a licensed Houston practitioner first, as they will be able to properly blend and dose Sheng Ma for maximum efficacy.