Why the Bowel Movement is Important

The condition of the bowel movement is a very important diagnostic tool for practitioners of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). The frequency, consistency, shape, colour, odour and sounds can help identify imbalances in the internal organs. It is also a bodily function most people pay little attention to, unless there is a problem like constipation or diarrhoea. A TCM practitioner will always ask you about your bowels as it gives strong indication of how you are functioning internally.

So what is considered a normal bowel movement in TCM? A normal bowel movement, ideally, is once or twice a day. The stool should be formed not too hard or dry and the smell should not be excessive. The movement should be easy and effortless, and after the bowel movement one should feel finished. It should be light brown in colour and not contain any undigested food, no mucous or blood. For babies under one year old there should be no undigested milk.

The Large and Small intestines, Stomach, Spleen, Liver, Kidneys, San Jiao energies and organs are all involved in the defecation process. Therefore, imbalances in these organs will lead to problems with bowel movements. Alternatively, chronic bowel movement problems can affect the organs.

Constipation is one of the most common problems with the bowels. True constipation is indicated by infrequent motions where the stool is hard and dry and very difficult to pass, involving straining. This can be caused by Heat in the Stomach and intestines. Another very common presentation is the alternation of constipation and diarrhoea (irritable bowel syndrome in Western medicine). This is often caused by stagnant Liver energy invading the Spleen. Loose stools mainly indicate a deficiency in the energy of the Spleen and/or the Kidneys.

A light brown colour is normal, dark stool indicates heat and toxins in the body and pale stool indicates cold. Also, a strong smell can indicate heat and a lack of smell can indicate cold.

Problems with bowel movements can lead to other physical complications such as high blood pressure, insomnia, bloating, headache, weight gain, lack of energy and diabetes. Stagnation in the Large intestine can cause bowel cancer.