Clinically, this condition manifests primarily as decreased appetite, weight loss, sallow complexion, emaciation, dull complexion, and in severe cases, protruding bones and extreme thinness. It falls under the category of "gan syndrome" in traditional Chinese medicine.
"Gan Ji" (疳积) is the collective term for Gan Syndrome and food stagnation. Food stagnation and Gan Syndrome differ in severity. Food stagnation refers to a child's spleen and stomach being damaged by improper milk or food intake, leading to abdominal distension, poor appetite, irritability, restless sleep,restless crying, foul-smelling stools, and other symptoms of impaired digestive function. Gan syndrome represents a further progression of food stagnation. It arises when impaired spleen and stomach function fails to generate qi and blood. Over time, children may exhibit emaciation, pallor, cold limbs, sparse and brittle hair, lethargy, weak crying, and loose stools.This encompasses Western medical conditions such as indigestion, malnutrition, and certain vitamin deficiencies. Traditional Chinese Medicine views milk/food stagnation and spleen-stomach deficiency as mutually reinforcing: stagnation damages the spleen-stomach, while spleen-stomach weakness generates stagnation. Thus, massage therapy often follows the principles of resolving stagnation and regulating the spleen-stomach.
Basic Techniques
1. Spinal Pinching Method: The child lies prone. The practitioner places both hands along either side of the spine, using the thumb and index finger to continuously pinch and lift the skin from the sacral region upward toward the occipital neck area. Hands alternate in pinching and advancing upward, repeating 10–15 times.
2. Yin-Yang Abdominal Separation: The child lies supine. The practitioner stands facing the child, placing both palms flat below the navel. Using fingertips, push outward along the costal margin or from the epigastrium to the navel, performing 200 separate pushes.
3. Clockwise and Counterclockwise Abdominal Rubbing: Rub the epigastric region clockwise and counterclockwise for 3 minutes each.
4. Press and hold the Zhongwan (CV12) and Tianshu (ST25) points for 1 minute each.
5. Press and knead the Zusanli (ST36) point for 1 minute.
Modifications Based on Symptoms:
1. Spleen-injured with food stagnation type
Symptoms: Emaciation, failure to gain weight, abdominal distension, poor appetite, lethargy, restless sleep, irregular stools often with foul odor, thick greasy tongue coating.
Add to basic techniques:
① Tonify the spleen meridian and knead the Banmen point 100–300 times each.
② Push the four horizontal lines and rotate the inner Bagua 100 times each.
2. Qi and Blood Deficiency Type
Symptoms include sallow or pale complexion, dry and sparse hair, emaciation, lethargy or irritability, restless sleep, weak crying, cold limbs, delayed development, sunken abdomen, loose stools, and a pale tongue with thin coating.
Basic techniques plus:
① Tonify the spleen meridian 300 times.