Ulcerative Colitis Types in Traditional Chinese Medicine: Understanding the Patterns and Symptoms

Ulcerative colitis is a chronic condition that often presents a challenge to treat effectively. As the disease progresses, patients may experience a range of clinical symptoms. These symptoms can vary due to the dynamic interplay between deficiency and excess, cold and heat patterns, and disturbances in qi and blood circulation.

Evolution of Disease Patterns

Over time, the condition may transform into different pathological states, such as heat development, cold transformation, blood stasis, or complex mixtures of cold and heat symptoms. These evolving patterns often lead to a complicated clinical picture characterized by underlying deficiency and superficial excess, involving both qi and blood systems. This complexity contributes to the persistent nature of the illness and the tendency for frequent relapses.

Common TCM Syndrome Differentiation

Based on current clinical practice guidelines and integrative approaches to inflammatory bowel diseases, TCM practitioners generally classify ulcerative colitis into seven major syndrome types. Each type reflects distinct internal imbalances and guides personalized treatment strategies.

Damp-Heat in the Large Intestine

This pattern typically presents with symptoms like diarrhea with mucus or pus, abdominal discomfort, and a feeling of heaviness. It indicates the accumulation of dampness and heat affecting the digestive tract.

Exuberant Heat-Toxin

Characterized by severe inflammation and acute symptoms, this pattern often requires immediate intervention to clear excessive heat and toxins from the system.

Spleen Deficiency with Dampness Accumulation

This pattern involves weakened digestive function combined with fluid metabolism issues, leading to chronic diarrhea and fatigue.

Complex Cold-Heat Pattern

Patients with this mixed pattern may experience alternating symptoms of cold and heat, such as fluctuating bowel habits and variable abdominal discomfort.

Liver Qi Stagnation with Spleen Deficiency

This pattern often develops under emotional stress and is marked by digestive disturbances accompanied by emotional tension and irritability.

Spleen-Kidney Yang Deficiency

This deeper pattern involves diminished yang energy in both digestive and kidney systems, often seen in long-standing cases with chronic diarrhea and cold symptoms.

Deficiency of Yin and Blood

This pattern indicates depletion of essential bodily fluids and blood, typically presenting with symptoms like dry mouth, constipation alternating with diarrhea, and general weakness.