Chronic constipation in Grenoble: when the riverbed dries up

Slow transit, dry stools but little straining, feeling exhausted after a bowel movement, dry skin and mouth: this chronic constipation is the exact opposite of the previous one. It is not an excess of fire, it is a river short of water.

Why chronic constipation? The perspective of Chinese medicine

When Blood and Yin are depleted — by age, pregnancies, chronic illness, overwork or insufficient food — the colon loses its basic moisture. The stools are not pushed by a dam, they lack lubricant: the riverbed is dry. Transit slows, but the straining is not violent. It is a deficiency that must be nourished, never cooled further.

Two common patterns in practice

Blood deficiency (dry skin, dull complexion, dizziness)

Dry, small stools, dry skin, pale complexion, dizziness, palpitations, light sleep. Often after a pregnancy or in an anaemic terrain.

**Tongue**: pale, thin · **Pulse**: fine, weak

Yin deficiency (deep dryness)

Dryness of the mouth and skin, heat at the end of the day, insomnia, dry and infrequent stools.

**Tongue**: pale red, no coating · **Pulse**: fine, rapid, empty

What traditional Chinese medicine offers

Acupuncture

Points that nourish the Blood and the Yin; the colon is supported rather than forced.

Diet

Foods that nourish and moisten: honey, black sesame, walnuts, mulberries, dates, broths, root vegetables. Cook, simmer, avoid raw.

Lifestyle

Rest, sleep before midnight — the Blood replenishes at night — and gentle activity that awakens peristalsis without exhausting.

The acupuncture points most often used for this reason: RM6, RT6, E36, V20, V25.

The combined approach of sophrology and Chinese medicine in Grenoble

Traditional Chinese medicine and sophrology complement each other: the former acts on the body's energetic balance, the latter on the nervous system and stress management. Combining the two makes it possible to address the terrain — the ground that sustains the symptom — and the emotional state that accompanies it. In Grenoble, at the Centre Équilibre, this combined approach is built session after session, according to your own profile.

Frequently asked questions

Why am I tired after going to the toilet?

It is the signature of a deficiency: the effort consumes an already weak Qi. The pattern is a Deficiency, not an Excess.

Are fibres the solution?

They help, but a depleted Yin cannot be restored with fibres alone. In TCM, we nourish first.

Is it linked to age?

Yes: with age, the reserves of Yin and Blood naturally diminish, which dries out the colon.

Learn more

→ [Traditional Chinese medicine practitioner in Grenoble](/praticien-en-medecine-traditionnelle-chinoise-a-grenoble)

→ [Chinese medicine and sleep in Grenoble](/medecine-chinoise-et-sommeil-a-grenoble)

→ [Acupuncture in Grenoble](/l-acupuncture-a-grenoble)

**Ghislaine Morin**, traditional Chinese medicine practitioner and sophrologist, welcomes you at 29 Quai Claude Bernard, 38000 Grenoble. Book on 06 24 90 04 98 or online at https://calendly.com/centre-equilibre-sophrologie

Ghislaine Morin welcomes you in Grenoble : www.sophrologue-grenoble.fr/medecine-chinoise-a-grenoble-38000-38100