In Singapore’s fast-paced life, bloating, stomach pain, and indigestion after small meals are common complaints among office workers. Iced drinks, stress, and irregular eating habits take turns attacking the digestive system—and the stomach is often the first to rebel.
Dr. Qiu Baorun of Gong Fang Tang TCM highlights the core issue:
"Many focus only on the 'stomach pain' itself, ignoring the body's signals: bloating signals trapped energy, pain indicates blockage, and indigestion reveals weak digestive power. TCM treats stomach issues by addressing the root."
Common Problems & Their Roots
"Drum-tight bloating with frequent belching"
That’s stagnant qi! Stress and anxiety cause "rebellious liver energy" to attack the stomach. Qi gets trapped in the middle abdomen, pushing food upward instead of downward. You feel full after tiny meals—sometimes even rib pain.
"Dull, cold pain relieved by warmth/pressure"
Worse after meals or cold drinks. Classic spleen-stomach deficiency with cold. Though Singapore is hot, excessive AC and iced drinks damage digestive energy. Often seen with cold limbs and loose stools.
"Food 'stuck' after eating, acid reflux, heartburn"
Linked to damp-heat accumulation or food stagnation. Too much oily/spicy/sweet food or weak digestion lets food ferment, creating toxic damp-heat that forces stomach energy upward.
Gong Fang Tang TCM’s Approach: Unblock + Warm + Support
Release trapped energy first:
For liver-related bloating/pain, Dr. Qiu uses qi-regulating herbs (e.g., modified Chai Hu Shu Gan San) with gentle abdominal acupoint massage (Zhongwan, Liangmen) to unwind knotted energy.
Warm deficient, cold stomachs:
"Your spleen-stomach is like a stove—if the fire’s weak, food won’t cook." For deficiency-cold types, warming formulas (e.g., Li Zhong Tang, Huang Qi Jian Zhong Tang) are key. Patients are taught ginger-partitioned moxibustion at Zhongwan/Zusanli points—using mugwort’s heat to reignite the digestive "flame."
Clear food stagnation:
For indigestion or damp-heat, tailored formulas (e.g., modified Bao He Wan) with damp-resolving herbs are used. "Give your stomach space to rest—it’ll work better for you."
Case Study: Relief for Chronic Bloating
Patient: Ms. Hu, 43
Complaint: Stomach bloating (1 month+)
Symptoms: Fullness extending to ribs, poor appetite, belching, infrequent stools.
Diagnosis: Reddish-pale tongue, white coating, choppy pulse → stomach qi stagnation
Treatment: Regulated liver qi, relieved bloating
Formula: Modified Liqi Sanpi Decoction (7 doses)
Result: Significant improvement after 1 week → full recovery after 2nd week.
Dr. Qiu’s Final Advice:
"Stomach health is 30% treatment, 70% daily care. Medicine offers temporary relief, but lasting improvement requires: regular meals, thorough chewing, less cold food, and stress management. Don’t mask recurring pain with pills—consult a TCM expert to address your root cause."
