Of ten stomach ailments, nine are rooted in the liver. One remedy soothes the liver and harmonizes the stomach, sweeping away stomach pain, bloating, and acid reflux.

If your stomach issues repeatedly fail to improve despite treatment, it might be worth considering addressing the liver. This is because in Traditional Chinese Medicine, the liver is considered the source of disease initiation, while the stomach is the site where disease manifests. Simply put, prolonged excessive stress or frequent anger can lead to liver depression, causing impaired liver dispersion and drainage.

When the liver wood easily overcomes the spleen earth, it can also affect the digestive capacity of the spleen and stomach, leading to symptoms such as abdominal bloating, belching, poor appetite, and indigestion. If this condition persists for an extended period, gastric diseases such as gastritis and gastric ulcers may gradually develop. Therefore, for stomach pain caused by liver depression, if emotional issues remain unresolved, they will continue to affect the spleen and stomach. In such cases, treatment should focus on regulating the liver.

There is a traditional Chinese patent medicine for treating both the liver and stomach, known as Shugan Jianwei Wan. It is composed of multiple herbs, including Pericarpium Citri Reticulatae, Cortex Magnoliae Officinalis, and Fructus Aurantii, which not only soothe liver depression but also promote digestion and regulate the flow of Qi in the spleen and stomach. It is suitable for individuals experiencing symptoms such as hypochondriac distension, epigastric pain, poor appetite, and nausea and vomiting due to disharmony between the liver and stomach.