Our ancestors considered such abdominal discomfort to be caused by 'worms,' but this did not merely refer to visible parasites. In Donguibogam, these 'worms' were viewed in a much deeper sense. The category of 'worms' encompassed not just external parasites entering the body, but also internal abnormal reactions and imbalances arising from within. In particular, they observed that emotional disturbances such as stress and anxiety directly affect gut function, provoking discomfort just like wriggling worms.
When the qi inside our body fails to circulate properly and stagnates, or when the abdomen turns cold, or conversely when excess heat accumulates, the intestines cannot perform their duties and easily become unsettled. Ancestors understood this internal imbalance as the activity of 'worms.' For instance, when intense stress brings restlessness, insomnia, and heart palpitations, they saw it as the body's 'heart worms' being active; when the stomach turns cold and indigestion leads to stomachaches, they considered 'stomach worms' to be the culprit.
Donguibogam placed special emphasis on the spleen and stomach. The spleen and stomach are the core zang-fu organs responsible for digestion and nutrient absorption, and when they become cold or weakened, it creates an environment where 'worms' easily arise. Eating cold foods frequently, keeping irregular meal hours, or experiencing severe emotional agitation impairs spleen-stomach function. This makes the gut sensitive or lowers its performance, triggering symptoms like abdominal pain, diarrhea, and constipation. Thus, the 'worms' in Donguibogam are not merely parasites, but a collective term for abnormal warning signs and various forms of discomfort that emerge when the body's harmony is broken. If it feels as though something invisible is constantly troubling you from inside your gut, our ancestors understood that feeling well.
