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Although the information in this section was written by
Healthphone.com's Healing Centre Panel of professional Chinese doctors,
licensed acupuncturists, herbalists and other experts, Healthphone.com
accepts no legal responsibility nor liability for any errors or
omissions. The information in this section is presented as is, for
educational purposes only. As with any medical matter, always
consult your healthcare professional before acting on any health-related
information.
Acute nephritis is an inflammation of the glomeruli
(the main functioning units of the kidney which comprise
of tissues and blood vessels). It occurs most often
after an infectious disease but sometimes it can be
caused by other diseases or it can be a primary kidney
disorder. It occurs mostly in children, but is
predominant in males. Most patients can recover
completely but a few cases may progress to chronic
nephritis. This disease pertains to the category of
"feng shui"(wind edema) in Traditional Chinese Medicine.
(a) Recent streptococcal (sore
throat,tonsillitis,ear infections) diseases or viral
illness
(b) Cola-or tea-colored urine
(c) Hypertension (high blood presuure)
(d) Fluid retention (swelling of body parts,
especially of the face and areas around eyes)
(e) Protein and red blood cells in the urine
(f) Mild anemia
(g) Headaches
(h) Blurred vision
(i) Generalized aches and pains
(j) Oliguria (scanty urine) Return To Top
3.
TCM Effectiveness and Evaluation
Traditional Chinese medicine can help to control some
symptoms, such as edema (swelling)..
This ailment,
according to TCM, has different syndromes. The treatment for
these syndromes using herbal medicine and acupuncture is shown
below.
Syndrome (a)
Wind Edema
Wind
edema may cause a sudden illness characterized by high
fever, chills or a sore throat. It may also cause urine
to become scanty and deep in colour. Initially the
swelling is only on the face but later it involves the
ankles,legs etc.). The tongue is red with a thin,
whitish fur, while the pulse is rapid.
To treat byHerbal
medicine Therapeutic principle: Herbal medicine can dispel
pathogenic (disease causing) wind, removing pathogenic
heat and ventilating the lung to induce diuresis (loss
of extra water from the body to reduce the swelling).
Prescription/Formula: Modified Decoction for
Relieving Edema. Ephedra (Ma Huang)6g, gypsum (Sheng Shi
Gao)30g, honeysuckle flower (Jin Yen Hua)20g, motherwort
(Yi Mu Cao)20g, cogongrass rhizome (Bai Mao Gen)30g,
lophatherum(Zhu Yie)10g, licorice root(Gan Cao)3g.
Simple Prescription: Red phaseolus bean cooked
with cogongrass rhizome Cogongrass rhizome 250g, red
phaseolus bean 120g, cook them together in water, when
the water is boiled dry, get rid of the cogongrass
rhizome. The red phaseolus bean is to be eaten several
times, and chewed carefully before swallowed.
To treat by Acupuncture and
Moxibustion Therapeutic principle: Herbal medicine can dispel
pathogenic wind, removing pathogenic heat and
ventilating the lungs to induce diuresis.
Prescription/Formula: Modified Decoction for
Relieving Edema. Ephedra (Ma Huang)6g, gypsum (Sheng Shi
Gao)30g, honeysuckle flower (Jin Yen Hua)20g, motherwort
(Yi Mu Cao)20g, cogongrass rhizome (Bai Mao Gen)30g,
lophatherum(Zhu Yie)10g, licorice root(Gan Cao)3g.
Simple Prescription: Red phaseolus bean cooked
with cogongrass rhizome Cogongrass rhizome 250g, red
phaseolus bean 120g, cook them together in water, when
the water is boiled dry, get rid of the cogongrass
rhizome. The red phaseolus bean is to be eaten several
times, and chewed carefully before swallowed.
Heat-toxin edma
may cause boils and carbuncles (deep infections of hair
follicles esp.on the back of the neck, shoulders, hips
and thighs) on the skin, edema of the body and the
limbs, a dry mouth, dry stools and a deep coloured
urine. The tongue will be red or yellowish while the
pulse is rapid.
To treat by Herbal
medicine Therapeutic principle: Herbal medicine can clear
away pathogenic heat and toxic materials and inducing
diuresis (an increase of urine excretion) to reduce
edema.
Prescription/Formula: Modified antiphlogistic
decoction of five drugs. Honeysuckle flower (Jin Yen
Hua)30g, forsythia fruit (Lian Qiao)15g, dandelion herb
(Pu Gong Ying)30g, Chinese violet (Di Ding)15g, rhubarb
root (Da Huang)6g (decocted later), scutellaria root
(Huang Qin)10g, cogongrass rhizome (Bai Mao Gen)30g,
plantain herb (Che Qian Cao)12g.
Simple Prescription: Corn stigma (Yu Mi Xu),
decoct 50g of corn stigma in 600 ml of water for 20 to
30 minutes, then boil it down to 300 to 400 ml of
decoction and remove the drugs. It is to be taken in two
separate doses each day. It is applicable to patients
suffering from obvious edema accompanied with
hypertension. Cogongrass rhizome (Bai Mao Gen), It is
the best diuretic drug. Decoct in water 60g of fresh
cogongrass rhizome for frequent drinking.
To treat by Acupuncture and
Moxibustion
Therapeutic principle:
Acupuncture or moxibustion can help to control edema
(should be used in cojunction with herbal medicine).
When water dampness edema is the case, then
clinically,swelling appears on the face, the body and
the limb . Fatigue, distension in the stomach, anorexia,
and scanty urine are other possible symptoms. The tongue
would be a white with a greasy coating, and the pulse
slow.
To treat by Herbal
medicine Therapeutic principle: Herbal medicine can
stimulate the spleen for excreting
dampness and activating yang to induce diuresis.
Prescription/Formula: Modified prescriptions of
powder of five drugs with poria and decoction of peel of
five drugs. Cinnamon twig (Gui Zhi)10g, umbellate
pore-fungus (Zhu Ling)10g, water-plantain tuber (Ze
Xie)10g, white atractylodes rhizome (Bai Zhu)10g,
poria(Fu Ling)10g, shell of areca nut (Da Fu Pi)12g,
fuling peel (Fu Ling Pi)15g, waxgourd peel (Dong Gua
Pi)15g, plantain herb (Che Qian Cao)12g.
Simple Prescription: Waxgourd (Dong Gua), make
three big bowls of soup with 500g of waxgourd and take
the soup in three separate doses.
To treat by Acupuncture and
Moxibustion
Therapeutic principle:
Acupuncture or moxibustion helps control edema (should
be used in cojunction with herbal medicine).
Generally speaking, Qigong is good for healing
effect of this specific ailment, however
individual results may vary. It improves the
flow of the qi and the circulation of the blood,
so you'll experience more energy, but, you won't
see/ feel any immediate effects, as with many
exercises and therapies, it takes a few weeks or
even months of practice before you'll see any
significant improvements.
For the information of different types of Qigong
,just click a link above.
This information is for education purpose only.
We strongly advise you seek a licensed Qigong
master to learn the correct ways to conduct
these exercises before attempting them.
(b) Medicated diet
Those who indicate the symptoms of obvious
general swelling and gradual reduction of the
amount of urine should eat things which are good
at inducing water loss from the body, such as
radishes, waxgourds, towel gourds, red phaseolus
beans, black soybeans, crucian carp, bamboo
shoots, watermelon and so on. Those in whose
urine there are red blood cells proved by
uroscopy should eat things that can arrest
bleeding, such as shepherd's purse, eggplant,
shelled peanuts, cogongrass rhizome, lotus root
with knots and so on. Those who suffer from
nephritis accompanied with hypertension should
often eat food that can bring down blood
pressure, such as jellyfish, celery, spinach,
tomato, Jew's ear, fresh corn, water chestnuts
and the like.
(c) Life style
When there is edema, patients should stay in bed
to have a good amount of rest, prevent catching
any colds, try not to drink too much water, and
not eat salted food.
Acknowledgments:
Healthphone.com greatly acknowledges the support
and dedication of our
Healing Centre Panel, without whom this
section would not be possible.
We also greatly acknowedge Ms. Najaf Munir,
MBBS, for her editorial support. Ms. Munir
simplified the highly technical medical
documents into easy-to-read documents, for the
enjoyment and education of our numerous
visitors.