Important Note:
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.
Glaucoma is a condition which results in loss of
vision due to high pressure in the eye, although there
is no asscociated disease in the eye.The pressure in the
eye is called IOP (Intraoccular pressure). There are
several types of glaucoma which occur at differeing
rates but all are characterised by high IOP, which
damages the nerve fibres and the Optic Nerve. If
untreated, glaucoma leads to gradual peripheral vision
loss and, ultimately, blindness. The different types of
glaucoma are: chronic open-angle (primary), acute
angle-closure, low tension (normal IOP that is too high
for a particular person), congenital (inherited), and
secondary to other causes. Glaucoma is the second most
common cause of blindness in the United States. About
2.5 million Americans are afflicted with the disease,
but only 1 million know that they have it. Its incidence
is highest among blacks, and it is the single most
common cause of blindness in that group. Early treatment
helps in retarding vision loss.
(a) In the beginning there may be no special
symptoms but the vision may be unclear.
(b) In Chronic glaucoma, there are not many symptoms
and the main problem is the visual field loss but in
Acute glaucoma, the patient has severe pain and
redness in the eyes, severe headache, marked dimness
of vision,photophobia (sensitivity to light) and
lacrimation (increased tear production). A patient
with this kind of glaucoma usually presents in the
emergency.
(c) Along with the above mentioned symptoms, the
patient has severe nausea and may vomit profusely.
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) considers this kind
of disease, a problem with the
wind,sputum fire and the blood in the body.
Patients with glaucoma suffer from the lack of proper
functioning of the liver. The TCM treatment is very
effective when using herbal medicine and acupuncture
together.
TCM considers this kind of disease to occur more in
people who have head wind problems, higher sputum fire
and low blood level in the body. These patients also
show over emotional character due to the defect in the
liver function. The TCM treatment is very effective,
using herbal medication and Acupuncture together and
controls the Liver fire immediately and leads the Qi
through the disorder area. Clinically, it is effective
is promoting vision, reducing the swolleing in the eyes
and relieving higher eye pressure syndrome. At a later
phase of the disease western medicine and TCM work
together, producing better results.
This ailment,
according to TCM, has different syndromes. The treatment for
these syndromes using herbal medicine and acupuncture is shown
below.
Syndrome (a)
Liver energy stasis
raises to fire disorder
Due to the Liver stasis, more fire goes up to the eye,
patient has fever, he suffers from headaches and is down
in spirits, tongue is red and the pulse is string-like.
To treat byHerbal
medicine Therapeutic principle: Dredging the fire and
removing heat stasis to alleviate the stasis.
Prescription/Formula: Modified decoction for
dissipating Qi and blood stasis channel up to eyes.
Radix Gentianae, Anemarrhena, Platycodon Root,
Ledebouriella root, Notopterygium root, Rhubarb,
Mirabilite at each 10g; Scutellaria and Uncaria at each
12g; Plantain Seed and Scrophularia at each 15g;
Haliotis 30g.
Simple Prescription: Ming-Mu Shang-Qing Wan twice
a day.
To treat by Acupuncture and
Moxibustion Therapeutic principle: Regulating the Circulation
of Qi, discharging fire, resolving blood stasis and
relieving swelling by using points mainly from Extra
meridian point and the Urine Bladder meridian of Food
Tai-Yang and the Liver meridian of Food Jue-Yin.
Prescription: Ge-Shu (UB17), Gan-Shu (UB18),
Yuyao (Extra3), Taiyang (Extra2), Xingjian (Li2).
Acupuncture 10-20 minutes or with Cold Moxibustion at
each point 1-2 minutes.
Syndrome (b)
Yin material weakness and Yang function raises
Due
to the Yin material of organ, Yang syndrome is raised
up, and clinically patient has headaches, his eyes feel
tired, he has bad breath, dry mouth and sleep
difficulty; tongue is red with yellow and greasy fur,
and pulse is fast.
To treat by Herbal
medicine Therapeutic principle: Cleaning the fire and
expelling eye stasis to arrest wind in liver meridian.
Prescription/Formula: Modified decoction for
removing blood stagnation in the head area. Anemarrhena,
Phellodendron, Red peony peel, Achyranthes and
Chrysanthemun at each 10g; Uncaria 12g; Tuckahoe, Alisma
and White Peony Root at each 15g; Crude Oyster shell),
Rehmannia root and Haliotis at each 30g.
Simple Prescription: Zhi-Bo Di-Huang Wang one
time a pill, twice a day.
To treat by Acupuncture and
Moxibustion Therapeutic principle: Regulating the
Circulation of Qi, discharging heat, resolving blood
stasis and relieving pain by using points mainly from
Food Yang-Min Stomach meridian point and the Hand
Yang-Ming Lung meridian points and Food Tai-Yang Spleen
meridian points and Urine Bladder meridian of the Food
Tai-Yang points.
Prescription: Shen-Shu (UB23), Chengqi (ST1), Sibai
(ST2), Hegu (LI4) and Sanyinjiao (SP6) 15-30 minutes
Acupuncture and 2-5 minutes Cold Moxibustion.
Syndrome (c)
Sputum with fire up to trouble eye
Due
to the sputum fire raising up to the head and eye, the
patient has headaches, eye pain, dry mouth, decreased
appetite, a swollen tongue with yellow and greasy fur
and a string pulse.
To treat by Herbal
medicine Therapeutic principle: Cleaning the fire and
expelling sputum to arrest pain.
Prescription/Formula: Modified decoction for
removing blood stagnation in the head area. Hydrastis
8g; Pinellia tuber and Uncaria at each 12g; Tangerine
peel 6g; Prunella and Tuckahoe 15g; Cotoneaster shell,
Bamboo bud and Batryticated silkworm at each 10g;
Liquorice 3g.
Simple Prescription: Qu-Feng Ding-Tong Tang one
time a bowl, twice a day.
To treat by Acupuncture and
Moxibustion Therapeutic principle: Regulating the
Circulation of Qi, discharging sputum fire, resolving
blood stasis and relieving swelling by using points
mainly from Food Yang-Min Stomach meridian point and the
Hand Yang-Ming Lung meridian points and Food Tai-Yin
Spleen meridian points and Food Tai-Yang meridian of
Urine Bladder points.
Prescription: Ge-Shu (UB17), Chengqi (ST1), Sibai
(ST2), Hegu (LI4) and Sanyinjiao (SP6) 15-30 minutes
Acupuncture and 2-5 minutes cold Moxibustion.
Syndrome (d)
Liver and Kidney both lower material level
Due
to the Liver and Kidney energy lowered, weakness occurs,
the patient is down in spirit, has bad vision,
headaches, low back ache, tinnitus (ringing in ears),
problems with sleep, and the tongue is white with less
greasy fur, and the pulse is mild.
To treat by Herbal
medicine Therapeutic principle: Restoring the fundamental
energy of Liver and Kidney and making the body strong.
Prescription/Formula: Modified decoction for
restoring Qi and blood weakness through in the head
area. Lycium Fruit, Chrysanthemun, Red peony peel,
Alisma, Angelica, Cuscuta at each 10g; Tuckahoe and
Dioscorea at each 15g; and Chuanxiong rhizome at each
6g; White Peony Root 12g; Salvia 15g; Rehmannia cocked
30g.
Simple Prescription: Shi-Hu Ye-Guang Wan one time
a pill, twice a day.
To treat by Acupuncture and
Moxibustion Therapeutic principle: Regulating the
Circulation of Qi and blood, restoring Yin material,
resolving blood stasis and relieving pain in eye. By
using points mainly from Urine Bladder meridian of the
Food Tai-Yang points and Food Yang-Min Stomachs meridian
points and the Hand Yang-Ming Lung meridian points and
Food Tai-Yin Spleen meridian points.
(a) Qigong and other
therapies 1. Qigon: Qigong exercise is quite
effective for this disease. The Liver and Kidney
meridian could get good restoration and as a
result, emotions can be adjusted. Method: self
setting exercise 10-30 minutes, relax and lead
the Qi through the liver and kidney area down to
the foot, then relieve the bad energy out of the
foot, and before finishing, use hand and self
massage from head to abdomen and low back.
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.
2. Ear Acupuncture: soft ear puncture for
Liver, Shen-Men, Kidney sympathetic and eye of
Ear points, with both side and light
stimulation. 3. Cold moxibustion: Both side of
Tai-Yang (Extra2), Feng-Chi (GB20), Yin-Tang
(Extra1) and Yu-Yao (Extra3); for higher Liver
fire moxa to Guang-Ming (GB37) and Tai-Chong
(Li3) area; for higher heart fire moxa to
Nei-Guan (P6); for Kidney weak moxa to Shen-Shu
(UB23).
(b) Medicated diet 1. Yang-Gan Ming-Mu Tang:Medlar
30g, White Caltrop 12g, Privet Fruit 12g,
Plantain Seed 15g and White mum 10g together to
make into powder form and mix them together.
Each time using that 15g with take pig Liver 90g
(or sheep or chicken Liver) makes soup to eat.
2. Qi-Shi Conjee: Medlar 10g, Euryale,
15g and rice 50g make conjee to eat. 3. Huai-Shan Gou-Qi dun big brain: Pig
brain one set 4. Dioscorea 30g and Medlar 10g put in
water 1L make to soup.
(c) Life style 1. Diet: Avoid peppery or chemical food
and stop smoking and drinking. If possible,
regularly take the necessary Vitamins and
Nutrition. 2. Note in Life: Learn to control
emotions, and do not get angry very quickly. 3. Life habit: Keep the eyes clean at all
times and get the IOP checked regularly with the
western medicine method.
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.