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How Sanjiu Chinese Medicine treat
Stroke
TCM Effectiveness and Evaluation
During acute stage of stroke, Chinese medicine plays only a
secondary role to Western medicine.
During the later stage of the disease, Chinese
medicine plays a primary role. Acupuncture, in particular gives
excellent results in the treatment of hemiplegia (weakness in one
half of the body) and facial paralysis. The time factor, however,
is very important: best results are obtained if treatment is given
within one month of the attack. After more than six months, treatment
becomes increasingly difficult.
2. Overview and Causes
A stroke occurs when part of the brain is damaged because its blood
supply is compromised. As a result, the physical or mental functions
controlled by the injured area are permanently damaged. Sometimes
function may be partially restored via alternate pathways. The disturbance
may be from one of three types of vascular disorders: cerebral thrombosis
(clotting within a blood vessel), cerebral embolism (blockage of
a vessel by an embolus which could be a blood clot, fat or air),
or cerebral hemorrhage (bleeding in the brain).
3. Symptoms
(a) Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm, or leg, especially
on one side of the body. Sudden confusion, difficulty in talking
and forming comprehensible sentences. Sudden trouble with vision
in one or both eyes, difficulty in walking, dizziness, loss of balance
or coordination, and sudden severe headache with no known cause.
(b) The disease is more common in middle-aged people seniors.
(c) Computed tomography (CT) scanning is the preferred diagnostic
technique for acute stroke, it is helpful in the determination of
location and extent of cerebral necrosis (tissue death). Another
imaging device used for stroke patients is the magnetic resonance
imaging (MRI) scan. MRI uses magnetic fields to detect subtle changes
in brain tissue content.
There are three types of stroke:
(a) A cerebral thrombosis can happen when an artery that supplies
blood to the brain is narrowed, usually from atherosclerosis (degenerative
disease of the arteries). A plaque, or large deposit of cholesterol,
at the narrowed and roughened portion of the artery. The plaque
may break open and blood can coagulate forming a thrombus, or clot.
This thrombus may grow until it partially or completely blocks the
artery.
(b) A cerebral embolism is also a blockage, but it is caused by
an embolus, which is a clump of material found in the bloodstream.
The embolus may be a debris from a section of an artery where atherosclerosis
has occurred, or a small clot from diseased heart. It is carried
in the bloodstream until it becomes wedged in a place obstructing
the crucial flow of blood that supplies an area in the brain. In
some cases where injury occurred, fat or air may enter damaged arteries
and pass through the bloodstream to cerebral vessels, causing a
stroke.
(c) A cerebral hemorrhage is the case where the artery is not blocked,
but it bursts or leaks. Blood spreads from the rupture into the
surrounding brain tissue until the bleeding stops because blood
pressure falls or because blood clots seal the leakage. The initial
effects of a hemorrhage may be more severe than those of a thrombosis
or embolism, but the long-term effects of all three types of stroke
depend on which part and how much of the brain is affected.
4. Common Syndrome and Treatments in TCM
This ailment, according to TCM, has different syndromes. The treatment
for these syndromes using herbal medicine and acupuncture is shown
below.
Syndrome (a) Channel and collateral being
attacked
(i) Wind -evil attacking the channels
Numbness, heaviness and inflexible movement of the limbs (arms,
legs), or sudden distortion of the face, difficulty with speech
and hemiplegia, accompanied with chill and fever, thin and white
coating of the tongue, floating and wiry pulse.
(ii) Deficiency of liver-yin and kidney-liver, wind stirring inside
due to excess of yang
Dizziness, headache, tinnitus (ringing in ears), soreness and weakness
of the loin and knees. Sudden numbness and heaviness of the limbs,
distortion of the face, hemiplegia, and rigid tongue, slurred speech,
a red tongue, thready and thin pulse.
(iii) Obstruction of collateral by wind-phlegm
Sudden numbness of the limbs, distortion of the face, hemiplegia,
constipation, rigid tongue, thick and sticky coating of the tongue,
wiry and rolling pulse.
Therapeutic principle: Resolve phlegm and relax the bowels
Syndrome (b)Zang-Fu organs being attacked
(i) Tense syndrome ( Phlegm-Fire clouding the mind)
Clenched fists, contracture or spasm of the limbs and body, lockjaw,
heavy breathing, profuse sputum, flushed face, feverish sensation
in the body, absence of sweating, constipation, a yellow sticky
tongue coating, and a wiry forceful pulse.
(ii) Flaccid syndrome
Closed eyes, an open mouth, snoring, relaxed hands, and enuresis
(increased urination at night), shortness of breath, profuse sweating,
warm limbs, a red and glossy tongue, increased sweating, a cold
sensation in the body, cold limbs, and a weak pulse.
Therapeutic principle: Promote the antipathogenic (against disease)
qi of the body.
Syndrome (c) Stroke sequelae
(i) Hemiplegia (Blood Stasis due to Deficiency of qi ) Inclination
of the eye and mouth towards one side, inability to speak properly,
hemiplegia, dark purple tongue with thin and white fur, thready
and weak pulse.
Therapeutic principle: Supplementing qi and nourishing blood, promoting
blood circulation to remove obstruction in the channels.
(ii) Aphasia (or Slurred speech)
Rigid tongue, slurred speech or aphasia, or accompanied with hemiplegia,
sticky coating of the tongue, rolling pulse.
Therapeutic principle: Subdue wind, resolve phlegm and open the
orifices.
(iii) Facial paralysis
Deviation of eye and mouth, the eye on the paralysed side will not
close completely, the mouth will deviate (move) towards the unaffected
side, and the lips on the paralyzed side will not move from an attempting
to grin, thin and white coating of the tongue, floating and wiry
pulse.
Therapeutic principle: Expel wind from the channels, resolve phlegm
and resolve paralysis.
5. Healing by Other forms of therapy
(a) Qigong and other therapies
For effect of Qigong can improve the Blood Circulation System.
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.
The following types of Qigong may help
Static Qigong:
Relaxation Qigong
Inner-Nourishing Qigong
Breathing Exercise Qigong
Dynamic Qigong:
Fifteen Sets of Taiji-Qigong
Baduanjing of Internal Exercise
Taiji
This information is for education purpose only. We strongly advise
you seek a licensed Qigong master to learn the correct ways to practice
these exercises before attempting them.
(b) Medicated diet
1) Tall Gastrodia Tuber (Tianma) 9g, (wrapped with a piece of gauze),
Barbary Wolfberry Fruit (Gouqizi) 15g, Chinese Date (Dazao) 7 pieces,
Ginseng 3g.
Add water to them to cook until boiling, then simmer with gentle
heat for 50 minutes. Applied to those who suffer from hemiplegia
with hypertension.
(c) Life style
1) Avoid smoking and consumption alcohol.
2) Have a low-salt and low-fat diet.
3) Avoid anxiety
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