HOSPITALIZED HYPERTHYROID PATIENTS

Li Rui

(Xicheng District Hospital of TCM, Beijing)

The acupuncture section of our hospital received 112 cases of hyperthyroid patients from 1978 to 1982. All of them were examined by means of biochemistry, physiology and radioisotope when they were in and out of the hospital. The diagnoses were evident and the information were complete. Only acupuncture was employed without traditional medicinal herbs and western drugs. The therapeutic effect was significant.

There were 67 cases of Graves (exophthalmia) disease among all hyperthyroid inpatients. The diagnoses were dependent upon the following items:

1. Typical symptom and history of high circulative dynamics.

2. Higher biochemical and physiological indications than the normal.

3. Other indications of Graves disease.

Only acupuncture was employed for treatment. The points were as follows; The chief point was Renying and the method of reinforcing and reducing with lifting and thrusting was employed; the supplement points were Neiguan, Zusanii, Shenmen and Sanyinjiao. For Grave disease the Zanzhu, Jingming and Sizhukong might be used, and the method of reinforcing and reducing was applied.

Regarding the therapeutic effect, 5 patients less than 1 month, 42 patients 1-2 months, 35 patients 2-3 months, 20 patients 4-5 months, and 10 patients 10 months. Among 112 cases the patients controlled by treatment were 72 (64.3%), 30 patients (26.8%) showed significant effect, 10 patients (8.9%) showed general effects only. The criterions of therapeutic effect are as follows:

1. Clinical control - the laboratory examinations of high metabolism, high circulative dynamics of Graves' disease and goiter all are normal when the inpatients were discharged from the hospital.

2. Significant therapeutic effect - the symptoms of high metabolism and high circulative dynamics entirely disappear or slightly remain in Graves' disease.

3. General effect - the symptoms of high metabolism and high circulative dynamics are obvious, but the indications of laboratory examinations are not close to the normal range.