RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS TREATED BY DIFFERENTIATION OF SYNDROMES OF TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE (TCM)

)in Bohua, Wang Shuxiang

(Chongwen District Hospital of TCM, Beijing)

Rheumatoid arthritis in TCM is termed as "Bi syndrome" or "White tiger lilie". In our hospital we use acupuncture therapy and point injection with "Zhuifengsu" extracted from kinds of medicinal herbs,

All the patients who came for the treatment should be examined in rheumatoid factor, ESR, blood routine and X-ray. Those who were conformed with the criteria of the above four examinations could be diagnosed as the rheumatoid arthritis,

500 cases are analyzed and summarized as follows:

Sex: female patients more than male, occupying 73.6%;

Age: most patients were middle-aged, the youngest was 4 years of age, the oldest was 80;

The shortest duration of disease was one year, the longest duration 21-41 years. The duration and the clinical manifestations presented in inverse ratio, not in direct ratio;

Classification of syndromes: after the clinical observation, this disease could be grouped into 4 types: Cold-damp, Damp-heat, Malnutrition of tendons due to blood deficiency and Heat transformed from protracted stagnation of Cold-damp.

Methods of treatment: the principles of warming meridians and dispersing cold, invigorating blood circulation and dredging meridians were applied in Cold-damp type and the type of malnutrition of tendons due to blood deficiency. "Zhuifengsu "was used for point injection, 3-6 poins were selected each time, 0,5-0.8 ml of "Zhuifengsu" were injected to each point. 10 times of treatment constituted a course. Rest for 2-4 weeks after 3 courses. Acupuncture was adopted for Damp-heat type and the type of Heat transformed from protracted stagnation of Cold-damp. The points selected were divided into upper limb group, lower limb group and back group. The points such as Quchi and Waiguan; Yanglingquan;

Xuanzhong and Dashu; HuatuoJiaji (extra pont) were the main-points respectively.

Therapeutic result: basically cured (no recurrence after 5-years follow-up): 57 cases (11.4%); markedly improved: 154 cases (308%); improved: 280 cases (56%) and not improved: 9 (1.8%).

According to the understanding of TCM to this disease, we treated it based on the differentiation of syndromes through 4 traditional diagnostic methods and 8 principles for differentiation and from the viewpoint of taking the human body as an organic whole. Under the guidance of the theory of meridians, we combined the drugs with the therapeutic effect of points. Therefore, satisfactory result has been obtained.