Arteriosclerosis obliterans of limbs
Arteriosclerosis
obliterans of limbs is a chronic obstructive disease caused by atheroscleorsis
of limbs. The disease mostly happens to male patients in their 50-70s. It often
involves the large or medium arteries of the lower limbs, such as iliac, femoral
and posterior tibial arteries, etc. Those who suffer form diabetes are prone to
be affected by this kind of disease, in which case the patient's condition may
be serious and often complicated with ulcer and gangrene. This disease also falls
into the category of "tuo ju" (gangrene of finger or toe) in TCM.
Main Points of Diagnosis
1. The patients with this kind of disease are
mostly over 45 years old and often suffer form hypertension.
2. The affected
limb has coldness, numbness, formication twinge and intermittent claudication.
3.
The arteriopalmus of the femoral artery, poplitealartery, posterior tibial artery,
and dorsal artery of foot disappears.
4.Gangrene in the affected limb develops
very quickly and it often spreads over to the shank and the thigh , In serious
cases, it is associated with high and other general symptoms.
5. The cholesterol,
triglyceride and ß-lipoprotein in blood often increase. Those who suffer
from diabetes are found to have an increase in blood sugar and positive glucose
in urine.
6. X-ray examination reveals some irregular calcified spots in the
sclerosed artery. An ultrasonography of blood vessel shows that the arteriopalmus
of the affected limb is weakened or has disappeared. Arteriography shows that
there is an obstruction or stricture in the arterial lumen.
Differentiation
and Treatment of Common Syndromes
1. Internal Treatment
1) Blood Stasis
Type
Main Symptoms and signs: It is characterized by pale skin, coldness, numbness,
pain and intermittent claudication of the affected limb, ecchymoses on the tongue
with white greasy, taut and uneven pulse.
Therapeutic Principle: Promoting
blood circulation to remove the stasis.
Recipe : Red Sage Decoction for Promoting
Blood Circulation
red sage root
red peony root
Chinese angelica root
spatholobus
stem
loranthus mulberry mistletoe
achyranthes root
chuanxiong rhizome
milkvetch
root
curcuma root
All the above herbs are to be decocted in water for oral
administration.
2)Heat-Toxin Type
Main Symptoms and signs: There is a severe
pain in the affected limb and the limb has an infection or gangrene, with a great
amount of pus on ulceration, which may be accompanied by pyrexia, red or crimson
tongue with yellow greasy or yellow dry fur, taut, thready and rapid pulse.
Therapeutic
Principle: Clearing away pathogenic heat and toxin, promoting blood circulation
to remove blood stasis.
Recipe: Decoction of Four Wonderful Ingredients for
Promoting Blood Circulation
honeysuckle flower
dandelion herb
Chinese
violet
figwort root
Chinese angelica root
milkvetch root
dried rehmannia
root
red sage root
achyranthes root
forsythia fruit
globethistle
fangji
root
scutellaria root
goldthread root
basket fern
safflower
frankincense
myrrha
All
the above herbs are to be decocted in water for oral administration.
For those
who feel cold and numb in the limbs, add 30 grams of milkvetch root 15 grams of
pilose asiabell root 9 grams of prepared aconite root and 9 grams of cinnamon
twig. For those who have cinnamon twig. For those who have hypertension, add 30
grams of loranthus mulberry mistletoe and 9 grams of prunella spike, 12 grams
each of hooked uncaria and eucommia bark. For those who have diabetes, add 30
grams of milkvetch root, 15 grams of Chinese yam rhizome 15 grams of China smilax
root and snakegourd root each. For those with severe pain, add 9 grams each of
frankincense, myrrha and corydalis tuber.
2. External Treatment
Fumigation
and Washing Therapy: For those whose sickness is at the early stage with no ulcerate
on the affected limb, use the warm decoction of Powder for Promoting Blood Circulation
and Reducing Pain (for this prescription, please see the part of Thrombotic Phlebitis)
for fumigating and washing the affected limb, 1-2 times a day.
By
Dr. Ming's
TCM Medical Center,
Hua Xi Xiao Yuan, Hutian Developing Area,
Huaihua city,
Hunan province
China