Weblog of Xuemei Liu

A male patient aged 42, 15 days restless and irritability admitted to hospital after the operation of traumatic brain injury. The patient had eight days coma after the injury. After the consciousness regained, he had irritability, tried to beat and abuse caregivers. He was uncooperative, and had a sensory aphasia, non-stop speech, irrelevant answer or not to answer. His functions of limbs were normal, sleeping and eating was normal too. He had a red tongue with white coating, slippery pulse.
TCM diagnosis: heart-fire, uneasy spirit.
Treatment: clean heart-fire, calm down spirit.
Acupuncture: Shenting (GV24), 22, 21, Neiguan (PC6) Luo-Connecting Point the Eight Confluent Point, K1, Sanyinjiao (SP6), quick and fast needling when he was sleeping.
Chinese Medicine: Zhi Yuan Zhi, Hong Hua, Dan Shen, Fu Shen, Shi Cang Pu, Zhi Zi, Dan Dou Chi, Yu Jin, Mu Dan Pi, Zhe Bei Mu, and so on. Two weeks treatment, the result was significantly.

Male patient, 48-year-old, he was basically disease-free except many acne keloids on his face. But two months ago, he was diagnosed with thymoma (low malignant grade), and had been given a surgical resection. In its recovery process, that is, about two weeks later after the surgery, he began to have a lower back pain, and then the pain was increased plus the lower extremity weakness with the dysfunction of urination and defecation. His examination revealed a spinal cord tumor. He had a midline approach lumbar spinal tumor resection surgery (postoperative confirmed benign).
The surgery went well. In the fourth day after the operation, his Medical Doctors asked TCM consultation. So I saw the patient in our hospital. His lower extremity muscle strength slightly recovered comparing with before, but had no feeling to urination and defecation at all.
TCM diagnosis: kidney deficiency, bowel qi blockage. Solved the defecation problem with Traditional Chinese medicine and acupuncture, the patient responded well, his bowel movement had back to normal after three days, then herbs included: Tai Zi Shen, Di Long, Yu Jin, Zhe Bei Mu Zhi Ke, Hou Pu, Zhi Bie Jia, Dang Gui, Rou Cong Rong, Shu Di Huang, Qing Pi, Sheng Da Huang. The acupuncture treatment, I chose Yangming Meridian and Ren Meridian plus TDP heat lamp for Shen Que point.
Corrected defecation dysfunction, I concentrated on the treatments of urinary and lower limb dysfunction. The two herbal prescriptions had made: the first one was enriching kidney and Du meridian which included Xu Duan, Du Zhong, Rou Cong Rong, Shu Di Huang etc., after 7 days decoction intake plus Electric acupuncture, the patient started to feel the distension in the urine bladder, and had a morning penile erection which had disappeared for long time. Therefore I did change the formula to Wu Ling San. Two days later, the nurse pulled out the indwelling catheter, urine obstruction is relieved, his micturition had back to normal, and he could walk well. Then he was discharged from our hospital.
(1) This is first time I see the thymoma (malignant) and spinal cord tumor (benign) occur in patient at the same time. But it coincides with TCM meridian theory, once the Conception Vessel is blocked, the qi of Du meridian is not usually run well, will be blocked too, and vice versa.
(2) Such a good efficacy result by herbs and EA in the points of lumbosacral bladder meridian.
A good way to tonify qi and blood: first, moderate exercise! Life is movement, good exercise improves qi and blood flowing, and body’s metabolism, so if you are wondering to have a good shape and good looking, you need appropriate exercise. Second, go to bed early. Good face looking comes from good sleeping. Sleep is a good way to make up qi and blood. Third, moxibustion, once or twice a week moxibustion at Zusanli (ST36) He-Sea Point, this is the big point which regulates spleen and stomach, nourishes qi-blood, supports body’s normal qi, and anti-aging when we moxa it.

A 5 years old boy has been consciousness after traumatic brain injury (post-operation) more than 3 months hospitalized. The manifestation includes automatic eyes opening, non-verbal, often loudly crying voice without tears, always suffering face, with no reaction to parent’s appeasing, passive posture, opisthotonus, high muscle tension, limbs contracture, and body lean. He could swallow foods very slowly but choked water, reddish tongue with a map white coating, pulse string. His CT scan and MRI result: the right parietal-occipital skull defect, the bilateral frontotemporal top subdural effusion, cerebral atrophy.
TCM diagnosis: brain collateral damage lead to tendons and meridians dystrophy, as well as orifices failure.
Treatment: Open up orifices, smooth meridians and invigorate collaterals, soft liver and release tensions.
Chinese medicine: Tian Qi, Tian Ma, Mu Dan Pi, Chuan Xiong, Xi Yang Shen, Hong Jing Tian, Dang Gui, Bai Shao Yao, Zhi Gan Cao, Shu Di Huang, Di Long, Shi Chang Pu, Zhi Bie Jia, Tao Ren , Ji Nei Jin, Chen Pi, Sheng Mu Li. Small modifications could been done depend on his conditions changing.
Acupuncture: Yongquan (KI1) Jing-Well Point, 3, 16, Neiguan (PC6) Luo-Connecting Point the Eight Confluent Point, Houxi (SI3) Shu-Stream Point, The Eight Confluent Point, SJ7, Yanglingquan (GB34) He-Sea Point, Influential Point of Tendon, LV3, Zhongwan (CV12) Front-Mu Point of the Stomach, 4, 10, Tianshu (ST25) Front-Mu Point of the Large Intestine, Baihui (GV20), 24, 26, Yin Tang, Yingxiang (LI20), Sanyinjiao (SP6), UB23, 43, Jianjing (GB21), Hua Tuo Jia Ji etc., plus daily physical therapy.
Two weeks later after treatments, the patient started to response to parent’s calling and comfort. Cry with tears when I was applying acupuncture treatment.
Then 3 months later, the boy has recovery of consciousness, his muscle tension has been relieved, the boy could independently control the slight movement of his toes.
Now, five months later, the consciousness is fully awake, his memory is recovery, able to interact with his family warmly, and he has further improvement of limb’s function, his hips and legs are stronger, he can independently make the turn to lie down on the sides.

53 years old, female patient, 5 days after syringomyelia decompression operation, has sustained headache, pain level "9-10", accompanied by numbness, cannot stand it, also pain in the right upper arm, she only had one bowel movement on yesterday after the operation, constipated, insomnia, dry red tongue with map coating, some thick yellow greasy fur in the central part of the coating, weak pulse on heart and lung, strong wiry and excess pulse on spleen. She has diabetes type II, even though she is taking Xiao Ke Pill, her blood sugar is still high.
TCM diagnosis: Yin Xu, associated with the meridian blockage. (The blockage comes from stasis, fire, stagnation. )
Acupuncture treatment: body needle (Hegu (LI4) Yuan-Source Point, Xuanzhong (GB39) Influential Point of the Marrow, LV3, Danzhong (CV17) Front-Mu Point of the Pericardium, Zusanli (ST36) He-Sea Point, K3, Lieque (LU7)Luo-Connecting Point the Eight Confluent Point etc. ) + scalp acupuncture
3 days after, headache eased significantly, the left upper arm pain disappeared, stool completely unobstructed, blood sugar decrease, normal sleep, slightly red-pale tongue with thin coating, and the wiry pulse disappears completely.
Consolidation effect, I give her Chinese medicine two weeks back to home town to continue recovering.

38 yrs old male patient, 3 days after the operation of brain cavernous hemangioma, his right upper limb muscle strength is weak at level 1, the right hand griping strength is poor, middle finger and ring finger can only be in a semi-grip state. He can stand up and walk very slowly, and he sweats more on the upper body, slow speech, red tongue with purple spots, and greasy white coating, the pulse is slippery on the right, wiry on the left.
The Traditional Chinese medicine diagnosis: phlegm-dampness resistance meridians.
Acupuncture treatment: acupuncture (some yangming meridian’s points and muster Tong’s points) plus EA
7 days after, the right upper extremity significant improvement in muscle strength enhances to level 4. I prescribe the traditional Chinese medicine to smooth the meridians, clear damp-phlegm, 7 bags herbs, send him back to home town to continue recovering.

Male patient, 29-year-old with spinal cord lesions (anaplastic astrocytoma), 13 days after surgery, profuse sweating, day and night constantly sweating, low energy, lower limb movement dysfunction (from original spinal cord lesions, it has been improved some after the spinal cord surgery), stomach bloating, constipation, dependent on western medicine to help defecation, urine cannot be eliminated by himself, red tongue with map coating, weak pulse.
TCM diagnosis: Qi and yin deficiency.
Treatment: Acupuncture + Chinese herbal medicine.
Points: K7, Zusanli (ST36) He-Sea Point (Zusanli (ST36) He-Sea Point) He-Sea Point, Shangjuxu (ST37) The Lower He-Sea Point of the Large Intestine (Shangjuxu (ST37) The Lower He-Sea Point of the Large Intestine) The Lower He-Sea Point of the Large Intestine, K3, K6, Tianshu (ST25) Front-Mu Point of the Large Intestine (Tianshu (ST25) Front-Mu Point of the Large Intestine) Front-Mu Point of the Large Intestine, Zhongwan (CV12) Front-Mu Point of the Stomach (Zhongwan (CV12) Front-Mu Point of the Stomach) Front-Mu Point of the Stomach, Qihai (CV6) (Qihai (CV6)), Guanyuan (CV4) Front-Mu Point of the SmallIntestine (Guanyuan (CV4) Front-Mu Point of the SmallIntestine) Front-Mu Point of the SmallIntestine, H6, LV3, Xuanzhong (GB39) Influential Point of the Marrow (Xuanzhong (GB39) Influential Point of the Marrow) Influential Point of the Marrow, once daily.
Prescription: Fu Xiao Mai 30g, Xi Yang Shen 6g, Zhi Huang Qi 30g, Dang Gui 6g, Mai Men Dong 15g, Xuan Shen 15g, Shu Di Huang 15g, Sheng Mu Li 30g, Yu Jin 15g, Zhi Ke 15g, Hou Po 15g, Bai Zi Ren 15g, Tao Ren 6g, Bai Zhu 15g, 5 packs, one pack per day, making as a decoction, drink.
View the patient five days after: the abnormal sweating is gone.
View the patient 10 days after: the indwelling catheter has been pulled out, urine controls, lower extremity motor and sensory function is having slow and stable improving.

Diarrhea for three years. Usually he has diarrhea more than 10 times a day. And his feces are all undigested foods. He has some abdominal or stomach pain, but it is not associated with diarrhea. In addition to have been diagnosed with gastric ulcer and esophagitis by medical doctors in last year, there was no reason or cause could be found about his diarrhea. The various treatments were also invalid from medical doctors. The patients has acid regurgitation, pale dusty looking complexion, a frail physique, spiritual malaise, and a red tongue with cracks, yellow slightly dry and slightly thick coating, fast thin and slightly wiry pulse.
TCM diagnosis: Qi and yin deficiency, internal heat, spleen and stomach disharmony.
Treatment: Tonify qi and nourish yin, clear heat, harmonize spleen and stomach.
I have made Chinese medicine prescription as follows:
Xuan Fu Hua, Dai Zhe Shi, Ren Shen, Zhi Gan Cao, Huang Qin, Huang Lian, Da Zao, Ge Gen, Huai Hua Mi, Chao Mai Ya, Fu Ling, Ye Ju Hua, Tian Hua Fen, Mu Dan Pi, Bai Jiang Cao, Bai Zhu, 4 bags for 4 days, cook as decoction.
Plus acupuncture on Points: Tian Shu, Zu San Li, Shang Ju Xu, Xia Ju Xu, Tai Xi, Qi Hai, Guan Yuan, Zhong Wan.
Only three days treatment, the patient gets normal stool once a day, good digestion, no longer pantothenic acid, and the improvement of body's energy.
You see how the magical effect of the Chinese medicine is!

The replantation and repairing of bilateral skull bone flap has been completed. The patient is entering a full rehabilitation program. Gastrointestinal function remains weakness. A small amount of food increasing or changing even with very much caring would make his stomach and abdominal bloating, prone gastrorrhagia, as well as slow his intestinal peristalsis and defecation. Because of the nutrient malabsorption, his qi is in a weak state, and the metabolism is slow. The consciousness has not been restored yet, still the body is paralyzed. TCM treatment focus on spleen and stomach, promoting digestion and absorption, tonifying qi and invigorating blood, dredging collaterals and opening orifices. Continuing Traditional Chinese medicine and acupuncture treatment, the back-shu points, Du meridians points, healing lamp, moxa, ear acupuncture have also been used. Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy and physical therapy are being conducted. The hospital caring, monitoring and intravenous nutritional support is also very important for him.
However, to sum up, he is already out of the critical condition rely on the joint efforts of Chinese medicine and Western medicine.

After the three and a half months of combination of Chinese and western medicine therapy, the ICU patient's condition is greatly improved. His liver and kidney functions have returned to normal, lungs infection basically has been eliminated, electrolyte has been restored to normal, vital signs are normal. And he does not require vasopressors to maintain blood pressure, his anemia and hypoalbuminemia been improved some. He eats daily regular nutritious liquid diets through the stomach stoma. He is still in deep coma, but becomes slightly more sensitive to acupuncture stimulation. His spontaneous breathing is basically normal. His paralytic ileus has disappeared. The patient has started early physiotherapy, and has already transferred out of ICU, get into common ward. The acupuncture points usually using are:
Shuigou (GV26) (Shuigou (GV26)), Xuanzhong (GB39) Influential Point of the Marrow (Xuanzhong (GB39) Influential Point of the Marrow) Influential Point of the Marrow, Zusanli (ST36) He-Sea Point (Zusanli (ST36) He-Sea Point) He-Sea Point, Shangjuxu (ST37) The Lower He-Sea Point of the Large Intestine (Shangjuxu (ST37) The Lower He-Sea Point of the Large Intestine) The Lower He-Sea Point of the Large Intestine, Tiaokou (ST38) (Tiaokou (ST38)), Sanyinjiao (SP6) (Sanyinjiao (SP6)), Taixi(KI3) Shu-Stream, Yuan-Source Point(Taixi(KI3) Shu-Stream, Yuan-Source Point) Shu-Stream, Yuan-Source Point, Yongquan (KI1) Jing-Well Point (Yongquan (KI1) Jing-Well Point) Jing-Well Point, Tianshu (ST25) Front-Mu Point of the Large Intestine (Tianshu (ST25) Front-Mu Point of the Large Intestine) Front-Mu Point of the Large Intestine, Zhongwan (CV12) Front-Mu Point of the Stomach (Zhongwan (CV12) Front-Mu Point of the Stomach) Front-Mu Point of the Stomach, Qihai (CV6) (Qihai (CV6)), Guanyuan (CV4) Front-Mu Point of the SmallIntestine (Guanyuan (CV4) Front-Mu Point of the SmallIntestine) Front-Mu Point of the SmallIntestine, Neiguan (PC6) Luo-Connecting Point the Eight Confluent Point (Neiguan (PC6) Luo-Connecting Point the Eight Confluent Point) Luo-Connecting Point the Eight Confluent Point, Taibai(SP3) Shu-Stream, Yuan-Primary Point(Taibai(SP3) Shu-Stream, Yuan-Primary Point) Shu-Stream, Yuan-Primary Point, Gongsun (SP4) Luo-Connecting Point, The Eight Confluent Point (Gongsun (SP4) Luo-Connecting Point, The Eight Confluent Point) Luo-Connecting Point, The Eight Confluent Point, Zhongchong (PC9) Jing-Well Point (Zhongchong (PC9) Jing-Well Point) Jing-Well Point, Yingxiang (LI20) (Yingxiang (LI20)), Jingming (BL1) (Jingming (BL1)), etc.

I was too busy had not time to write this case. Finally I get a chance to continue it. Viewing and examine the patient on the 12th day: the patient has been completely ventilator offline since 9th day, the functions of the gastrointestinal tract, liver and kidney are recovering, but fever came back since 11th day, body temperature around 38 degrees, increased sputum volume, light yellow color, some nasal flaring, tachypnea, heart rate increases to 131 beats / min. Considering lung infections aggravate, small adjustments of the enema of Chinese medicine as below, and give Qian Jin Wei Jing decoction for intake, continuing to tonify and regulate qi, and clear phlegm-heat.:
(1) Chinese medicine decoction for intake: Tai Zi Shen 30g, Fu Ling 15g, Zhi Gan Cao6g, Lu Gen 30g, Yi Yi Ren 30g, Dong Gua Ren 30g, Tao Ren 3g, Jie Gang 12g, Chao Mai Ya 30g, Zhu Ru 9g, 4 packs, one pack per day, 100 ml of decoction, four times a day, inject from the gastric stoma.
(2) Chinese medicine decoction for enema apply: Wu Yao 15g, Mu Xiang 15g, Raw Da Huang (cook late) 12g, Hou Po 18g, Zhi Shi 18g, Huang Qi 24g, Ban Xia 12g, Chen Pi 12g, 4 packs, one pack per day, 200 ml, daily anal enema once.