SUN TEN Quarterly Newsletter Summer 2010: The Treatment of Dizziness with TCM: A Clinical Case Report


The Treatment of Dizziness with TCM: A Clinical Case Report

By Dr. Jin-duo Wang, Jian-hua Huang, & Jian-kui Hui

TCM Department of Tainan Municipal Hospital, Taiwan


Dizziness is a very common aliment that patients seek treatment at TCM clinics.  When seeing a patient who feels dizzy, it is important to differentiate whether the patient is suffering from vertigo or faintness.  Dizziness, as a symptom recognized in both TCM and modern biomedicine, has fundamentally the same meaning in both systems.  It is a common symptom in numerous illnesses defined by modern biomedicine.  For example, dizziness due to inner ear problems includes Meniere's disease, labyrinthitis, drug induced ototoxicity, vestibular neuritis, and positional vertigo.  Dizziness due to cerebral issues includes cerebral arteriosclerosis, hypertensive cerebral diseases, insufficient vertebrobasilar blood supply, and intracranial vascular disease.  Other causes of dizziness include hypertension, hypotension, paroxysmal tachycardia, atrioverntricular block, anemia, and neurasthenia.

In TCM, it is necessary to identify the causes into internal or external in its origin. External causes include contraction of the six pathogenic factors.  Internal causes include ascendant hyperactivity of liver Yang, dampness obstructing the middle burner, Qi and blood depletion, and depletion of kidney Yin and Yang.

 

Case Report

Personal Data of the Patient:

Patient: Ms. Xue   Age: 67   Marital Status: Married

Height & Weight: 152cm, 52kg   Occupation: Homemaker

Date of the First Visit: October 5th, 2007

 

Chief Complaint:

Dizziness and nausea for three days, somnolence for six months, mouth not dry, low appetite.

 

Current History:

When the patient came in, she had a pale complexion and complained that for three days she would feel dizzy and as if the room was spinning around her.  During these bouts of vertigo, she felt the need to vomit, but only retched without pitting anything up.  She also had generalized weakness, and when at home, she wanted only to lie down and sleep.  She also complained that she had no energy and had no appetite all day long.  At night, she slept shallowly, and woke up frequently during the night.  Her bowel movement and urination were normal.  She had a history of imbalance due to inner ear problems.  She said she occasionally had a lot of phlegm.

 

Previous History:

She had a history of gastric ulcer, but no history of hypertension, diabetes, blood clotting disorders, or autoimmune disorders.

 

The Four Diagnostic Methods

Observation: The patient's tongue was enlarged with tooth marks.  The tongue was bluish-purple, and had a thin white coating.

Listening & Smelling: Normal.

Inquiry: She said she became dizzy rather easily recently.  The condition did not improve even when she changed her posture.  She vomited, but nothing solid.  She was very drowsy during the day and had no energy.  Her bowel movements tended toward being soft, and her urination was frequent.  She did not have a dry mouth, and had no appetite.

Pulse: Urgent.  Weak in the cubit position.

 

  • First Visit: October 5, 2007

Western Medicine Diagnosis: Vertigo

Chinese Medicine Diagnosis: Spleen and kidney Yang depletion with water pathogen rebelling upwards and disturbing the clear Yang.

Treatment Principle: Warmly supplement kidney Yang, fortify the spleen and release dampness, sedate the liver and extinguish wind, to stop dizziness.

Prescription: Combining Atractylodes & Hoelen Combination (Ling Gui Zhu Gan Tang) 8g, White Peony (Bai Shao) 1.5g, Fresh Ginger (Sheng Jiang) 1.5g, Processed Aconite (Pao Fu Zi) 1g, Gastrodia (Tian Ma) 1g, Uncaria (Gou Teng) lg, total 14g per day.

Treatment Period: 7 days.

  •  First Follow-up: October 12th, 2007

Condition: The patient's dizziness and nausea had improved.  Her sleep was not ideal, her mouth was not dry, and her appetite was still poor.  She also reported that her shoulders and back were sore and painful.

Pulse: Urgent.  Weak in the cubit position.

Tongue: Bluish tongue with a thin white coating

Reasoning: To strengthen the spleen, stomach, middle burner, and the ability to eliminate dampness.  To increase food intake and strengthen the body's ability to warmly transform water-rheum.

Prescription: Pinellia & Gastrodia Combination (Ban Xia Bai Zhu Tian Ma Tang) 6g, White Peony (Bai Shao) 1.5g, Fresh Ginger (Sheng Jiang) 1.5g, Processed Aconite (Pao Fu Zi) l.5g, Uncaria (Gou Teng) lg, Hoelen (Fu Ling) 1g, and Turmeric Rhizome (Jiang Huang) lg, total 13.5g per day.

Treatment Period: 7 days.

  • Second Follow-up: October 18th, 2007

 Condition: The patient's dizziness had greatly diminished, and her appetite had begun to improve.  Her mouth was not dry, and she did not have constipation.  She said her stomach had a clamoring sensation.

Pulse: Urgent.  Weak in the cubit position.

Tongue: Pale with a thin, white-peeled coating.

Reasoning: The patient had a history of gastric ulcer, and had complained of a clamoring sensation in her stomach.  Hence, I decided to add Fritillaria (Bei Mu) to her prescription to reduce the acidity in her stomach.

Prescription: Pinellia & Gastrodia Combination (Ban Xia Bai Zhu Tian Ma Tang) 8g, Fresh Ginger (Sheng Jiang) 1.5g, Processed Aconite (Pao Fu Zi) 1.5g, Hoelen (Fu Ling) 1g, Fritillaria (Bei Mu) lg, and White Peony (Bai Shao) 1.5g, total 14.5g per day.

Treatment period: 7 days.

  • Third Follow-up: October 25th, 2007

Condition: The patient's dizziness had greatly diminished, and her appetite had begun to improve.  Her mouth was not dry, and she did not have constipation.  She said her stomach was no longer uncomfortable.

Pulse: Urgent.  Weak in the cubit position.

Tongue: Pale with a thin, white-peeled coating.

Reasoning: Add Scute (Huang Qin) to harmonize Yin and Yang, and avoid internal heat generated by long period use of Processed Aconite (Pao Fu Zi).

Prescription: Pinellia & Gastrodia Combination (Ban Xia Bai Zhu Tian Ma Tang) 8g, Fresh Ginger (Sheng Jiang) 1.5g, Processed Aconite (Pao Fu Zi) 1.5g, Hoelen (Fu Ling) lg, Fritillaria (Bei Mu) 1g, White Peony (Bai Shao) 1.5g, and Scute (Huang Qin) 1.5g, total 16g per day.

Treatment period: 14 days

  • Fourth Follow-up: November 8th, 2007

Condition: The patient's dizziness continued to improve, and she reported that her appetite was back to normal.  Her mouth was not dry, and she did not have constipation.  She said her ulcer was no longer painful.

Pulse: Urgent.  Weak in the cubit position.

Tongue: Pale with a thin, white-peeled coating.

Reasoning: Because the formula was effective, continue with the same prescription.

Prescription: Pinellia & Gastrodia Combination (Ban Xia Bai Zhu Tian Ma Tang) 8g, Fresh Ginger (Sheng Jiang) 1.5, Processed Aconite (Pao Fu Zi) 1.5g, Hoelen (Fu Ling) 1g, Fritillaria (Bei Mu) lg, White Peony (Bai Shao) 1.5g, Scute (Huang Qin) 1.5g, total 16 g per day.

Treatment period: 14 days.

  • Fifth Follow-up: February 2008

The patient came back for another follow-up and reported that she was feeling well and had completely recovered, no more dizziness.

 

 

 

Analysis

 

This woman's condition was a case of dizziness due to internal causes, and was diagnosed as spleen and kidney Yang depletion.  In her case, because spleen Yang was deficient, it was unable to control water.  Consequently, water-rheum flooded upwards, and causing dizziness.  On her first visit, the patient was given Vitality Combination (Zhen Wu Tang, Wen Fu Tang) plus Atractylodes & Hoelen Combination (Ling Gui Zhu Gan Tang) to greatly supplement spleen and kidney Yang Qi, as well as fortify the spleen and release dampness.  Her condition improved slightly.  On her second visit, she complained of having low appetite, so the formula was changed to Pinellia & Gastrodia Combination (Ban Xia Bai Zhu Tian Ma Tang) plus Vitality Combination (Zhen Wu Tang, Wen Fu Tang) to increase the functions of fortifying the spleen, promoting digestion, and transforming phlegm.  As a result, her symptoms of dizziness and low appetite greatly improved.

 

Dizziness is the primary complaint of many patients who come to seek TCM treatment.  Clinically, it is important to differentiate whether the patient is suffering from vertigo or faintness.  In vertigo, the patients feel as if the world around them is spinning, and the problem lies in the semicircular canal of the inner ear and the cerebral vestibular nerve.  Faintness, on the other hand, feel light-headed.  In severe cases, a person may faint suddenly.  The cause is usually deficiency of blood or oxygen to the brain.

 

The “Su Wen: Zhi Zhen Yao Da Lun” says, “All cases of wind, swaying and dizziness are related to the liver.”  This clarifies that dizziness is related to the nervous system.  The “Ling Shu: Kou Wen Pian” points out, “When Qi in the upper body is insufficient, the brain won't be full, the ears will suffer from ringing and the vision will spin. Here, “Qi in the upper body is insufficient” means insufficient blood supply to the brain.

 

Zhong-jing Zhang of the Eastern Han Dynasty thought that external contraction and phlegm-rheum were major causes of dizziness.  In the “Shang Han Lun: Shao Yang Bing Pian”, it is written, “When Shao Yang is diseased, the mouth will be bitter, the throat will be dry, and the vision will spin.”  This paragraph clarifies that dizziness due to external contraction can be treated with Minor Bupleurum Combination (Xiao Chai Hu Tang).  In the “Shang Han Lun: Tai Yang Bing Pian”, it says, “If cold damage is treated with emesis or purging, then there will be reversal and fullness in the area below the heart, Qi will surge upwards into the chest, the person will feel dizzy upon standing, and their pulse will be deep and tight.  If sweating is induced, this will disturb the channels, and the person's body will shake and sway, Fu Ling Gui Zhi Bai Zhu Gan Cao Tang (Poria, Cinnamon Twig, White Atractylodes, & Licorice Combination) governs.” In the “Jin Kui Yao Lue: Tan Yin Ke Sou Bing Mo Zheng Bing Zhi Pian”, it is written, “When there is propping rheum below the heart, and the person suffers from dizziness, Ze Xie Tang (Alisma Combination) governs.”  It also says, “In cases of sudden vomiting with focal distention below the heart, water in the diaphragm, and dizziness with palpitations, Xiao Ban Xia Jia Fu Ling Tang (Minor Pinellia & Hoelen Combination) governs.”  These excerpts regarding the relationship between phlegm-rheum and dizziness as well as the formulas used to treat them were the original sources for how to treat “dizziness caused by phlegm” and “dizziness caused by spleen depletion with pooling water.”

 

        Yong-he Yan of the Song Dynasty wrote in the “Zhong Ding Yan Shi Ji Sheng Fang: Xuan Yun Men, “Contraction of the six pathogenic factors, and injury to seven emotions can all cause dizziness and should be differentiated by external signs and the pulse.”  “The influence of the seven emotions can cause the Zang Qi to become unbalanced, leading to constraint and the production of saliva, which becomes bound and turns into rheum.  The rheum follows rebellious Qi upwards and causes a person to feel dizzy¡K Extreme exhaustion, depletion below and repletion above, incised wounds, vomiting, diarrhea, as well as uterine flooding with blood loss, all these conditions can cause a person to feel dizzy.”  Yong-he Yan's theory of the seven emotions and how they lead to dizziness was an important addition to medical literature.  The other symptoms of vomiting, diarrhea, and severe uterine bleeding can cause the quantity of blood in the blood vessels to become depleted and lead to orthostatic hypotension and dizziness.

 

Jing-yue Zhang of the Ming Dynasty wrote in the “Jing Yue Quan Shu: Xuan Yun”, “Although dizziness is an issue of depletion in the upper aspect of the body, it also involves the lower aspect.  The upper depletion is depletion of the Yang within Yang, and lower depletion is depletion of the Yang within Yin. For depletion of Yang within Yang treat its Qi, for depletion of Yang within Yin supplement its essence.  Cutting down below will cause the upper to wither.  In order to enrich the leaves of a tree, it is necessary to irrigate its roots.”  Jing-yue Zhang put forth that in order to treat dizziness, one must supplement kidney Yin and Yang.

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