Important Note: Although the information in this section was written by Healthphone.com's Healing Centre Panel of professional Chinese doctors, licensed acupuncturists, herbalists and other experts, Healthphone.com accepts no legal responsibility nor liability for any errors or omissions. The information in this section is presented as is, for educational purposes only. As with any medical matter, always consult your healthcare professional before acting on any health-related information.

Click here to learn more about our Healing Centre Panel.


Chronic Hepatitis

1. Overview and Causes
2. Symptoms
3. TCM Effectiveness and Evaluation
4. Common Syndromes and Treatments in TCM
  a. Dampness and Heat in the Liver and Gallbladder
  b. Stagnation of the Liver-Qi with Deficiency of the Spleen
  c. Stagnation of Qi and Blood Stasis
5. Healing by Other Therapies
  a. Qigong and other
  b. Medicated diet
  c. Life style
6. Psychological Adaptation


1. Overview and Causes

Chronic Hapatitis caused by hepatitis viruses, can be divided into three types: Type A, Type B and Non-A Non-B hepatitis. Clinically, the major symptoms are poor appetite, hepatalgia and fatigue. Fever and jaundice may occur.

Return To Top

2. Symptoms

1) The onset of the disease is insidious and slow. The patients often complain of fatigue and anorexia. Some have jaundice, but most of them belong to the types of non-icteric or mild hepatitis.
2) Patients with hepatitis A often manifest pyrexia, shorter course and rapid recovery; patients with hepatitis B usually have a chronic course and remain HB virus carriers for a long time. A few of them may progress to cirrhosis. The severity of the clinical features of Non-A Non-B hepatitis is between those of hepatitis A and hepatitis B.
3) The liver becomes enlarged, and tender on palpation and is painful on percussion. In the patients with icterohepatitis, jaundice may be found in the skin and sclera. Hepatic face, vascular spiders and liver palms may be present in chronic active hepatitis.

Return To Top

3. TCM Effectiveness and Evaluation

Chronic hepatitis is successfully treated by TCM's treatment approach and no side effect. It may take about three or six months as a treatment cycle.

Return To Top

4. Common Syndromes and Treatments in TCM

This ailment, according to TCM, has different syndromes. The treatment for these syndromes using herbal medicine and acupuncture is shown below.

Syndrome (a)
Dampness and Heat in the Liver and Gallbladder

Chest stuffiness, dysphoria with feverish sensation, pain in the hypochondrium, abdominal distension, lassitude and weakness, anorexia with aversion to greasy food, bitter taste and dry mouth, scanty dark urine, dry stools, reddened tongue with yellow and greasy fur, taut and rapid or smooth and rapid pulse.

To treat by Herbal medicine
Therapeutic principle: Removing pathogenic heat and dampness.

Prescription/Formula: Priental Wormwood(Yinchen) 30g, Capejasmine Fruit (Zhizi)10g, Scutellaria Root (Hunagqin)10g, Gentian Root (Longdanzao)10g, Isatis Root(Banlangen) 30g, Patrinia (Baijiangcao)30g, Curcuma Root(Yujin) 12g, Plantain Seed (Cheqianzi010g, Red Sage Root(Danshen) 12g, Poria(fuling)10g, Magnolia Bark (Houpu)10g .

  

To treat by Acupuncture and Moxibustion

Prescription/Formula: Dazhui(DU14), Yanglinguqan(GB34), Taichong(LR3), Yinlingquan(SP9), Yanggang(BL48), Neiting(ST44)

  

Return to Top

Syndrome (b)
Stagnation of the Liver-Qi with Deficiency of the Spleen

Dull pain in the right-sided hypochondrium, general debility, anorexia, loose stools, thin and whitish fur of the tongue, deep and taut pulse.

To treat by Herbal medicine
Therapeutic principle: Relieving the depressed liver-qi and reinforcing the function of the spleen.

Prescription/Formula: Bupleurum Root (Chaihu)10g, Chinese Angelica Root (Danggui)10g, White Peony (Baishaoyao)10g, Dangshen 12g, White Atractylodes Rhizome (Baizhu)10g, Poria (Fuling)10g, Curcuma Root (Yujin)12g, Tangerine Peel (Chenpi)10g, Red Sage Root (Danshen)12g, Chinese Yam (Shanyao)15g, Hawthorn Fruit (Shanzha)15g, Medicated Leaven(Shengqu) 12g, Prepared Licorice Root(Zhigancao) 6g

  

To treat by Acupuncture and Moxibustion
 Prescription/Formula: Ganzhu(BL18), Pizhu(BL20), Yanglinguqan(GB34), Zusanli(ST36), Zhongwan(RN12)

  

Return to Top

Syndrome (c)
Stagnation of Qi and Blood Stasis

Gloomy complexion, stabbing pain in the right hypochondrium, hepatomegaly or splenomegaly, abdominal distension, anorexia, some telangiectases in the skin of face and neck with vascular spiders, liver palms, dark purple tongue sometimes marked with ecchymoses, taut and uneven pulse..

To treat by Herbal medicine
Therapeutic principle: Promoting blood circulation, removing blood stasis and softening hard hepatomegaly or splenomegaly.

Prescription/Formula: Chinese Angelica (Danggui)12g, White Peony Root ((Baishaoyao)12g, Chuanxiong Rhizome(Chuanxiong) 10g, Peach Kernel (Taoren)10g, Safflower (Huanghua)10g, Red Sage Root(Danshen) 20g, Fresh-Water Turtle Shell(Biejia)15g, Zedoary (Ezhu)10g, Spatholobus Stem Jixueteng)30g, Cyperus Tuber (Xiangfu)10g, Finger Citron (Fushou)10g, Prepared Licorice Root(Zhigancao) 6g

  

To treat by Acupuncture and Moxibustion
 Prescription/Formula: Yanglinguqan(GB34), Taichong(LR3), Yinlingquan(SP9), Yanggang(BL48), Neiting(ST44) Zhangwen(LR13), Pigen(EX-B4)


Ear Acupuncture:
Prescription: Pt. Liver, Pt. Gallbladder, Pt. Stomach, Pt. Spleen, Pt. Shenmen


  

Return to Top

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 













 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5. Healing by Other Therapies

(a) Qigong and other therapies

For effect of Qigong on the Nervous System Function, click here.

Generally speaking, Qigong is good for healing effect of this specific ailment, however individual results may vary. It improves the flow of the qi and the circulation of the blood, so you'll experience more energy, but, you won't see/ feel any immediate effects, as with many exercises and therapies, it takes a few weeks or even months of practice before you'll see any significant improvements.

The following types of Qigong may help:

For the information of different types of Qigong ,just click a link above.

This information is for education purpose only. We strongly advise you seek a licensed Qigong master to learn the correct ways to conduct these exercises before attempting them.

(b) Medicated diet
1) Hawthorn Fruit (Shanza)20g, Coix Seed (Yiyiren)15g, Chicken's gizzard-skin (Jineijin)10g, rice 60g, put 4 cups of water and soak them for 20 minutes, decoct them for 30 minutes to make rice gruel. Eat it once a day for 2 months.
2) Chinese angelica(Danggui)20g, Wolfberry Fruit (Gouqizi)20g, lean pork100g, with 4 cups of water to decoct 1-2 cups of soup to drink twice a week for 2 months.

(c) Life style
1) Stop drinking wine and beer.
2) Avoid raw, cold, special food and deep-fried food. Be on a diet with less fat.
3) Avoid mental stress and overstrained exercises.


Return to Top

6. Psychological Adaptation to a Chronic and Severe Illness
One encounters different health problems in the course of one's life. Some problems are acute yet minor and often improve by themselves or yield to simple self-management. Severe and acute conditions often necessitate the help of health professionals who may provide fast relief with specific interventions. However, when the condition is chronic, the management required is quite different.

Please click the following button to learn "Psychological Adaptation to a Chronic and Severe Illness".

Return to Top

Acknowledgments:
Healthphone.com greatly acknowledges the support and dedication of our
Healing Centre Panel, without whom this section would not be possible.

We also greatly acknowedge Ms. Najaf Munir, MBBS, for her editorial support. Ms. Munir simplified the highly technical medical documents into easy-to-read documents, for the enjoyment and education of our numerous visitors.