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Scleroderma

1. Overview and Causes
2. Symptoms
3. TCM Effectiveness and Evaluation
4. Common Syndromes and Treatments in TCM
  a. Blood stasis type
  b. Type of Kidney Deficiency and blood stasis
  c. Type of Splenic Asthenia 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

Scleroderma is a disease of unknown cause where the skin becomes bound down to underlying tissues and there is limitation of joint movement and involvement of internal organ. The disease is related with autoimmunity, and the connective tissue is damaged from the pathogenic factors such as There are three stages, red swelling, sclerosis and atrophy.

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2. Symptoms

1) The skin damage starts in the face or the skin of the distant ends of limbs among middle-aged women.
2) Skin lesion: The sensation of burning and itching first appears, then, there are the patches in red and purple color. Later on, the center of the patches is sunken and the color becomes yellow, brown and pale. In the last stage, the skin becomes smooth, indurate and adhesive to subcutaneous tissue with pigment and branny desquamations.
3) There is arthralgia, loss of weight, stiff fingers, spasm of the terminal arteries of limbs. In the later stage, the patient has emaciation, weakness with low fever. 4) In the severe cases, there are joint stiffness, difficulty with swallowing, vomiting, diarrhea, shortness of the breath, heart failure, hypertension and uraemia.

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3. TCM Effectiveness and Evaluation

TCM is effective. Early treatment is important to stop the process of the disease.

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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)
Blood stasis type

The main symptoms and signs: the skin starts from the itching, reddish feeling; then become to purple or yellowish red , brown; later, it becomes thick, sunken and hard. The tongue is light purple with ecchymosis. The pulse is rapid.

To treat by Herbal medicine
Therapeutic principle: Promoting blood circulation and expelling stasis.

Prescription/Formula: Decoction of Four Herbs plus Safflower and peach kernel and other ingredient: Astragalus Root(Huangqi) 15g, Red Peony Root(Chizhso) 10g, Red Sage Root(Danseng) 15g, Honeysuckle Flower(Jiyenhua) 15g, Licorice Root(Gancao) 6g.

  

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Syndrome (b)
Type of Kidney Deficiency and blood stasis

Main systems and signs: the skin becomes thick, sclerotic, or atrophied and thin. There are the pain of the knees and waist, tinnitus, vertigo, impotence, sweating, ecchymosis on the tongue and deep and fine pulse.

To treat by Herbal medicine
Therapeutic principle: Nourishing the kidney and warming yang, promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis.

Prescription/Formula: Decoction of Prepared Rehmannia Root(Shudi) 10g, Multiflower Knotweed Root(Heshouwu) 10g, Red Peony Root(Chizhso) 10g, Red Sage Root(Danseng) 10g.

  

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Syndrome (c)
Type of Splenic Asthenia and Blood Stasis

Main symptoms and signs: The skin is thick and sunken, accompanied with fatigue, poor appetite, abdomen pain, diarrhea, ecchymosis on the tongue and moderate pulse.

To treat by Herbal medicine
Therapeutic principle: Strengthening the spleen and replenishing qi, promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis.

Prescription/Formula: Decoction for Invigorating the Spleen and Nourishing the heat with additional ingredients. Astragalus Root(Huangqi) 10g, Chinese Angelica Root(Danggui) 10g, Tangerine Peel(Chenpi) 10g, Fresh Ginger(Shengjiang) 3 pieces, Chinese Date(Dazao) 10 fruits.

  

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5. Healing by Other Therapies

(a) Qigong and other therapies

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

Generally, Qigong can relieve pain as it improves the circulation of qi and blood. Results won't be visable right away, however it takes less time for Qigong to heal pain than other ailments.

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)
(c) Life style
1) Improve the immune system by doing daily exercise, changing the bad life styles reducing the stress, etc.
2) The use of the steroid is necessary for the severe cases.

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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".

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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.