1. 93 Cases of Cancer Treatment
2. Treatment of Dysmenorrhea
3. The Effect of Acupuncture and Moxibustion on Asthma
4. Acupuncture Treatment of 26 Cases of Primary Dysmenorrhea

93 CASES OF CANCER TREATMENT WITH TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE

Kam-tim Ho, Canada

Note: Before the legislation of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) by the Canadian Government, I can only act as an individual clinician, following the basic principles of current cancer treatment in China and the experiences extracted from a large volume of references on cancer treatment to treat late stage of various cancer cases and analyze the results. Because of the lacking of the various laboratory analysis results, this paper serves only as an additional information for our audience.

The 93 clinically confirmed cases all occurred between 1983 and 1999. 50 cases are male, 43 cases female, ranging from 7 to 88 years of age. (Table 1)

TABLE 1 Cases and Age

With the increasing awareness of cancer treatment with TCM, the demand rises with the passing years. Among the 93 cases, there were only 5 before 1985. In the years 1979, 1982, 1983 and 1984, there was only I case respectively each year. The case of 1979 was actually a recurrent case, the patient sought help in 1989. Strictly speaking, there were only 4 cases before 1985 and not 5 as aforementioned. From 1986 to 1990, there were 13 cases, 1991 to 1995, 30 cases, 1996 to 1999, 45 cases.

Among the 93 cases presented in this paper, there are 18 different tumors. (Table 2) The most common cases are liver cancer, followed by intestinal cancer. Breast cancer and lung cancer is in the third place. Leukemia (lymphocytic 2 cases, non-lymphocytic 7 cases), the unique Cantonese nose/throat or nasopharyngeal cancer occupy the fourth place, while the commonly seen uterine cancer is in the last.

TABLE 2

All the above cases have been confirmed by specialists of various hospitals of Toronto and have also been treated or being treated by western medicine. Therefore, the diagnosis is reliable. Because not being recognized as a legal medical profession, Chinese traditional medical doctors have no right to get access to various systematic examination results. I can only obtain the diagnostic information through verbal communication with my patients. Consequently, I cannot provide a complete picture of all examination data for reference, diagnostic analysis or for further investigations. However, based upon the information provided by the patients themselves combined with the conditions of the treatment, I considered the diagnosis of a great majority of these cases as reliable and correct. (Therefore, this presentation is for information only)

CASE ANALYSIS

This paper classifies the cases into three categories: that is patient is still alive, deceased or has lost contact. Still alive, 8 cases (19.5%), deceased, 29 cases (3 1%) and lost contact 46 cases (49.5%).

Still Alive Cases
Among the 93 cases, 18 cases still survive after treatment, occupying 19.5% is lower than reported by some other investigators. The reason for this lower rate will be discussed later. Right now let us discuss the various aspects of these 18 cases.

a. Types of cancers:
Cases including 1 case of prostate cancer, 2 cases of liver cancer, 4 cases of nasopharyngeal cancer, 4 cases of stomach cancer, 1 case of breast cancer, 2 cases of lymphatic cancer, 1 case of acute myeloblastic leukemia, 1 case of chronic lymphocytic leukemia and 1 case of thyroid cancer spreading into the lungs after surgery. Lastly 1 cases of uterine cancer metastasized into the pelvic cavity.

b. Stages of cancer:
Over 10 years, 5 cases. Among these, 2 cases were pre liver cancer stage to early cancer stage. Both cases were hepatitis B virus carriers, the duration of the disease were respectively 19 and 20 years. What makes the patients come for treatment was because of the continual rises of the AFP. However, no evidence of liver cancer was detected at that time. Therefore, these 2 cases are classified as pre cancerous stage. 1 case of nasopharyngeal cancer, confirmed in 1989, was treated with radiation therapy. Presumed cleared and no other treatment was required. However, it was discovered later to have metastasized into the cervical vertebrae. Chemotherapy was administered followed by Chinese and western medicine combined. 1 case of acute myeloblastic leukemia, the patient developed this disease since 7 years of age in the year 1985 and was treated with chemotherapy. Preventive Chinese medicine was administered in the remission stage until September 1988. Now, the patient develops properly, with normal intelligence and is attending university. The case of thyroid cancer, operated in 1988. In 1955,4 foci were discovered in the upper left lung, thence have spread to the lymph nodes of the left neck. This patient is still taking Chinese medicine intermittently. Today, his health remains stable even though it is already 11 years.

Disease duration between 5-9 years, 2 cases. 1 case of nasopharyngeal cancer, discovered and treated with western medicine in 1994. From the beginning of radiation, the patient was also treated with Chinese herbal medicine "Detoxification and Sensitivity Increasing" formula and acupuncture. At the termination of radiation therapy, the patient was given Chinese medicine for 2 years to prevent recurrence and metastases. Today, the patient is still enjoying good health and has already returned to work. With the 1 case of uterine cancer, the cancer together with the organ involved was removed in 1993. It was presumed cure and no therapies were given. The cancer re-occurred in 1997. The patient felt better after radiation therapy. In February 1998, the patient experienced lingering and irregular vaginal bleeding. Special examination revealed that the cancer had already spread into the pelvic cavity (including the colon, urinary bladder and vagina) inducing tumors in the urinary bladder and vagina causing enuresis, hematuria, irregular vaginal bleeding, difficulty and increase in frequency of bowel movement. Western doctors put on hold all anti-cancer therapies. In July 1998, Chinese herbal medicine took over as the main therapy. The disease gradually stabilized. Today, vaginal bleeding is basically under control, appetite becomes normal, the patient exercises every morning and looks after the whole family. She is now leading a normal life and lives with the tumors. Every three months, she visits the specialist once. Until the moment this article is being written, there is no news of further spreading of the tumors. On the contrary, there is slight shrinkage of the tumor. The patient is still on Chinese herbal medicine once a month.

1-4 years, 8 cases. Nasopharyngeal cancer 2 cases, stomach cancer 2 eases, lymphoma 1 case, breast cancer 1 case. All 6 cases were treated by radiation therapy or surgery. During and/or after these treatments, Chinese medicine was applied. This two-pronged approach help reduce reaction to radiotherapy and drug toxicity. After treatment with western medicine, Chinese medicine can help with recovery, prevent recurrence and spreading of the cancer. The case of thyroid cancer and chronic lymphocytic leukemia was treated intermittently.

Less than 1 year, 3 cases. 1 case of lymphocarcinoma was treated for less than 3 months, when treatment was stopped the illness was neither better nor worse. 1 case of pharyngeal carcinoma was treated intermittently with Chinese medicine. Another case of stomach cancer revealed the involvement of lymph node close to the stomach during operation. Patient insisted on using Chinese herbal medicine after surgery. Until the publication of this article, the patient have been treated for over 6 months. The effect is pretty good.

c. On discovery of the primary cancer, treated with both western medicine and Chinese medicine together:
Continuous treatment with Chinese herbal Medicine: 8 cases. 2 cases of pharyngeal carcinoma with radiation therapy, 3 cases of stomach cancer with surgical removal, 1 case of breast cancer with surgery, 1 case of lymphocarcinoma with radiation therapy, 1 case of acute lymphocytic leukemia use Chinese herbal medicine after chemotherapy is in remission after 14 years.

Intermittent use of Chinese medicine or continuous treatment for a period of time and then use intermittently: 6 cases. 1 case of thyroid cancer, 2 cases of pre-hepatic cancer, 1 case of lymphocarcinoma, 1 case of chronic lymphocytic leukemia and 1 case of pharyngeal carcinoma.

d. Principle of treatment
Still alive, 18 cases. The principle of treatment can be classified into the following kinds:

Detoxification and Increase Sensitivity: This combined treatment is directed at the stage when the patient is under radiotherapy or chemotherapy. The aim is to reduce to the maximum the negative side effects and to increase the cancer cells eliminating function of the radio and chemical therapies.

Assisting the Zheng and Strengthening the Ben. The purpose of assisting the Zheng and strengthening the ben is to increase the patient's organic immunity function. This is especially the case with those under and after radio or chemical therapies. These patients' resistance to disease is very low. Specific herbal medicines are given to patients according to their constitutions. Most importantly, assisting the zheng and strengthening the Ben is basis for rebuilding their health and speeding up their recovery.

Livening the Blood and Resolving Stasis, Resolving the Stasis and Attacking the Hardened. To those chronic and late stage cancer patients, most often, there is blood stasis. Livening the blood to resolve the stasis is imperative. No matter whether the patient is under radio or chemical therapies, blood livening and stasis resolving medicines have to be administered. At the time of resolving the blood stasis, take the correct strategies of soft attack or hard attack depending on the various constitutions of the patients. Obviously, for this procedure to be effective, first make correct diagnosis of the existence of blood stasis, then understand the kind of constitutions of the patients before deciding to soft or hard attack.

Eliminating Heat and Removing Toxin. Many cases of cancers accompany heat toxins. The use of heat and toxin eliminating herbs, can reduce some of the symptoms of the patients. Many of the heat and toxin eliminating drugs also possess the function of promoting the patients' immuno-capability.

This group of cases involves combinations of treatment, bases on the conditions of the patients, and emphases on the use of aforementioned principles.

For details on the method of treatments, we shall discuss about them in another article.

DISCUSSION

1. Why the survival rate of the cancer cases in this group is low?
In recent year, China uses the combined eastern and western medicine to treat cancers cases, this makes the effective rate of cancer treatment greatly increased. In the article "1501 Cancer Cases, The Patients Conditions In The Hospital (1)", I published in 1980, the overall effective rate (including cured in the early stage or improved) was 45.35%, this includes all cases in 15 years from 1963 to 1977, the treating of cancers patient by myself in the region of Jiangmen, Guangdong Province. There was no specialized cancer treatment at that time. It was twenty years ago. Nowadays, the effective rates of successfully treated cancer and tumor cases under different conditions have been significantly increased. Professor Yu Kwai Ching (2) of Guang An Men Hospital, Beijing concluded his 40 years of cancer treatment employing combined eastern and western medicine and published the results in 1996. In his article he indicated that the survival rate of cancer of the esophagus, stomach cancer, intestinal cancer, liver cancer and nasopharyngeal cancers can be increased and life expectancy extended to as long as 3, 5 or ever 10 years. He quoted the 11,000 cancer cases of Professor Cheung Dai Chiu of The Hospital For The Friendship of China And Japan, where patients were treated with both eastern and western medicine, the combined group effective rate was 70-90% while the control group was 50-70%. The Chinese herbal medicine was shown to enhance the sensitivity and reduce the toxicity of the radio and chemical therapies. Professor Cheung, in his other article (3), used the formula of Assisting Zheng And Increasing Effectiveness, combined with radio and chemical therapies to treat early cases of lung cancer and raised the effective rate to as high as 69.9%, significantly higher than the control group of 40.7%. In this group of 93 cases, 9 are lung cancer cases. The 18 cases that survive today, none are lung cancer. If the 9 cancer patients were treated from the very beginning using Professor Cheung's formula of Assisting Zheng And Increasing Effectiveness, the result would have been different.

From these 93 cancer cases, we observed certain points of particular interest when a patient comes and seeks help from Chinese medicine:

1. Terminal cases,
2. cases which the western doctors have already given up,
3. recurrent cases,
4. Patients whose immune function is very low or impaired, physically very weak and nutritionally deficient, anxious and desperate,
5. Patients who take a kind of wait and see attitude and are indecisive and
6. Patients who listen to bad medical advice, or not stick to treatment and change doctors frequently. The probably account for so many loss of contacts.

These situations are very common. One of the chief factors for this to happen could be due to the low successful rate of cancer treatment by Chinese herbal medicine. The difference between now and 20 years ago when I was in China is that, at that time the first thing a patient would do was to choose a doctor so that they can have a certain standard for their treatment. Today, the Chinese herbal doctors can not play an active role in treatment. 19.5% effective treatment rate is indeed not bad at all.

2. Point Suggestions

• Fight for the recognition of traditional Chinese medicine to combine with or at least to the point complimentary to western medicine in the course of treating disease or treating certain specified diseases.
• Chinese medical doctors should have a certain level of modern medical knowledge. The more modern medical and scientific knowledge we have, the closer we can cooperate with western doctors. There will be more common language and better for the patients. Because science is well developed today, traditional Chinese medicine is also advancing with science, the more plentiful knowledge we have, the better we understand the various factors determining the success or failure in treating a disease. We should change the Chinese medicine from "Media Based On Experience" to "Analytic Medicine". Change from general observation to micro observation in diagnosis of diseases.
• Enhance the study and investigation of immunology in Chinese medicine. Recent studies of Chinese herbs in the fields of infectious diseases, cancer diseases and pharmacology reveal the vast future prospect for Chinese herbs in the area of immunology. Chinese herbs for inducing the death of cancer cells (Apoptosis, APO) or program mediated cell death, (PCD), for harmonizing induced reactions (BRM) (including interferon, interleukin IL-2) and for stimulating the proliferation of killer cells (LAKC) etc are plentiful. These reactions harmonizing Chinese herbal formulas may contain only one single herb or many herbs or herbal interferon. The study of the effects on the immune system of polysaccharides from various Chinese herbs include those from dang gui, huang qi, xiang gu, shu ling, chi wu jia, zhong hua mi hou tao, niu xi, ling zhi, yun zhi, ban lan gen, gan cao, dong chong xia cao and ren shen etc etc. The immunological investigation of Chinese herbs began to be known to the world after 1930. The medical scientists and pharmacologists of Chinese herbs have significant breakthroughs and contributions. What they have established in the medical field of the world can not simply he ignored.

At the present stage, Chinese traditional medicine is still not accepted by the Canadian government as part of systematic medicare, we are still promoting the idea to the cancer patients to use eastern and western medicine combined to fight cancer during the course of treatment. Chinese herbs serve as "Detoxifying and Sensitivity Enhancing" agents, minimizing the toxic side effects of western medical drugs and securing the smooth process of the radio and chemical therapies. This acts a support for the western medicine. At the end of the western treatment, eastern treatment fills in. The aim is to harmonize the immunological function. It can not be denied that during the radio and chemical therapies, the patient's immune system is seriously impaired. Chinese medicine at this stage, is the best for "Rebuilding the Organic Mechanism", greatly reducing the chance of recurrence or metastases.

For those in the late cancer stage, treatment with both eastern and western medicine is imperative.

Chinese medical doctors should not just concentrate on Fighting the Cancer" ,they should also concentrate on "Assisting the Zheng" and "Resolving the stasis". To rebuild the immune system is the best "Anti-cancer" treatment. In the case of late stage cancer case, the essential purpose of assisting zheng is to enable the immune system to stop the spreading of the cancer, and to reach the aim of "Live With The Cancer" and to "Peacefully Co-exist". The most striking example of this group of cancer cases is the case which the utero-cervical cancer spread throughout the whole body of the patient. Today, the patient still survives. Another is the case of liver cancer. Even though the patient is already dead, but he lived with the cancer for more than 10 years (1983 - 1995).

"Palliative Service" of the western medical practice should include the "Chinese Medical Treatment". The combination of Chinese and western medicine for treatment will lengthen the patients' survival period and improve the quality of their lives.

Suggest to the government to subsidize the medical expenses. Prolonged treatment involves big financial burden. This could be one of the many reasons why some cancer patients lost contact. (for certain, this is not necessary the main factor)

The investigation result in the recent 30 years in China, reveals that it is not a question of "Okay" or "Not Okay" for treating cancer with Chinese medicine, it is a question of "Recognition" and "Exhalation". To those westerners who have no knowledge of Chinese medicine, we should solidly promote and educate them so that they can have a clear picture of our medicine. At the same time we should also raise the standard of our education and medical knowledge. The existing Chinese medical practitioners should be re-educated. They cannot maintain the same level as when they were just graduated. Furthermore, we should completely eliminate those "Phony Doctors". Lastly, enhance the specialized training of cancer treatment among the Chinese medical herbal practitioners.

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TREATMENT OF DYSMENORRHEA THROUGH WRIST AND ANKLE POINTS ACUPUNCTURE

Guo-nan Xu
Shanghai Infertility Specialist Clinic of Canada

Dysmenorrhea refers to pain, or even severe, unbearable pain experienced by women in the abdominal or lumbosacral regions, occurring before, during or after menstruation. It is a common and frequently occurring gynecological condition. A 1998 sample survey indicates that the incidence of dysmenorrhea is as high as 34.6%, of which primary dysmenorrhea accounts for 36.8%. The condition has seriously affected the work and life of patients and has sometimes even caused infertility. As a result, some patients tend to be fearful or to panic about the prospect of menstruating.

The clinical definition of primary dysmenorrhea is dysmenorrhea in patients who do not have pathological changes of the reproductive organs; secondary dysmenorrhea refers to dysmenorrhea that is caused by such changes.

Traditional Chinese medicine attributes the cause and pathogenesis of dysmenorrhea mostly to impeded circulation of vital energy and blood stasis, stagnation due to cold-dampness, deficiency of vital energy and blood, or the insufficiency and impairment of liver-kidney essence. The fundamental pathogenesis lies in impeded circulation of vital energy and blood. "All blockages cause pains," as the saying goes.

In my view, most dysmenorrhea patients suffer from excess syndrome, with frequent signs of blood stasis and stagnation of vital energy. Often, the clinical promotion of blood circulation and elimination of blood stasis result in significant improvement. Most dysmenorrhea sufferers go to see a doctor only when the pain sets in. Since they feel quite normal in the rest of the month, it is hard to make them follow through a treatment that requires taking Chinese medicine for several months in a row. Yet once the condition sets in, it causes excruciating pains. Western medicine usually uses pain-killers or spasmolysant for fast pain relief. Can Chinese medicine do the same? To find out, I designed two contrast trial groups for acupuncture therapy, one for wrist and ankle points acupuncture and the other for body points acupuncture. I found that wrist ankle points acupuncture therapy can quickly relieve pain and is easy to administer. In most cases, the pain disappears the moment the needles are in. Here are the contrastive results;

Wrist and Ankle Points Therapy Group
Total number of cases is 60. Between 15 and 25 years old: 30; 26 - 30: 15; over 31: 15. Unmarried: 12, married: 18

Acu-points selected for therapy: both sides of lower Area One (located three fingers above the protruding knob of the ankle bone, close to the inside of the Achilles tendon).

Contrast Group (Body Points Therapy)
Total number of cases is 30. Between 18 and 25 years old: 15; 26 - 30: 10; over 31: 5. Unmarried: 20, married: 10

Acu-points selected for therapy: Guan-yuan, Zhong-ji, Gui-lai (both), Ci-yu, San-yin-jiao (both).

Therapeutic Effectiveness

Pain is usually alleviated or simply disappears within two to three minutes after the insertion of the needles into wrist ankle points. The therapy thus offers a faster relief than pain-killers. The key to effectiveness in the whole procedure lies in the way needles are applied. The tips of the needles should be inserted subcutaneously and shallowly, while the needle shafts should be applied shallowly, just beneath the skin. It is important to avoid inducing sensations of tingling, numbness, distension, swelling, or pain. Once the needles are inserted, symptoms of pain or pressure-induced pain disappear for the most part of completely. The retaining of the needles does not impair any body movement. Needles are normally retained for around half an hour.

Case Study: Ms. Zhou, 41 years old, had been married for nine years and had no success in pregnancy. She had ovariectomy of her right ovary for "chocolate cysts". During each menstruation, she would experience severe pains and had to rely on pain-killers. When pain-killers were not taken in time, she would have to be sent to the hospital to have pain-killers injected. When she came to my clinic, she was menstruating and was suffering from unbearable abdominal pain. She looked extremely painful and was groaning. I immediately inserted needles into her lower Area One (both sides) and three minutes later her pain disappeared. When she got home, she discharged several thumb-sized clots that looked like dark pig liver and thereafter her menstruation flow became easy and smooth. Then I put her through Chinese medicine therapy to induce menstrual cycles artificially, using "Tongren Zhongzi Tang" ("Decoction for Warming up the Midline Channels and Facilitating Pregnancy"). After 12 doses, she became pregnant.

Observations: My observations indicate that wrist and ankle points acupuncture therapy is significantly effective for primary dysmenorrhea in unmarried women and that, in most cases, their pain disappears "the moment the needles are in place." Yet such a therapy is not very effective for secondary dysmenorrhea (involving such conditions as endometriosis, fibroids, or membranous dysmenorrhea). For this reason, I often prescribe "Shaofu Zhuyu Tang" ("Decoction for Removing Blood Stagnation in the Lower Abdomen") with appropriate adjustments, to be taken five days before the onset of menstruation until menstruation ceases. Alternatively, I prescribe "Wenjing Tang" ("Decoction for Warming Channels") with appropriate adjustments, to be taken at the beginning of menstruation. Normally, three cycles of such a treatment can successfully prevent recurrences or result in full recovery; some infertile patients even become pregnant after treatment.

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A CLINICAL OBSERVATION ON THE EFFECT OF ACUPUNCTURE AND MOXIBUSTIONS OF ASTHMA

Ji-cai Xu
Second Hospital of the Heilongjiang University of Traditional Chinese Medicine
Harbin China

ABSTRACT

The author has been to Russia and taken up teaching and clinical researches on acupuncture and moxibustions from 1991 to 1993. The incidence rate of asthma in Russia is very high and the effective treatments are deficient, so we carried out the treatment and research on it. Recent years, we've kept on clinical researches on asthma and achieved the satisfactory effects.

Treatment: Adopt acupuncture and moxibustions with Pricking and cupping. Select points alternately every other day. The points are as follows: For Supine posture, Chize (L5), Kongzui L6), Zhong wan (Ren12), Zusanli (S36), Sanyinjiao (Sp6), Micking and cupping treatment with the three-edged needle in Tanzhong (Ren17); For prone posture, Chize (L5), Kongzui (L6), Pishu (B20), Shenshu (B23), Sanyinjiao (5p6), Micking and cupping treatment in Feishu (B13), or Dingchuan (Extra 14), give the treatment once per day. Ten treatments constitute a course. There're three courses. The results showed that the effective rate is 93.40% among 46 patients.

Asthma is a common allergic clinical disease. Modern medicine lack effective treatments, so we depend on traditional medicine theory and work out the therapeutic scheme suited for the disease. It can treat both the incidental and the fundamental at the same time, and at last achieve relatively satisfactory clinical effects.

The author has been to Russia and taken up teaching and clinical researches on acupuncture and moxibustions from 1991 to 1993. The incidence of asthma there is very high and the effective treatment are deficient. The hormonotherapy is used to relieve bronchiospasm and make the attack of the disease remit temporarily. But the side effects from long use of hormone will be very serious. According to this, we adopted acupuncture and moxibustions with pricking and cupping treatment, and carried out the therapy and research on it, achieving satisfactory effects. Recent years, we've kept on treating some cases of asthma. Now they're summarized as follows:

1. GENERAL DATA
Among 46 out-patients, there're 21 male patients and 25 female patients. The youngest is 7, while the oldest is 68. The course lasts from half a year to twenty-five years. The main clinical manifestations are tachypnea, coheezing in the throat, coughing of phlegm, oppression in the chest, or low voice and short breathing, sweating on exertion, cold limbs and fatigued spirit, somber green-blue facial complexion, cyanoderma lips, deep purple or pale tongue, thready or deep thready pulse, weak cubit pulse. On auscultation, the breath sounds of both lungs are rough and the wheezes dry and moist rales can be heard.

2. TREATMENT

1) Posture: supine or prone posture The points are selected alternately every other day as follows: for supine, chize kongzui zhongwan guanyuan zusanli sanyinjiao pricking and cupping treatment with the three-edged needle in Tanzhong; for prone, Chize, kongzui, Pishu, Shenshu sanyinjiao pricking and cupping treatment in Feishu or Dingchuan.
2) Give the treatment once per day. Retain the needles for 30 minutes each treatment. Ten treatments constitute a course. After two days, rest, keep on with the nent course. Stop taking all kinds of medicines during the treatment. There're three courses totally.
3) Select medium-sized air-exhausted vacuum Plexiglass cup to observe and grasp the amount of bleeding and the amount of each point is about 2-3ml. The cup is sucked in place for 15 minutes.
4) Moxibustions with Moxa sticks in Guanyuan. Qihai zusanli, etc, once per day, last 3-5 minutes each treatment.

3. THE OBSERVATION OF CURATIVE EFFEC

1) The Criteria of Curative Effect

1. Healing: The symptoms and signs disappear completely and never recur in a year.
2. Effective: The symptoms and signs disappear completely and recur occasionally in a year, but the symptoms are slight.
3. Improvement: The symptoms and signs are obviously alleviated, and the times of attack in a year become less than before.
4. No effect: The symptoms and signs have no significant improvement, or have temporary remission but recur as before.

2) Curative Effect
Among 46 patients, 8 healing cases make up 17.39%, 21 effective cases make up 45.65%, 14 improvement cases make up 30.43%, 3 no effect cases make up 6.52%. The total effective rate is 93.48%.

4. TYPICAL CASE
Tamala, female, a 45-year-old teacher, has asthma for more than 20 years. The attacks are frequent, during which the patient was unable to lie flat with dyspnea gaping mouth and raised shoulder sweating and fatigued spirit on exertion. After the patient taking the antispasmodic and antiasthmatic medicine, the symptoms can be alleviated. Such make the patient suffer agonies, and she turns to the Chinese experts for treatment with admiration. Examination: deep purple facial completion, pale tongue with thin and white fur, deep thready and rapid pulse, weak cubit pulse, heart rate is 97 times per minutes, regular rhythm, no heart murmur, rough breath sounds of both lungs, dry and moist rale can be heard. On fluoroscopy, the lung markings are thicker. After the first course, the symptoms have no obvious change; and after the second course, the symptoms are significantly improved; and after the third course, the symptoms disappear completely and never recur in a year.

Discussion:
Asthma is a common allergic clinical disease. Modern medicine lack effective treatment. The Chinese traditional medicine thinks that asthma should be due to weak constitution wind-cold assailing the body and phlegm-damp brewing internally. Asthma is an episodic disease with wheezing and panting, and it's characterized by the loheezing in the throat. Tachyprea and dysprea. The pathological factor is mainly thought to be the phlegm, which is due to the factors as follows: the lung can't disseminate fluids; the spleen can't transport, distribute and transform food essence; and the kidney can't regulate water metabolism. They make fluids congeal and stagnate in the lung. While climactic variations, improper diet, derangement of emotions and overstrain are common predisposing factors and the climactic variations are the main factors.

Zhu Danxi initiated the name of "Xiao chuan" (asthma) and put forward the therapeutic principle that strengthening the body resistance is primary before the disease occurs, while eliminating pathogenic factors is primary when the disease appears.

According to "lung is the governor of qi, kidney is the root of qi"; and to the function that lung is in charge of respiration, and kidney controls and promotes inspiration. We take Feishu and Shenshu so as to supplement the lung and kidney. Kongzui which is the Xi-(cleft) Point of the lung channel, should be used during the acute episode. Chize is the He-(sea) Point of the lung channel. Because the chronic disease causes inhibited qi dynamic and then qi stagnation and blood stasis. We alternately take Tanzhong (the Influential Point of qi), Dingchuan and Feishu by pricking and cupping treatment with the three edged needle, so as to rectify qi, quicken the blood and transform stasis. Taking Zusanli Sanyinjiao Pishu and zhongwan is to fortify the spleen and boost qi; Taking Guanyuan and Guanyuanshu is to boost original qi; Taking moxibustions is to warm the center and supplement vacuity, and boost qi and invigorate yang. Zusanli is the main point of health protection and has the function of improving the body's immune, so we take acupuncture and moxibustions with pricking and cupping in it to treat both the incidental and the fundamental at the same time. The curative effects conform to the characteristic of the disease and can help to recover. The treatment has been observed in clinical for years and proved to be significantly effective, so it's worthy of further observation and spread.

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ACUPUNCTURE TREATMENT OF 26 CASES OF PRIMARY DYSMENORRHEA

Lei Guo, Toronto, Canada

ABSTRACT
In the present paper, 26 cases of primary dysmenorrhea were treated with acupuncture at Guanyuan (CV4), Zhongji (CV3) and Sanyinjiao (SP6). Results showed that after only two sessions of treatment, 16 cases were cured, 8 improved and 2 ineffective, with an effect rate of 92%.

KEY WORDS: Acupuncture, Primary Dysmenorrhea.

GENERAL DATA
All the 26 cases of dysmenorrhea were up to the standards for diagnosis of primary dysmenorrhea recorded in the teaching material Obstetrics and Gynecology for colleges and universities, and were outpatients. The youngest was 12 years and the oldest 29 years. The shortest duration of disease was 2 months and the longest 15 years.

TREATMENT METHODS
Acupoints selected were Guanyuan (CV4), Zhongji (CV3) and Sanyinjiao (SP6).

Operation methods: The patient was asked to lie on his back. A filiform needle 1.5 cun long was selected to insert perpendicularly into the acupoint to a suitable depth according to the patient's fat or thin bodily form. The needles were manipulated again and again till achieving needling sensations. Guanyuan (CV4) and Zhongji (CV3 ) were stimulated with uniform reinforcing and reducing method, and the needles were retained for 20 mm. Sanyinjiao (SP6) was punctured rapidly and stimulated with twirling reducing method. After achieving needling sensations, the needle was removed immediately.

STANDARDS OF THERAPEUTIC EFFECT

1. Cured: After one session of treatment, the pain and accompanying symptoms disappeared, and the dysmenorrhea did not appear again in 2 months.
2. Improved: After 2 sessions of treatment, the pain and the accompanying symptoms were relieved apparently, but the dysmenorrhea recurred as before or in a lesser severity.
3. Ineffective: After 2 sessions of treatment, the dysmenorrhea had no striking relief and the patient asked to be treated with other methods.

RESULTS
After 2 sessions of acupuncture treatment, of the 26 cases, 16 were cured, 8 improved and 2 ineffective, with an effective rate of 92%.

COMMENTS
Dysmenorrhea is also called as abdominal pain during menstruation and occurs periodically along with menstruation. It is closely associated with changes of qi and blood of Chong and Ren meridians in the menstrual period. Generally speaking, various pathogenic factors can lead to blood stasis in Chong and Ren meridians, hindering free flow of qi and blood in the uterus; or the Chong and Ren meridians are short of enough nutrition, which eventually induce dysmenorrhea. Guanyuan (CV4) and Zhongji (CV3) belong to the Ren meridian. Stimulation of these two points can regulate qi of Chong and Ren meridians. Zhongji (CV3) is the crossing point of Ren meridian and the three Yin meridians of Foot. Sanyinjiao (SP6) is the crossing point of the three Yin meridians of Foot and an important point for treatment of gynecologic diseases. Twirling reducing manipulation can improve circulation of qi and blood of the three Yin meridians. The three acupoints used together can regulate Chong and Ren meridians, promote circulation of qi and blood and relive pain at last.

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