ABSTRACT
With an increasing number of patients suffering from chronic renal failure, the question of how to prolong the period before starting hemodialysis therapy has been attracting great attention. Kremezin<sup>®</sup> and Daio-Kanzo-To, which have been reported to produce good clinical results, were administered to two patients with chronic renal failure in the preservation phase. When the treatment started, renal function tended to deteriorate, and hemodialysis had to be introduced in both patients. We investigated possible causes of this deterioration, and the effect of the combined use of Kremezin<sup>®</sup> and Daio-kanzo-To the renal function could not be denied. This combination therapy needs to be studied very carefully.
ABSTRACT
Twelve patients with chronic renal diseases who underwent hemodialysis in the Oriental Medicine Outpatient Clinic of a general hospital were analyzed. The ratio of female to male patients was high, and patients' ages ranged from 31 to 71 years, with a mean age of 53.3 years. Many patients had been receiving hemodialysis for a relatively long time at a frequency of three times a week in most cases. They thus had to maintain a fixed posture for 4-5h per day several times a week. Underlying diseases were chronic glomerulonephritis, diabetic nephropathy, polycystic kidney and nephrosclerosis. Blood biochemical examination revealed high levels of BUN, CRE and UA, while K, Na, Ca and Pi electrolytes were almost normal. The drug therapy consisted mainly of urate biosynthesis inhibitors and electrolyte metabolism amelioraters. Symptoms resulting from long-term maintenance of a fixed posture and abnormalities in K, Na, Ca and Pi electrolytes included headache, stiffness in the neck and shoulder, pain in the arms, low back pain, pain in the legs and pain in the knee joint. Acupuncture was slightly effective or better in 73.1% of the patients, and none of them showed aggravation.
ABSTRACT
We conducted a survey concerning the sex lives of those women who had undergone hysterectomy. A total of 128 women responded to the questionnaire. The following is a summary of the findings:<BR>(1) After the women had their cases diagnosed as myoma of the uterus, 46.1% of them suffered changes in their sex lives. Postoperatively, however, 73.5% had the same pattern as before.<BR>(2) The largest 44.5% had sex 31-60 days after surgery ; 27.3%, more than 60 days after surgery; and 22.7%, in 30 days.<BR>(3) During the first after-surgery coitus, 9.4% had pains ; 5.5%bled ; and 19.5% suffered inadequate secretion. 29.7% complained about loss of sexual desire.<BR>(4) The majority of the respondents (57.8%) said that they are doing well, but some registered complaints of headache, fatigue and lowering of physical strength.<BR>(5) In order to solve all the sex problems, some need herb medicine or acupuncture. Depending on the cases, psychosomatic counseling would be helpful.
ABSTRACT
Since 1974 facilities such as so called “Radon Center” have been established one after another and widespreadly used in Japan. But until now no definite scientific data were available concerning their beneficial or injurious effect on health or diseased state. Therefore following surveys were carried out on bathers (female 25 cases, male 25 cases) of so called Radon Centers.<br>Radon concentration of bath water was about 0.1 Mache u. The water temperature was between 35°C and 41°C. The duration of bath was between 10 and 15 minutes. Including the bathing time, time of stay in the bathroom was about 20 minutes in total. The bathroom was made airtight and the air was circulated. Atmospheric Radon concentration of the bathroom was mostly between 2 and 3 Mache u. (1-4 Mache u. occasionally). Measurement of blood pressure was done before and after bath. Blood count, urinalysis, and blood chemistry examination were carried out before, 2 weeks, 7 weeks, and 8 weeks after serial baths. Laboratory examinations were as follows: Urinalysis (glucose, protein, occult blood, and urobilinogen), blood count (hemoglobin, erythrocyte count, leucocyte count, and hematocrit), chemical analysis of serum (GLT, GPT, LDH, alk. p., total bilirubin, creatinine, urate, urea N, total cholesterol, anorg. P., Ca, total protein). Furthermore CRP, RA test, and erythrocyte sedimentation rate were investigated on the patients of arthritis. Subjective complaints such as backache, joint pain, and neuralgia were improved in 19 cases (38%) out of 50 cases.<br>There were no definite changes in blood pressure including 5 cases of hypertension. Glucosuria (3 cases) showed no change. Improvement in CRP test was proved in half of the 12 cases. But majority of arthritic patients have been treated by drugs simultaneously. No significant effect was observed on hemotopoietic organs as shown by blood count. From urinalysis and blood chemistry examination, no injurious influence of “Radon bath” on renal function was recognized. Liver function tests with exception of alkaline phosphatase (Al-Pace) showed no definite change. The Al-Pase activity elevated after 2 weeks of serial baths in 28 cases, including a slight increase. But the elevated Al-Pace levels showed rather a recovery after continuing the serial baths through 4 to 8 weeks. To further clarify the cause of elevation in Al-Pase activity, isozyme pattern was investigated in 12 cases with abnormal Al-Pase activity. Al-P5 was proved in 8 cases and Al-P- appeared in 2 cases, which would not be found normally. No control study using plain water bath was carried out in this survey. Further test subjects had variable disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis, senile osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, etc. Therefore no definite relationship between weak Radon bath and Al-Pase elevation was established by this survey and further investigation will be necessary to draw final conclusion.