Experience in Kanzobushito for Rheumatoid Arthritis and Headache with Hypersensitivity / 日本東洋医学雑誌

We report a case of a patient with rheumatoid arthritis who refused Western medical treatment and was able to improve concomitant symptoms including arthralgia and headache by using kanzobushito. The patient was a 35-year-old. Eight years previously, she was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis due to joint stiffness. Although receiving methotrexate therapy, she developed methotrexate-associated lymphoproliferative disorders and the treatment was discontinued. Due to a feeling of rejection for Western medical treatment, she visited our hospital and was hospitalized for Kampo therapy. We prescribed kanzobushito for qi imbalance, coldness, and severe pain. Her joint pain, headache, and secondary symptoms were improved.

A Case of Lower Back with Extremity Pain Successfully Treated with Kanzobushito / 日本東洋医学雑誌

We report a case of lower back with extremities pain, whose cause could not be established in the medical sense nor relieved by analgesic drugs, was successfully treated with kanzobushito. The patient was a 69-­year-old male. Because of extremity pain of his lower left back, he could not move by himself and was transported to our hospital by an ambulance. Having persistent pain, he could not turn over or stretch his left leg and anal­gesic drugs and sacral nerve blocks were ineffective. We administered kanzobushito referring to the phrase “pain that gets worse as someone approaches” in the Shokanron. After administering kanzobushito, his pain was reduced remarkably and he could sit down on the bed. And his activities of daily living improved immedi­ately. Thus, kanzobushito may be useful for severe pain and should be administered to neuropathic pain compli­cated with psychogenic factors referring to coldness, severe pain and abnormality of qi (irritable).

Two Cases of Fibromyalgia Syndrome Succesfully Treated with Kampo Medicine / 日本東洋医学雑誌

We demonstrated two patients with fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS), successfully treated with Kampo medicine, and considered the resemblance between the clinical manifestation of FMS and SHO for Kanzo-bushi-to.The first case was a 52-year-old women who consulted a local hospital in 2001 due to althralgia and myalgia in the left hand, bilateral elbows, shoulders and foot. Her condition was diagnosed as FMS without abnormal findings in the thorough medical examination. Treatment with NSAIDs was not effective, so she consulted our department in 2004. She was treated with Keishi-ni-eppi-itto-ka-ryojutsu-ka-boi-ogi-kakkon. After two mouths, her symptoms had reduced to 50% by visual analog scale (VAS). By March 2006, her symptoms had significantly decreased to 20% by VAS and NSAIDs became unnecessary.The second case was a 58-year-old woman who had suffered from tolerable pain in her right elbow for 10 years. In 2004, she visited the Department of Orthology at her local hospital due to pain in the neck, bilateral arms and shoulders. There were no findings on cervical X-ray or neurological examination, and NSAIDs were administered. Her symptoms did not resolve, therefore, she consulted our department in 2005. She was diagnosed with FMS, based on fulfilling the diagnostic criteria for FMS of ACR (American college of rheumatology) in 1990. She was treated with Kanzo-bushi-to. After 3 months, her symptoms had reduced to 30% by VAS. By Mar. 2006, her pain had redused to 25% by VAS and she was physically fit enough for a daily life.