RESUMEN
Hangekobokuto, on the basis of Jin-kui-yao-lue, has been used to treat acute and chronic gastric disease, psychiatric disorders, abnormal sensation in the throat, and edema which gives the feeling of a small food particle obstructing the throat. We experienced 2 cases involving a sense of incongruity in the interscapular region (pain and/or stiffness), which were successfully treated with hangekobokuto extract.On the basis of these first cases, we investigated the efficacy of hangekobokuto extract in 15 patients having both “ki-utsu” and “suitai”, and a sense of incongruity (pain and/or stiffness) in the interscapular region, without the throat-obstructive feeling of a small in-situ food particle.Improvements in complaints were observed in all patients, with a reduction or disappearance of their sense of incongruity in the interscapular region. Thus, it is possible that hangekobokuto could be widely applicable where symptoms of tenderness or a sense of incongruity in the interscapular region occur (especially the sides of the spinous process of thoracic vertebrae 4-7), in addition to the previously documented indications (heart burn, epigastric discomfort and abdominal fullness).