Two Case Studies of Fibromyalgia Successfully Treated with Kampo Medicine / 日本東洋医学雑誌

ABSTRACT

Case 1 was a 72-year-old man with a generalized pain after 6 months of heavy physical work. Kakkonto was prescribed based on his symptoms of severe shoulder stiffness and pain, and keishibukuryoganryo was added to treatoketsu. It caused dysuria because of ephedra herb, so the dosage was reduced. Atractylodes lancea rhizome and processed aconite root were added to enhance the effect of treatment. And then, his pain was alleviated. Case 2 was a 53-year-old man with a generalized pain. He had a previous history of whiplash and two surgical operations. Daisaikoto was prescribed based on his symptom of bilateral costal arch pain, and keishibukuryoganryo was added because of oketsu. It caused an increased frequency of bowel movement due to crude drug of rhuharb, so the dosage was reduced. Pueraria root was added for the purpose of relieving severe shoulder stiffness. And then, his pain went away. It is often difficult to treat fibromyalgia. The decoction can be effective with increase or decrease and deleting or adding of the dosage of crude drug. Decoctions become handy as it allows dosage adjustment of crude drug to minimize the side effects and improve the efficacy.