Treatment of Insomnia from the Biased Constitution of the Elderly / 浙江中医药大学学报

ABSTRACT

[Objective] This article elaborated the clinical experience of Professor HAN Xu in the treatment of insomnia by using the theory of biased constitution. [Methods]For the sake of elaborating Professor HAN's experience in the treatment of insomnia, the author summed up the characteristics of old people's constitution and explained the relationship between the two from excess and deficiency syndrome. In order to better describe Professor HAN's experience in insomnia, the author enumerated 7 classic cases from several different aspects, like etiology and pathogenesis, therapy and prescriptions.[Results] Professor HAN believes that the characteristics of insomnia include the two aspects of deficiency and excess. The deficiency constitution should distinguish the deficiency between Qi and blood, Yin and Yang. The ways to treat the disease are invigorating Qi and nourishing blood, warming Yang and dispersing the cold, nourishing Yin and latenting Yang, striking the fire down. The Chinese medicinal formulae to treat the disease may use Decoction for invigorating the spleen, Mahuang Fuzi Xixin Tang, Fire diversion soup, Qianyang Fengsui Dan. The excess constitution should pay attention to phlegmatic hygrosis, stagnant blood, Qi-depression, fire -evil. The ways to treat the disease are soothing liver and invigorating spleen, descending and eliminating phlegm, stimulating circulation to end stasis. The ways include Peipi Shugan Tang, dissipating phlegm, Xuefu Zhuyu Decoction. To distinguish the actual situation of their specimens to take methods of strengthening the body resistance and eliminating evil, clinically has good effects. [Conclusion] Professor HAN makes the program of deficiency and excess and divides the biased constitution of the aged into six different types, like the deficiency of Qi and blood, Yang deficiency and Yin excess, hyperactivity of deficient fire, Liver Qi stagnation, phlegmatic hygrosis, blood stasis. The theory shows promising clinical outcome and is worth of a wide application.