(Disclaimer: This article is for scientific use only, and the information in the following content has been processed to protect patient privacy)
Abstract: Insomnia is called sleeplessness in Chinese medicine, and long-term insomnia is also a risk factor for many common psychosomatic diseases. Improving sleep is the primary problem to be solved, and insomnia is often accompanied by various diseases among others, but is often the most troubling condition for patients. In this paper, the patient was diagnosed with Qi stagnation through his main symptoms and accompanying symptoms. The patient’s condition improved and her insomnia improved significantly after 2 weeks of treatment through the application of TCM evidence-based treatment and Chinese herbal medicine.
Basic information】Female, 59 years old
Type of disease】Qi stagnation
Hospital】Liaoning Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine
Consultation date】February 2021
Treatment plan】Treatment with herbal soup with addition and subtraction {Sour date palm, Chuanxiong, Zhi Mu, Fu Ling, Citrus aurantium, Chen Pi, Chai Hu, Yu Jin, bran fried Citrus aurantium shell, White peony, Coix seed, Dragon bone, Oyster, Fried malt, Yin Chen, Tao Ren, Ma Zi Ren (add or subtract according to symptoms)}
Treatment Period】3 weeks
Effect】Insomnia significantly improved, sleep time increased by 2 hours, dreaming reduced
I. Initial consultation
The patient was frightened 10 years ago, and since then, he is often restless, sleepless all night, inexplicable panic, fear, irritability, palpitations, chest tightness, nausea, heavy limbs, fear of cold, and baking heat before going to sleep. The patient is indifferent, slightly hyperactive in speech during the day, with dullness, dry stools that do not pass for several days. He has difficulty falling asleep, wakes up early, and sleeps only about 3 hours a day. After waking up in the morning, he has symptoms such as bitter mouth, dry mouth, lack of desire to drink, poor appetite, chest tightness and breath-holding, stool is only solved once in 3-4 days, and stool is dry, urine is yellow, tongue is light red, moss is thin and white, and pulse is sunken and stringent. Combining the patient’s symptoms and features of the tongue and pulse, the patient was diagnosed as suffering from qi stagnation by applying the four diagnoses of Chinese medicine.
II. Treatment history
According to the patient’s manifestations, a Chinese herbal soup was given orally to de-stagnate the liver and Qi, calm the mind and harmonize the stomach, consisting of sour date palm, Chuanxiong, Zhi Mu, Fu Ling, Citrus aurantium, Chen Pi, Chai Hu, Yu Jin, bran-fried Citrus aurantium, Bai Shao, Coix Seed, Dragon Bone, Oyster, fried malt and Yin Chen, taken with water decoction.
After 1 week, the patient came for a second consultation, at which time it was seen that the patient’s symptoms were reduced and he slept for 5-6 hours every night, so the patient was instructed to continue to take the preceding medicine. After another 1 week, the patient came to the third consultation, reported that the average length of sleep per night up to 7 hours, but still feel dry stool, so the above plus peach kernel, hemp seed kernel, to laxative.
Third, the treatment effect
After the patient applied Chinese medicine treatment, the patient’s symptoms improved significantly, and the sleep state was the most prominent change, from the original sleep of 3 hours to 5 hours, and then gradually extended to 7 hours. In addition, the degree of sleep solidity was significantly improved, the dreaminess and wakefulness were reduced, the dry mouth and bitterness were improved, and there was no weakness and dullness, and the stools were also improved.
Based on the principle of holistic concept and the unity of heaven and man, Chinese medicine treatment will improve the patient’s general symptoms after applying the right prescription. In addition, the treatment of qi stagnation should distinguish the site of qi stagnation, which is obvious in the upper and middle jiao, and the lesions are mostly in the liver, gallbladder, spleen and stomach. In this patient, palpitations, chest tightness and heartburn belong to Qi stagnation in the upper jiao, and the stagnation turns into heat over time, while nausea and dullness are caused by Qi stagnation in the spleen and stomach.
IV. Notes
I am glad that after the treatment, the patient’s insomnia has improved significantly, with an increase in sleep time and a decrease in dreaming. However, patients still need to pay attention in daily life, mainly including the following points.
1. In daily life, patients should pay attention to regulating their mood state, keeping a relaxed, optimistic and cheerful mood, which has many benefits for the further recovery of the disease.
2, it is recommended that patients adjust their diet, avoid eating too much before bedtime, and pay attention to appropriate exercise, it is recommended that half an hour of outdoor exercise every morning, regulate the mood, confide in the inner depression and suffering, appropriate relief of their own pressure.
3, patients need to pay attention to sleep on time, so that their sleep environment is quiet, clean and comfortable. If you have difficulty sleeping, you can drink milk, honey water and other sleep-aiding drinks before going to bed.
V. Personal insight
Qi stagnation is a common disease, but it is difficult to be cured, and can be suffered by both men and women, old and young. Through many cases of clinical evidence, we summarize the rules of its diagnosis, based on tracing the cause of the disease, first defining deficiency and reality, classifying and selecting the prescription, using the right medicine, refining the combination, emphasizing the regulation of qi, and paying attention to the protection of the stomach, so that qi and blood, yin and yang, and will and will.
Qi stagnation is the most common type of insomnia, and the principle of treatment is to regulate the Qi flow so that it can be regulated. In this case, the patient suffered from qi stagnation, but after treatment, insomnia improved significantly, and the duration of sleep increased and dreaming decreased, which all indicate that the patient obtained a relatively good treatment effect.