R.S., female 9½ with chronic eczema.
Main Signs and symptoms: Has been suffering from eczema since she was adopted when she was 2 years old. For more than 1 and a half years the eczema has been getting worse. Red and irritable rash behind the elbows and knees with big and obvious lesions, skin is thicker than normal. Sensitive to lots of foods; getting better after stopping those foods, but getting worse again recently. Didn’t use Western medicine for the skin problem because both parents believe in alternative medicine. Sometimes feels itching.
Other signs and symptoms: Sleep is fine, energy is not good, stomach could often be uncomfortable or sore, bowel movement every second day, no headache.
Tongue: Light and red with thin and white coat Pulse: A little weak
TCM Diagnosis:
Deficiency of Spleen Qi, retention of Wind, Heat and Dampness
Treatment:
Treatment principle: Deficiency of Spleen Qi, retention of Wind, Heat and Dampness
Acupuncture: Zhong Wan (Ren 12), Tian Shu (ST-25) , Zu San Li (ST-36), San Yin Jiao (SP-6), He Gu (LI-4), Xue Hai (SP-10), Qu Chi (LI-11), Chi Ze (LU-5)
Herbal formulas: Dang Shen 15g, Huang Qi 18g, Chao Bai Zhu 15g, Dang Gui 12g, Sheng Di Huang 24g, Shi Gao 18g, Cang Zhu 12g, Niu Bang Zi 12g, Fang Feng 12g, Zhi Mu 9g, Hu Ma Ren 12g, Ku Shen 9g, Jing Jie 12g, Gan Cao 5g. Granules form: take 4 grams each time, twice per day
Local application: Safflower company: San huang xi ji cream.
Outcome:
After one week: Skin less itchy, red rash behind the elbows and knees are not as red and irritable, energy is better, stomach is comfortable, bowel movement every day, pulse is a little bit stronger. She didn’t like the taste of the granules so switched to Sun Herbal Black Pearl® Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang (Ginseng & Astragalus): 8 pills twice per day; and Black Pearl® Xiao Feng San (Dang-gui & Arctium): 8 pills, 3 times per day. The patient continued weekly acupuncture along with the herbal pills and local application for three months. She showed continual improvement over this time with steady reduction in itching and the size of the lesions, and the skin becoming less rough. Itching stopped after 4 weeks, the skin lesion behind knees resolved after 4 weeks, and the lesion behind elbows resolved after 9 weeks. She continued with regular acupuncture and after three months she was sent away with another month’s supply of herbal pills to take.
