Mr. Soren, 54岁, 来自丹麦, 肌萎缩侧索硬化症
Name: Soren Sex: Male
Age: 54 Nationality: Denmark
Profession: Professor Height: 172cm
Weight: 66 kilos
Major complaint: ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis ) for one year and eight months. The neck is feeble to support the head, muscular atrophy on two shoulders, obviously, on arms. Swallowing and speaking are of slightly influenced.
Last October, there was no obvious reason that the patient felt feeble neck. The check by EMG (electronic muscle graph) reveals ALS in this March, also confirmed by the result of MEP (motor evoked potential).
No headache and hair loss. No obvious reduction of eyesight. No dry eyes. Tinnitus, when pressing the ears, tinnitus disappears. No runny and blockaded nose. A bitter taste in the mouth. No obvious dry mouth. The appetite is almost normal. Prefer cold water. Drink much water. There is much phlegm which is yellowish and sticky. No chest oppression. A little bit difficult to breath deeply, especially when lying flat. No palpitations. No discomfort at the right rib-side. No abdominal distention. No vomiting sense.
The bowl movement is twice a day. Frequent urination with white color. No night urination. No back pains, no cold sense on the back.
The two legs are not influenced too much by the ALS. Yet the muscles tend to be flaccid and shrink a little bit. Generally speaking, the two legs are strong and convenient.
Now he feels a little bit tired everyday. The emotional state is optimistic. The slight influence happened after the diagnosis of ALS. Not many dreams.
The patient could not hold up two arms properly. The power of the two hands is not influenced too much. He feels heavy sense on the two arms.
Do not feel hot sense in the afternoon in the soles and palms. No abnormal sweating.
The tongue coating is greasy and yellowish, relatively thick. The tongue body is slightly sore with slight teeth marks found.
The pulse is soggy and moderate.
Diagnosis: ALS (Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), western medicine
Atrophy Pattern (traditional Chinese medicine)
Treatment strategy: Tonifying the liver and kidneys, enriching the spleen, reducing phlegm, clearing heat, and moistening yin and quickening blood circulation.
Treatment method: Herbal tea, acupuncture and massage every day.
codonopsis root 15g ovate atractylodes rhizome 15g ophiopogon tuber 12g cuscuta seed 10 g , etc.
Two dosages to be prescribed. A dosage a day, 200ML each time, twice a day.
Dr. Ming
July 10, 2005. The patient said he gets used to our tea. No abnormal feeling such as stomach distention and vomiting sense.
The muscles on the neck, arms and back are of aching pains after massage and acupuncture yesterday.
No other obvious improvement. The urine is whitish. The bowl movement is OK. Fine sleep. The spirit recovers from the long journey.
The tongue coating is less greasy and yellowish.
The mouth is a little bit bitter.
Strengthening and tonifying the spleen, quickening blood circulation and opening channels.
codonopsis root 20g ovate atractylodes rhizome 15g ophiopogon tuber 10g, etc.
Two dosages to be prescribed.
Dr. Ming
July 12, 2005. The patient said a little bit stronger neck to support the head. The arms have no improvement of convenience.
The tongue coating is less yellowish and greasy.
The same formula as above for two days.
Dr. Ming
July 13, 2005. The voice is little bit rough. The phlegm is less in the throat. The mouth is less bitter. The arms are still heavy. The legs are still little bit heavy.
The appetite, sleep and spirit are normal. The urine is slightly yellowish.
The tongue coating is less yellowish and greasy.
Dr. Ming
July 14, 2005. The voice becomes normal. The mouth is less bitter. The arms are still heavy. The appetite, sleep and spirit are normal.
The patient said this morning he feels more muscles on the right back. This is just self-feeling.
The headache happens in the past every morning always. Yet this morning only 30% headache left and disappeared quickly this morning after getting up.
The tongue coating is less yellowish and becomes thinner.
notopterigium10g codonopsis root 20g ovate atractylodes rhizome 15g, etc.
Two dosages to be prescribed.
Dr. Ming
July 15, 2005. The patient did not feel obvious improvement. The neck is still feeble to support the head. Slight headache when getting up this morning.
The tongue coating is less yellowish and thick.
The appetite, sleep and spirit remain the same.
Dr. Ming
July 16, 2005. The patient told us there was a best sleep last night without any waking up. In the past always there was breaking in sleep, with nervousness about his health problem.
There was no headache this morning when getting up. The neck is less stiff but still weak to support the neck.
The arms are still heavy. But in the daytime, he feels yesterday the arms are easier to raise upward.
The tongue coating is still yellowish and greasy.
Also another change is that the stool is not sloppy like before. It is normal form this morning.
No bitterness in the mouth.
mulberry twig 10g codonopsis root 20g ovate atractylodes rhizome 15g, etc.
Two dosages to be prescribed.
Dr. Ming
July 17, 2005. The patient said that the neck is still feeble. The appetite and sleep and spirit are the same as yesterday.
The tongue coating is still yellowish and greasy.
Dr. Ming
July 18, 2005. The patient felt slight improvement. He said when he walked this morning, the toes are more convenient.
The tongue coating is less yellowish and greasy obviously.
There is only little phlegm in the throat. The same formula as before, 2 dosages.
Dr. Ming
July 19, 2005. The patient does not feel obvious improvement compared to yesterday. The right part of the neck is stiff.
Now, making a test to see the state of the neck. Let the patient lies flat, he could make the upper body and neck up successfully. In the past in Denmark, he has to turn to the right side, and gets up helped by the right arm.
The tongue coating is less yellowish and greasy.
Dr. Ming
July 20, 2005. The arms and shoulders are still very heavy. It is inconvenient to raise up the two arms. The neck muscles are more relaxed. The neck is a little bit stronger to support the head.
The appetite and sleep are normal. There is no thirst. The stool is a little bit constipated.
The tongue canting is as yesterday. Today tried to nourish the blood.
tangkuei root 10g codonopsis root 15g ovate atractylodes rhizome 15g, etc.
Two dosages to be prescribed.
Dr. Ming
July 21, 2005. The appetite and sleep are normal. The energy is not so bad. The heaviness of the arms remains the same.
This morning tried to test to raise up the upper body and head from a straight position when lying flat, it is successful. In the past months, the patient was not powerful to do such an action.
The tongue coating is yellowish and thick.
Dr. Ming
July 22, 2005. The appetite and sleep are normal. Yesterday, the patient did not feel so tired.
Generally speaking, the left arm is relatively little bit more convenient to move and raise up. The right arm is still not convenient.
No bitterness in the mouth. Still little phlegm in the throat. The voice is clearer in the daytime. In the evening, the throat is little inconvenient.
The stool is not constipated. The urine is slightly yellowish.
The tongue coating is less thick.
The same formula as above for 2 days. The acupuncture and massage are continuing daily.
Dr. Ming
July 24, 2005. The appetite and sleep are normal. Yesterday, very fatigue the muscles around the neck is tight. Today, the above condition is better.
The tongue coating is continuing to be less yellowish and thick.
The two arms are able to use power. It also seems that the muscles on the right upper back are little bit more.
Dr. Zhu Ming
July 25, 2005. Yesterday making the test to raise up and down the head for three times, so suddenly the loss of control of the head happened, so in the afternoon and evening, the neck very weak. Also he is very tired.
The appetite and sleep are good. Generally speaking, the energy is not so strong. So tired.
No dry mouth, no stomach discomfort. The bowl movement is once a day. The urine is little bit yellowish.
The tongue coating is slightly yellowish and greasy.
Dr. Ming
July 26, 2005. Appetite and sleep are normal. The throat is little bit more convenient. The front half part of the tongue coating is much better.
The arms are still very heavy. No dry mouth. Urine is slightly yellowish. This morning, no headache. The neck is little bit stronger.
cooked rehmannia root 20g codonopsis root 15g ovate atractylodes rhizome 15g, etc.
22 dosages are offered. Among them, 20 dosages are for continuous treatment at home in Denmark since the patient has to leave Huaihua on July 27.
Dr. Ming
July 27, 2005. Today it is the last day for the patient to get treatment here.
The patient said that this condition, ALS is a progressing disease, so in this month his condition should worsen if without the treatment; so this is a good thing.
On the other hand, our doctors tried to make a final test. Asking the patient to lie flat; without the help of the two arms, the patient raises his upper body and head up successfully again. This is impossible before our TCM treatment. So this is a good improvement.
The patient has normal appetite and sleep. The neck muscle is little bit stronger.
The bowl movement is normal. The urine is whitish. Both the hands could use the power almost close to normal state, yet the muscles are still flaccid on two arms.
Our acupuncture and massage doctors could feel that the muscles on the neck and back are less tight. They feel that the muscles on the upper back are increasing a little bit.
The tongue coating at the root of the tongue is disappearing somewhat which is a good sign. We suggest the patient a few acupoints, offer twenty day herbal tea for the patient to continue the treatment.
Once being at home in Denmark, try to continue herbal tea, massage, acupuncture, so that the patient could recover steadily.
Also could consider coming back to our hospital for continuous treatment. The patient is glad to accept our advice.
So, generally speaking, after our 20 days comprehensive TCM treatment, the patient has got some good improvement as to this internationally difficult condition.
Dr. Zhu Ming