Raynaud’s phenomenon

CHAPTER 13 Raynaud’s phenomenon



Raynaud’s disease, or primary Raynaud’s, is idiopathic. Raynaud’s phenomenon, or secondary Raynaud’s, occurs secondary to other conditions, which are often autoimmune diseases. Both of these disorders affect blood vessels. This chapter mainly discusses Raynaud’s phenomenon and how Chinese medicine treats disordered immunity that affects the blood vessels in the fingers, toes, ears and nose. This disorder is characterized by vasospastic attacks that cause the blood vessels in the digits to constrict.





3 Chinese medical aetiology and pathology


Chinese medical theory does not specifically speak of Raynaud’s phenomenon. However, according to its symptoms, the illness can be characterized by Yu Zheng (Qi Yu)2 image, or melancholia,3 and Jue Zheng image, cold extremities (symptoms are very cold hands and feet).


Chinese medicine theorizes that the movement of Qi follows the flow of Blood in the body. Qi has the function to warm the Blood and push it smoothly through the vessels. Qi also dominates the flow of Blood in the body and prevents it from leaving the vessels. Therefore, when Qi stagnation occurs for any reason, the Qi can neither move well, nor warm the Blood and promote Blood circulation; then Blood stasis occurs. This is an internal cause. The patient will have symptoms of Heat and a burning sensation in the body, but the fingers of both hands and the toes of both feet will be cold, because blood circulation is blocked by Blood stasis. Thus, the Qi cannot perform its function of warming the body, particularly the fingers and toes. Another cause of Blood stasis is that pathogenic Heat in the Blood singes the Blood, which becomes Blood stasis. The Blood stasis then blocks the channel Qi, and Blood and Qi cannot pass through the channel, causing Yu Zheng and Jue Zheng.


An external reason, specifically exposure to Cold, can also affect circulation in the fingers and toes. For instance, if the weather becomes very cold it will physically cause extreme artery constriction, thereby blocking circulation and leading to Yu Zheng and Jue Zheng.



4 General treatment principle


According to the symptoms of Raynaud’s, the treatment principle should be to remove Blood stasis and activate the Qi.





Differentiation and treatment


Raynaud’s phenomenon is associated with symptoms of multiple autoimmune diseases. Therefore, its treatment is usually combined with the treatment of other autoimmune diseases. If both the Raynaud’s phenomenon and another autoimmune disease are active, the autoimmune disease can be treated first, or both conditions treated simultaneously. Or, when the autoimmune disease goes into remission, the Raynaud’s phenomenon can then be treated. Which treatment plan is chosen depends on the main condition of the disease. If the condition of the disease is serious, the treatment plan should be to treat the main symptoms to save the patient’s life; if the patient’s condition is less serious and there is a cold sensation in both hands and feet, the treatment plan chosen should remove the Blood stasis and activate channel Qi and Yang. This means that treatment of Raynaud’s phenomenon is secondary unless the primary condition is in remission or is not severe.




Jan 19, 2017 | Posted by in MUSCULOSKELETAL MEDICINE | Comments Off on Raynaud’s phenomenon

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