Integrative Medicine Clinic

Integrative MedicineEczema

中西合璧抗濕疹 (Only available in Chinese)

濕疹是一種成因複雜的過敏性、炎症性皮膚疾病，涉及多個內在及外在環境因素，其症狀包括發炎、痕癢、皮膚乾燥，嚴重者更出現「苔蘚樣變」，調理及改善症狀亦需時，即使情況得以控制仍須小心處理，例如飲食要留意，識別並避免致敏原的接觸，注重皮膚保濕等。 中醫對濕疹的病因理解及處理： 濕疹的成因多與風濕熱有關，強調整體平衡和調理，主張患者少吃或戒除熱毒性食物，如牛肉、羊肉等，以及致敏性發物，如貝殼類海鮮等。在治療上主要採用清熱涼血，養血潤燥，祛風止癢的醫療方案，處方會加入養血、養陰的中藥，以改善皮膚乾燥和減少鱗屑，同時可顯著地減輕因痕癢引起的苦楚。患者通過中醫治療有助於改善體質，減少濕疹復發。 西醫對濕疹的病因理解及處理： 由皮膚屏障功能出現障礙以及患者自身免疫系統出現紊亂所致，加上外在環境的刺激亦會惹起濕疹發作，例如轉季期間，忽冷忽熱的天氣令濕疹加重。西醫用藥多是消炎藥、抗敏感藥、外塗或口服類固醇，達至抑制免疫系統，減少發炎的效果；並會評估致敏原，找出病因，並采用針對性措施，有效控制病情。 每個患者的濕疹病情和體質都有所不同，中西醫學結合治療可以取長補短，標本兼治，同時能綜合考慮患者的整體狀況和病因，從不同角度制定個人化的治療方案，提高療效。

Integrative MedicineEczema

濕疹分為哪三個階段？ (Only available in Chinese)

濕疹是常見的炎症性皮膚病，大致可分為急性濕疹、亞急性濕疹和慢性濕疹，三個階段可互相轉化及影響。在治療方案上，西醫的用藥以外用消炎藥膏為主，中醫則採用內服的中藥，兩者各擔當不同的角色，若配合得宜便能相得益彰，達到內外兼治的效果。 急性濕疹 病徵：皮膚發紅、焮熱感、輕度腫脹，甚至滲液、滲血、痕癢、影響睡眠及情緒。多爲皮膚急性發炎(或有感染)。 治療方案： 西醫：外用類固醇藥膏，潤膚產品，或濕裹。病情嚴重者，可考慮生物製劑治療 中醫：清熱涼血，祛風利濕，解毒止癢 急性濕疹以炎症為主，輕微的炎症可用外用類固醇以減低發炎情況。使用潤膚產品亦可舒緩皮膚乾燥和痕癢。某些情況下，濕裹的處理更能在短時間內大大改善皮損情況。 亞急性濕疹 病徵：皮膚潮紅減退，滲液減輕、皮膚乾燥，或出現鱗屑、結痂，患者仍然痕癢 治療方案： 西醫：外用類固醇藥膏，潤膚產品，找出致敏原 中醫：清熱涼血，健脾利濕，祛風止癢 若急性濕疹未能得到適當治療及反覆發作，便會轉化為亞急性濕疹，患處皮膚變得厚硬，伴隨丘疹、鱗屑或結痂。 慢性濕疹 病徵：皮膚乾燥、痕癢、鱗屑較多、皮膚增厚 (即苔蘚樣變)，甚至出現色素沉著 治療方案： 西醫：潤膚產品，適量外用消炎類固醇藥膏，或外用免疫系統調理藥 中醫：養血潤燥，祛風止癢 多因急性、亞急性濕疹反覆發作後所致，患處皮膚乾燥增厚，中醫稱之為「苔蘚樣變」，患者多痕癢難耐，搔癢時會掉很多鱗屑，病程久者，可以出現色素沉著，皮膚外觀呈暗褐色。

Chinese MedicineTianjiu

Traditional folk customs and “ San-Jiu Moxibustion“Therapy

                           Traditional folk customs and "San-Jiu Moxibustion" Therapy In recent years, many people have heard that Chinese Medicine has "San-Jiu moxibustion"   therapy in winter. So what is "San-Jiu Moxibustion"? Why is it called "San-Jiu"? It turns out that "San-Jiu Moxibustion" therapy is closely related to traditional Chinese folk customs. The custom of "Counting Nine" after Winter Solstice In ancient tradition, there is a custom of "counting nine" after the winter solstice. The ancients used this custom to look forward the passing of the harsh winter and welcoming the warm spring. On winter solstice, the Yang Qi is in its most sealed state. From then on, the Yang Qi turns from its most sealed state to flourishing. The Yang Qi gradually becomes stronger, and the climate become warmer and warmer day by day till spring come. The ancients called the winter solstice as "Yang Qi starts come back" day. "Counting Nine" starts from the first Ren(壬) day after the winter solstice. The first nine days is called "The First Nine", the second nine days is called "The Second Nine", and so on until "The Ninth Nine", a total of eighty-one days. At the time of the "Spring Equinox", the warm spring comes. From the name, it can be seen that the birth of "San-Jiu Moxibustion" is inseparable from the traditional Chinese custom of "counting nine". Jiu-Jiu Xiao Han Tu 九九消寒圖 (cold relief picture) Since it is still cold winter during the " Counting Nine" period, the characteristic folk custom of "Jiu-Jiu Xiao Han Tu" was born during the counting of nine, to express the expectation for spring. It is common to choose nine characters, each character has nine strokes, a total of eighty-one strokes, such as: "亭前垂柳珍重待春風(The willow in front of the pavilion cherishes the spring breeze)." Starting from the winter solstice, people draw a red stroke in the order of the strokes every day, and fill in a character every nine days, until spring returns after eighty-one days. The colour of the filled strokes depends on the weather of the day, such as red on a sunny day, blue on a cloudy day, green on a rainy day, and white on a snowy day, finally all strokes forming a colourful picture. In addition, there are many poems related to "Jiu-Jiu Xiao Han Tu", which shows the romantic lifestyle of Chinese people's life. “San-Jiu moxibustion” Therapy From the "The First Nine" to the "The Third Nine" period, although the Yang Qi begins to grow and gradually becomes stronger, the power of the Yang Qi is still weak and the weather is still very cold. Therefore, we must protect the Yang Qi in the body at this time, and not allow the Yang Qi to be damaged by the invasion of cold weather. We also hope that the Yang Qi of the human body can take advantage of the opportunity to grow stronger and better. Therefore, the “San-Jiu Moxibustion” therapy came into being. “San-Jiu Moxibustion” therapy uses traditional Chinese herbs with warm properties, such as aconite, dried ginger, asarum, etc. The herbs are crushed to become powder form and mixed with ginger juice, and applied to the acupoints on the body. Through the meridians and acupoints, the herb’s effect is allowed to penetrate into the body. It warms the body and eliminates cold evil in the body, treats diseases caused by cold evil. In addition, with the help of herbs, the human body can strengthen its own Yang Qi ,  tonify the human body's Yang Qi, thereby reducing the onset of cold diseases and strengthening the body. “San-Jiu Moxibustion” therapy is generally suitable for people with a cold constitution, but not for people with a hot constitution. Therefore, before participating in the “San-Jiu Moxibustion” therapy treatment, it is recommended to consult the Chinese Medicine Practitioner to understand whether you are suitable to participate. Due to differences in human body constitution, the herbs may cause local blisters and peeling in some people. These symptoms usually recover on their own in short time. Chinese Medicine Practitioners will also adjust the dosage, application time and acupoints based on the response of the patients. (Author: CMP LU Guoan)