Special External Therapy for Scleroderma

1. Local Injection of Chinese herbal extracts

Method: Locally inject 2 to 4 ml of “Ashixue” each time according to the size of the infected area. If there are more than one infected areas, choose two of them for injection each time. The total administered amount shall not exceed 8 ml each time. After routine sterilization, insert the needle from the edge of the normal skin around the infected areas into the skin under the infected areas. Draw the plunger to test whether the needle has been inserted into blood vessels. If no blood is drawn into the syringe then the needle is not inserted into the blood vessels. Insert the needle slowly while pushing the plunger. Make sure that the extract is distributed evenly under the infected area and the infected area is slightly swelled. Draw out the needle, press the injection site with a sterilized dry cotton ball and fix it with adhesive plaster for 24 hours. Inject 1 to 2 times every week, once in the same infection area in mild cases and twice in serious cases. One treatment course includes 12 successive treatment weeks.

2. Acupoint Moxibustion

The selected acupoints are ① Tachui and Shenshu, ② Shumen and Pishu, ③ Qihai and Xuehai, and ④ Feishu and Geshu.The moxibustion method used is mainly herbal cake (components include aconite root, monkshood, kusnezoff monkshood, asarum herb, cassia twig, frankincense, myrrh gum, etc) separated moxibustion. The above listed acupoints are treated in turn four times a week. The moxa used shall have the size of a peanut and 3 to 5 moxa are used for each acupoint. Satisfactory therapeutic effects can be achieved using this method.

3. Transdermal Permeation Therapy with Chinese Herbal Vapors

The warm stimulation of the herbal vapor can increase the temperature of the skin and cause the capillary vessels in the skin to dilate. Thus the blood circulation and lymph circulation are propelled and the metabolism is promoted. And more nutrients are delivered to the peripheral tissues. The warm stimulation of the herbal vapor can also help in opening the pores all over the body to facilitate sweating so that the “pathogenic toxins" are easily eliminated from the body with the sweat. This method can consolidate the constitution and enhance the body resistance. At the same time it can also help dissipate fatigue and make the patients feel entirely free from worry. It can also stimulate the receptors of the nerve terminals in the skin. The signals created are transmitted through the nervous system to form new types of nerve reflexes. And the old pathogenic nerve reflexes are then damaged. Through this way the illness can be cured.
   When the herbal vapor courses upwards it can also penetrate through different acupoints and dredge the meridians (as the saying goes “Smooth meridians associate with no pains and pains suggest unsmooth meridians”). So this method has the functions of supplementing the vital energy, nourishing the blood and regulating the balance of Yin and Yang.
   By using suitable equipment this kind of treatment can be as comfortable as a sauna. It is very helpful to alleviate the patient's sense of strain and uncomfortableness. This would help the patient willingly accept the medication. It can activate the positive “Qi” of the patient from the mental and sensual level to actively fight against the disease. In this way we can truly realize the dream of “Good medicines without bitter tastes and treatment as a kind of enjoyment".

4. Injection Therapy along Related Meridians and through Acupoints

The medicines used can be injections of Chinese angelica root, Xiangdan, safflower, asiaticoside, hairy holly root, etc. Select the acupoints according to the symptoms or select the non-fixed points and decide the medicine to be used and the amount to be used according to the size of the infected area. Inject every half month and one treatment course includes 10 injections. The time interval between two treatment courses shall be 1 month.