How does traditional Chinese medicine treat orbital inflammatory pseudotumor? Is it effective?

Author: Xie Like, Chief Physician, Eye Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences

Reviewer: Wei Junping, Chief Physician, Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences

Traditional Chinese medicine has a history of thousands of years and has developed a very effective method for treating orbital inflammatory pseudotumor.

The most commonly used treatment methods of traditional Chinese medicine are to treat the disease based on syndrome differentiation, oral Chinese medicine, acupuncture, and physical therapy. Traditional Chinese medicine has achieved very good results in the treatment of inflammatory pseudotumors.

1. How does Traditional Chinese Medicine treat orbital inflammatory pseudotumor?

TCM treatment of orbital inflammatory pseudotumor is based on syndrome differentiation and treatment on the one hand, and on the other hand, it is based on the overall concept, considering not only the local lesions, but also the whole body, not only the number of recurrences, but also the previous treatments such as hormone use, gender, age and physical constitution. Patients from all over the country who come to me for treatment of inflammatory pseudotumor all advocate oral Chinese medicine, and different Chinese medicines are selected according to the different manifestations and symptoms of the patients.

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In the early stage or acute attack period, the eyes are red, swollen and very painful, and the main treatment is to clear away heat and toxic substances, and to promote blood circulation and activate tendons and collaterals.

After the acute phase of inflammation, treatment is given according to the corresponding symptoms to strengthen the body and activate blood circulation. On the basis of clearing away heat and detoxifying, Chinese medicine for activating blood circulation is added. If the pain is severe, Chinese medicine for clearing heat and relieving pain, and promoting tendons and activating collaterals is used.

For some patients, the inflammation is gradually controlled in the later stage, forming fibrous lesions, which transform from inflammatory infiltration type to fibrous tissue type, affecting the function of the eye. It is necessary to soften and disperse the nodules, and promote blood circulation and unblock the meridians.

After the inflammation is completely under control, recurrence should be prevented. Traditional Chinese medicine advocates preventing disease before it occurs, and preventing recurrence is also a way to prevent disease before it occurs. Different methods are selected to prevent recurrence based on the patient's constitution, whether it is qi deficiency, yin deficiency, blood deficiency, or yang deficiency.

Orbital inflammatory pseudotumor is an inflammatory disease. If the dosage and selection of drugs are not properly controlled, it may lead to recurrence of inflammation. A professional Chinese medicine doctor is required to prescribe according to the specific situation.

2. What is the effect of TCM in treating orbital inflammatory pseudotumor? Can it be cured completely?

Traditional Chinese medicine can treat orbital inflammatory pseudotumor without hormone therapy, or reduce the dosage of hormones, or not take systemic oral hormones, which has relatively large side effects. This is beneficial to reducing the dosage of hormones and the side effects on the whole body, and the impact on the whole body will be reduced to a minimum.

Will there be side effects if I take Chinese medicine for a long time? From current observations, there are rarely any side effects. Of course, some patients experience stomach discomfort or loss of appetite after taking Chinese medicine, and some medicines that nourish the stomach and regulate the spleen and stomach function will be added to the Chinese medicine to relieve stomach symptoms.

After treating orbital inflammatory pseudotumor with traditional Chinese medicine, many patients have no recurrences and have been stable for many years without recurrence of inflammatory pseudotumor. Many patients can also be cured. It is not entirely true that inflammatory pseudotumor cannot be cured and requires long-term or even lifelong treatment.

3. Under what circumstances can orbital inflammatory pseudotumor be treated with acupuncture?

In the early stage, the swelling is very severe, and the local edema and congestion are particularly obvious. Local acupuncture is not recommended. After the acute stage, acupuncture is better for the functional recovery stage.

Acupuncture treatment generally involves local and systemic acupoint selection. The local acupoints of the eyeball, such as Jingming, Zanzhu, Sizhukong, and Taiyang, are selected. Other acupoints are selected throughout the body through syndrome differentiation, such as acupoints on the limbs, abdomen, and back, for comprehensive treatment.

Acupuncture treatment lasts a relatively long time, usually more than one month, often three months or half a year, and can be performed 2-3 times a week.