Hou Zhenmin Academic Thoughts And Clinical Experience And Treatment Of Senile Insomnia Syndrome Research

Objective:To analyze professor Hou Zhenmin’s academic clues and thoughts and summarize his clinical experience and characteristics in prescribing medicine of geriatric treatment and some of the Internal Miscellaneous Diseases, we systemically studied his academic origin, clinical medical records, papers, books, scientific research achievements, teaching plans, reading notes, interview records. We also concluded professor Hou’s ideas and methods in syndrome-differentiation by sorting out his medical records of senile insomnia.Methods:Researching on professor Hou’s academic origin by studying his learning experience, clinical practice, and academic materials.Summarizing the diseases effectively cured by professor Hou with his characteristic methods, concluding the characteristics of syndrome-differentiation, therapeutic methods and medicine prescription, analyzing his clinical ideas and academic thoughts by consulting the related classics and literatures, sorting out his papers, books, research achievements, teaching plans, and medical records, as well as his medical learning notes and journals and interview records, etc.Senile insomnia is one of the stubborn diseases. In view of the effectiveness of professor Hou’s treatment to this disease, we studied his ideas in syndrome-differentiation of senile insomnia, explored the syndrome characteristics of senile insomnia, and concluded his ideas and methods in treating this disease.Results:1. The academic origin of professor Zhenmin Hou1.1Studied under Mr. Zhang Zilin, put emphasis on tonification, conditioning and using small dosed and efficient medicine, and applied such thoughts to treating senile diseases.1.2Studied under Mr. Li Hanqing, and intensively studied classical prescriptions, being flexible while complying with regulations and treating complex and difficult diseases by differentiating syndromes clearly.1.3Studied under Professor Yin Huihe, and intensively studied on internal medicine. Followed traditional classical medicine but not stagnate,seizing the main symdroms,discerning between diseases from symptoms and combining the differentiation, which can be applied to the treatment of pulmonary system diseases and spleen-stomach diseases.1.4Studied under Professor Liu Duzhou, combining prescriptions and syndromes, flexible uses,and integrated classics with modern treatment to miscellaneous internal diseases.1.5Respcting the teachers,read through classical works, established his theoretical foundation and clinical thoughts, explored the pathogenosis, etiology, syndromes and treatment of senile diseases achieving good result. He considered that aged people are deficient in five Zang-organs, especially the kidney. Kidney deficiency is the root cause of senile diseases. Spleen deficiency is the main cause of retardation of recovery. Pathological products such as phlegm and blood stasis due to splecn-kidncy Qi deficiency are the inciting factors of the progress and deteriorated syndromes of senile diseases. According to the principle that treatment should focus on the main cause of a disease, it’s reasonable to tonify kidney and spleen, retriving Qi of the Middle Energizer, supplementing the congenital essence, expel those obstructive products such as phlegm and blood stasis to make Qi and blood in coordination, thus inhibition of the progress promotion of the recovery of senile diseases can be achieved.2Study of Professor Hou Zhenmin’major academic thoughts2.1Tonifying the kidney is the foundamental treatment of stubborn senile diseases.2.2Professor Hou’s thoughts of the pathogenesis of stubborn senile diseases:Old people’s five Zang-organs are insufficient, especially the kidney. Therefore, treatment of senile osteoporosis should be tonifying the kidney, removing Bi syndrome (paralysis and numbness) and relieving pain. Treatment of senile constipation should be tonigfying the kidney and supplementing the essence stored in it and moistening the intestine and freeing the stools. Treatment of apoplexy sequelae and senile dementia should be tonifying kidney, nourishing Qi and resuscitating by removing blood stasis. Treatment of senile idiopathic edema should be tonifying the kidney and reinforcing the spleen, invigorating blood circulation and promoting diuresis. Treatment of cough, dyspnea, asthma should be tonifying the kidney and nourishing the lungs as well as alleviating asthma. The treatment of senile insomnia should be tonifying the kidney and nourishing heart and soothing the nerves. Thus, we can conclude professor Hou’s academic thoughts that the major therapeutic principle of treating stubborn senile diseases is tonifying the kidney.2.3Reinforcing the spleen is the basic method of recovery from senile diseases.Professor Hou’s academic thoughts towards reinforcing the spleen and stomach to supplement the deficiency of acquired essence can be divided into two branches as the following. It can be adopted as the treatment of chronic diseases and postoperative recovery with the supplementary treatment of reinforcing Qi and nourishing the blood. It can also be adopted as the preventive measurement to apoplexy and obstruction of Qi in chest with the supplementary treatment of removing phlegm and invigorating the blood circulation.2.3Regulating Shen is the basic treatment of senile insomnia.Professor Hou Zhenmin claims that senile insomnia is mainly caused by deficiency. Deficiency syndrome, intermingled with substantial pathogenic factors such as phlegm-heat and stasis, turns into excess syndrome or deficiency syndrome mingling with excess syndrome. The general pathogenesis can be concluded as Qi-blood and Yin-Yang incoordination and disturbance of the mind. According to the therapeutic principles in Huangdi Neijing (Huangdi’s Canon of Medicine), namely "tonifying the treat deficiency and reducing the excess---------balancing the deficiency and excess". Professor Hou applies regulation of Shen to the treatment of insomnia. This kind of treatment has three particular meanings as the following. Firstly, strengthen body resistance and eliminate pathogenic factors. Secondly, nourish Yin and reduce pathogenic fire. Lastly, regulate activities of Qi and blood. The purpose of this method is to reinforce the deficiency and reduce the excess. One can sleep peacefully under the coordination of Yin, Yang, Qi and blood.2.4Depression-relief method is the basic treatment of senile depression syndromeSenile depression can be classified into four types of syndromes according to Professor Hou Zhenmin’s analysis of the feature of its pathogenesis that depression syndrome caused by depression of Qi should be treated with regulating the liver-qi. Depression syndrome caused by depression of heat should be treated with purging the heat. Depression syndrome caused by depression of phlegm should be treated with dispelling the phlegm for resuscitation. Depression syndrome caused by blood stasis should be treated with invigorating the blood circulation.2.5Treating miscellaneous internal diseases by differentiating primary syndromes.We concluded Professor Hou’s clinical ideas of differentiating primary syndromes in treating pulmonary system diseases and spleen-stomach diseases and sorted out his academic thoughts of differentiating primary syndromes as the core thought of treating miscellaneous internal diseases.3. Summary of Hou Zhenmin’s clinical Experience3.1Clinical experience on primary osteoporosisProfessor Hou claims that deficiency of the kidney and blood stasis is the basic pathogenesis of primary osteoporosis in TCM. Tonifying the kidney and supplementing the marrow, promoting blood circulation and reliving pain are the basic methods of treating primary osteoporosis. The prescription of Gu Zhi Shu Song for curing this disease has been developed.3.2Experience on syndrome differentiation and treatment of senile constipationProfessor Hou holds that Qi and fluid deficiency and blood dryness are the basic pathogenesis of senile constipation. Supplementing Qi and nourishing blood, tonifying kidney to loosen the stools are the main methods of treating senile constipation. The Prescription of Mao Sai Tong this disease has been developed.3.3Experience on treating apoplectic sequela and senile dementia by applying methods of tonifying kidney and supplementing Qi, invigorating blood circulation and inducing resuscitationProfessor Hou holds that deficiency of Qi and blood stasis are the same pathogenesis of apoplectic sequela and senile dementia, tonifying kidney and supplementing Qi, invigorating blood circulation and inducing resuscitation are the basic methods of treating the two diseases. The prescription of Ni tong nao ling is used.3.4Experience on treating prostatic hyperplasia due to hepatopathyProfessor Hou holds that prostatic hyperplasia is caused by blockage in the external genitalia, liver meridian connects to external genital, liver-qi depression, liver failing to discharge, qi depression causing blood stasis will affect transit and vaporization of Triple Energizer fluid, and cause blockage of the water channel. Treatment should be focused on the liver, soothing livcr-qi stagnation, promoting blood circulation by removing blood stasis, softening hard lumps and dispelling nodes are common methods to unblock the water channel, and remove blockage in the urinary tract. Modified Prescription of Qian lie tong is applied in clinical practice.3.5Professor Hou’s experience on curing vertigo3.5.1Treating vertigo caused by phlegm and retained fluid①Therapeutic method:Purging liver and gallbladder, lowering evil fire and removing phlegm. Indication:Vertigo caused by phlegm-heat disturbing upwards. Recipe:Yin’s Chai qin wen dan Decoction. ②Therapeutic method:Removing dampness and phlegm, strengthening the spleen and stomach. Indication:Vertigo caused by upward adverse flow of phlegm. Recipe:Modified Ban xia bai zhu tian ma Decoction.③Warming Yang to dissolve dampness, invigorating the function of the spleen and inducing diuresis. Indication:vertigo due to internal retention of phlegm and retained fluid. Recipe: Modified Ling gui zhu gan Decoction.3.5.2Treatment of the Vertigo caused by imbalance of Yin and Yang.Therapeutic method:nourishing the liver and kidney, calming the liver and suppressing Yang hyperactivity. Indication:vertigo caused by Yang hyperactivity due to Yin deficiency. Recipe: Modified Zhang’s Ping gan qing yun Decoction.3.5.3Treatment of Vertigo caused by deficiency①Therapeutic method:Tonifying Qi and ascending clear Qi. Indication:Vertigo caused by Clear Qi failing to ascend. Recipe:Modified Bu zhong yi qi Decoction.㏕herapeutic method:Tonifying the kidney to supplement the essence. Indication:Vertigo caused by deficiency of kidney Yin. Recipe:Modified Qi ju di huang Decoction.3.6Professor Houzhenmin’s experience on treating hyperhidrosis by differentiating the main symptoms.①Symptoms:sweating, aversion to wind, slow pulse, Therapeutic method:Regulating Ying and defense Qi,Recipe:Gui zhi Decoction.②Symptoms:Intermittent fever, sweating, bitter mouth, distraction, wiry pulse. Therapeutic method:resolving depression and removing heat, Recipe:Modified Dan zhi xiao yao pill..ymptoms:spontaneous sweating, general fever, distraction, thirst, smooth and rapid pulse. Therapeutic method:removing heat by using pungent and cold drugs. Recipe:Modified Bai hui Decoction.③Symptoms:sweating while awakening, excess sweating above chest, dry mouth, dryer at night, less inclination to drink, dark tongue. Therapeutic method:removing stasis and invigorating blood circulation. Recipe:Xue fu zhu yu Decoction..4Rules of Hou zhenmin’s treatment of senile insomnia4.1Both deficiency and excess syndromes can be seen in senile insomnia, deficiency syndromes are mostly caused by deficiency of both the heart and spleen or Yin-deficiency of liver and kidney, excess syndromes are mainly caused by disturbance of phlegm-heat, Qi-stagnation and blood stasis, and of liver depression transforming into fire.4.2Clinical manifestations of deficiency syndromes are dreaminess, easily waking up or early waking up, excess syndromes are difficulty in falling asleep or difficulty in falling asleep again after being awake. They are important in syndrome differentiation.4.3Five common types of senile insomnia, including their symptoms, signs, tongues and pulses manifestations are almost coherent with TCM rules of syndrome differentiation. But in clinical practice, main symptoms should be the focus, even if it means precedence of symptoms over pulse manifestation sometimes.4.4Classic and famous recipes are basic recipes for treating senile insomnia.4.5In treating senile insomnia, methods such as treating both the symptoms and root causes, strengthening body resistance and eliminating evil spirits, regulating functional activities of Zang-fu organs should be established. The top priority is mind regulating. Mild reinforcing should be focused on when using the method of tonification, and weakening body resistance should be avoided while eliminating the evil.