By Sihwan Jin
Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) treatments for vertigo have recently been in the news. Channel 7 News reported on a study utilising a common Chinese herbal medicine formula in the treatment of vertigo with preliminary results suggesting that an effective pharmaceutical medication had been created using a Chinese herbal medicine formula.
The formula discussed in the study contains the Chinese herbs Ze Xie (Alismatis Rhizoma), Bai Zhu (Atractylodes macrocephalia Rhizoma), Chen Pi (Citri reticulatae Pericarpium peel) and (He Ye) Nelumbinis folium leaf. From a TCM practitioner's perspective, this formula can be seen as a modified version of Ze Xie Tang, enhanced with Chen Pi and He Ye.
Ze Xie Tang has been used in Chinese medicine for centuries for the treatment of vertigo and more specifically vertigo caused by fluid or dampness. It is traditionally used to drain dampness and support the kidney’s function in regulating water metabolism. Ze Xie (Alismatis Rhizoma) is a key ingredient in Ze Xie Tang, which helps to promote urination and remove dampness from the body, addressing the Phlegm-Dampness pattern often seen in dizziness and vertigo.
Here is an excerpt from our page on dizziness and vertigo:
Phlegm-Dampness: One of the most common TCM diagnosis for persistent dizziness or vertigo is excessive phlegm, dampness, or fluid. When fluid obstructs the movement of Qi in the body and the theoretical movement of clear Yang it can cause the sensation of dizziness and heaviness in the head. Fluid related vertigo, as diagnosed by TCM, can often be related to issues with digestion such as poor diet, or spleen deficiency.
The formula used for the study also had two added herbs:
Chen Pi (Citri reticulatae Pericarpium peel): This herb is frequently added to formulas to regulate Qi, especially in the middle Jiao (digestive system). It helps to resolve Phlegm and improve digestion, which aligns with the TCM view that digestive health is crucial in managing dizziness.
He Ye (Nelumbinis folium leaf): This herb is often used to clear excessive heat and raise the clear Yang. In this formula, it complements the other ingredients by helping to stabilise the Yang energy and clear dampness.
The use of Chinese herbal medicine as a base for western medical medications is not new with a number of current pharmaceutical drugs using compounds based on their use in TCM for the same condition. However the medication reported on in this study is interesting in that it utilises a group of herbs (similar to how Chinese medicine treats conditions) rather than isolating and utilising one chemical compound.
So What Does This Mean for Patients with Dizziness or Vertigo
Studies and media coverage such as these are important in informing people suffering from these conditions of alternative treatments that may be effective for them. As this study is still in its preliminary stage the specific pill they are trialling may not be available to the general public for a little while.
However the formula itself is used commonly in Chinese medicine and an experienced practitioner would be able to assess whether this treatment would traditionally be used for someones case and prescribe the same herbal treatment if appropriate. In saying this Chinese herbal medicine has a number of different formulas they use for balance conditions, usually tailored to each specific patient's condition and therefore it is possible that the clinically appropriate TCM treatment for ones condition may be quite different from the treatment seen in the study. This should, in theory, be more effective in treating an individuals dizziness, vertigo or balance disorder than a one size fits all approach.
The integration of TCM principles with modern research continues to highlight the effectiveness of traditional remedies in addressing common. The recent study covered by Channel 7 News provides promising evidence that a well-crafted herbal formula, grounded in TCM theory, could offer help for those suffering from dizziness, vertigo and balance disorders.
For an in depth look at how Chinese medicine practitioners diagnose and treat Dizziness and Vertigo click here
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