Stress

Introduction	Back to Top
Stress generally refers to a group of symptoms caused by extended periods of mental and physical exertion and strain. In traditional Chinese medicine, the disease falls into the categories of insomnia, headache, vertigo, lily disease, hysteria, consumption, melancholia, etc.

Etiology/Pathogenisis	Back to Top
Stress generally refers to a group of symptoms caused by extended periods of mental and physical exertion and strain. In traditional Chinese medicine, the disease falls into the categories of insomnia, headache, vertigo, lily disease, hysteria, consumption, melancholia, etc.

Primary Treatments with Medicinal Herbs	Back to Top
Tian Wang Bu Xin Dan Wang et al. treated 36 cases of stress with Tian Wang Bu Xin Dan (a common classical pill formula). The patients took one pill before meals, three times a day, and one pill prior to going to bed. One course of treatment consisted of 30 consecutive days. The results: 16 cases significantly improved, 18 cases improved, and the remaining 2 cases did not respond to the treatment, with a total effectiveness rate of 94.2%.(2)

Other Treatments with Medicinal Herbs	Back to Top
Qi Ye Shen An Pian Tan et al. treated 600 cases of stress with Qi Ye Shen An Pian, a formula whose main active ingredient is 20S-ortho-ginsenoside saponin. The patients took the formula 100 mg three times a day, for one month. The results: 81 cases were resolved, 127 greatly improved, 340 had improved, and the remaining 52 did not respond to the treatment, with a total effectiveness rate of 91.33%.(3) An Shen Jian Nao Tang Li et al. treated 165 cases of stress with a self-formulation of An Shen Jian Nao Tang. The formula consisted of Wu Wei Zi (Schisandra Fruit), Ren Shen (Ginseng), Gou Qi Zi (Wolfberry Fruit), and Shan Li Hong (Hawthorn Fruit). One dose of the formula in a decoction was administered daily, and one course of treatment lasted for 30 days. The results: after three courses of treatment, 62 cases were resolved, 85 greatly improved, 11 improved slightly, and the remaining 7 did not respond to the treatment, with a total effectiveness rate of 95.8%.(4)

Other Treatments	Back to Top
Li et al. treated 60 cases of stress with acupuncture and herbs. Acupuncture was applied on the following acupoints: Bai Hui (GV 20), Shen Ting (GV 24), Lie Que (LU 7), Nei Guan (PC 6), Shen Men (HT 7), Yang Ling Quan (GB 34), Tai Chong (LR 3), Zu San Li (ST 36), and San Yin Jiao (SP 6). On the acupoints Bai Hui and Shen Ting, the needles were punctured horizontally and backward. On the acupoint Lie Que, the needle was punctured obliquely. On the remaining points, the needles were punctured perpendicularly. After a needling sensation was attained, the needles were retained for 30 minutes and further manipulated once or twice. The treatment was given once per day. At the same time, the patients were administered an herb formula consisting of Long Dan Cao (Gentian Root), Zhi Zi (Capejasmine Fruit), Chai Hu (Bupleurum Root), Yu Jin (Curcuma Root), Chen Pi (Citrus), Zhi Qiao (Aurantium Fuit), Ku Shen (Sophora Root), Gan Cao (Licorice), Yuan Zhi (Polygala Root), Huang Qin (Scutellaria Root), Huang Lian (Phellodendron Bark), and Suan Zao Ren (Zizyphus). The formula was modified to suit the individual patients' symptoms. One dose of the formula in a decoction was administered daily for 15 days. The results: 23 cases were resolved, 26 showed great improvement, and the remaining 11 improved slightly.(5) Cai treated 60 cases of stress with moxibustion combined with hyperbaric oxygen chamber therapy. During the day, the patients went through a hyperbaric oxygen chamber therapy: After the air pressure in the treatment chamber was stabilized at 0.2MPA, the patients inhaled pure oxygen through a face mask twice, each lasting 30 minutes, with an interval of 10 minutes in between. And then, each evening before going to bed, the patients were treated with moxa-stick moxibustion, the points treated being San Yin Jiao (SP 6) and Shen Men (HT 7). 10 days constituted one course of treatment. The results: after three courses of treatment, 38 cases were resolved, 20 cases greatly improved, and the remaining 2 cases did not respond to the treatment, with a total effectiveness rate of 96.7%.(6) Massage Therapy Zhang et al. treated 28 cases of stress with massage. Lying down on their back, the patients were treated on acupoints Bai Hui (GV 20), Yin Tang (EX-HN 3), Xin Shu (BL 15), Shen Shu (BL 23), Nei Guan (PC 6), Shen Men (HT 7), and San Yin Jiao (SP 6). The procedure was as follows: First, the practitioner pressed each acupoint with his/her fingers for two minutes. Then, acupoint Fen Chi (GB 20) was treated for two minutes (by grasping method), followed by the treatment on acupoint Tai Yang (EX-HN 5) and in the supra-auricular area of the scalp by pushing and pressing (Sao San manipulation). And finally, the areas starting from the elbow to the wrist along the Pericardium Channel of Hand-Jueyin and the Lung Channel of Hand-Taiyin were rubbed until a warm sensation was felt. Similarly, the areas starting from the knee to the ankle along the Kidney Channel of Foot-Shaoyin and the Spleen Channel of Foot-Taiyin were rubbed until a warm sensation was felt. The results: 21 cases greatly improved, 5 cases improved slightly, and the remaining 2 cases did not respond to the treatment, with a total effectiveness rate of 92.9%.(7)

Acupuncture & Acupressure	Back to Top
Liu et al. treated 140 cases of stress with acupuncture. The following acupoints were selected to receive treatment: Bai Hui (GV 20), Xin Shu (BL 15), Pi Shu (BL 20), Shen Shu (BL 23), Nei Guan (PC 6), Zhong Wan (CV 12), San Yin Jiao (SP 6), Zu San Li (ST 36), and Shen Men (HT 7). Each selected acupoint was treated for 1-2 30-minute sessions daily, and one course of treatment lasted 20 days. A break of 1-3 days was instituted between courses of treatment. The study reported that all treated cases had satisfactory results.(8)

Footnotes	Back to Top
¹ Feng Zhan Yuan. Stress: TCM diagnosis and treatment standards. Shandong Journal of TCM. 1997;16(10):435-436. ² Wang Xiu Hua, et al. 36 cases of stress treated with Tian Wang Bu Xin Dan. Journal of Applied Integrated Medicine. 1998;11(4):374. ³ Tan Xin Xiang, et al. 600 cases of stress treated with Qi Ye Shen An Pian. Journal of Shizhen Medicine. 1999;10(8):613-614. ⁴ Li Wei, et al. Treating 165 cases of stress with self-formulated An Shen Jian Nao Tang. Journal of Tiajing College of TCM. 1999;18(2):58. ⁵ Li Jing Yi, et al. Treating 90 cases of stress with acupuncture and herbs. Shanghai Journal of Acupuncture. 1999;18(3):19-20. ⁶ Cai Jin, et al. Treating 60 cases of stress with a combination of moxibustion and hyperbaric oxygen chamber therapy. Journal of Chengdu University of TMC and Pharmacy. 1999;22(1):38. ⁷ Zhang Jing Song, et al. 28 cases of stress treated with Tuina. Gansu Journal of TCM. 1999;12(2):37-387. ⁸ Liu Zhi Qiang, et al. 140 cases of stress treated with acupunture. Journal of Acupuncture Clinical Application. 1999;15(5):216.