Patient's question:
My older cousin has been working at a chemical fertilizer factory for a long time. His daily job is to unload chemical fertilizers. The work is quite tiring, so my older cousin has prematurely aged at a young age. Recently, he has always felt that his back cannot straighten up and has been experiencing severe pain. After a thorough examination, it was diagnosed as ankylosing spondylitis. What are the Chinese medical treatments for ankylosing spondylitis?Doctor's answer:
The TCM treatment for ankylosing spondylitis primarily involves syndrome differentiation and treatment. First, it's necessary to identify the type of condition. In some cases, such as kidney deficiency, symptoms like cold aversion and lower back pain may reappear in the morning. This can be treated with Chinese herbal medicine that nourishes yin, warms the body, and alleviates pain, such as herbs that tonify the kidneys, strengthen bones, activate meridians, and unblock collaterals. Additionally, for cases like long-term depression turning into heat, patients may experience low-grade fever, dry mouth, and muscle aches. In such situations, treatments that clear heat, dispel fire, and invigorate the body are needed.