Eclampsia Treatment with Chinese Medicine

Eclampsia is the condition of high blood pressure during mid to late pregnancy.

These women are quite often overweight, short in height, and may be anemic.

Traditional Chinese Medicine:  

Liver Kidney Yin deficiency, Yin is unable to anchor Yang, therefore Yang or Fire rise causing hypertension which could lead to Wind. The risk is higher in women that are diabetic, or have kidney problems (western). Cold weather may aggravate.

Early signs (pre-eclampsia): lower limb edema, dizziness, headache, blurred vision.

Emergency: when severe, woman can have spasming, lose consciousness, and go into convulsions.

Chinese Medicine Differentiation and Treatment of Eclampsia:

Pre-attack Yin deficiency with Yang rising Liver Kidney deficiency allows Yang to rise causing dizziness, tinnitus, blurred vision, headache, muscle twitching

Principle of Treatment: nourish Liver Kidney, soothe Liver Qi

Acupuncture points – neutral, foot Shaoyin and Jueyin, Shu, Bladder 18, 23, Du 20, Liver 2, Kidney 6 (Yinqiao) - insomnia- Heart 7

Heart Liver Fire dizziness, blurred vision, throbbing/distended headache, loud tinnitus, irritable, anger, red face, lips, tongue, shaking limbs

Principle of Treatment: purge Heart Liver Fire

Acupuncture points – neutral, hand and foot Shaoyin and Jueyin, Kidney 3, Bladder 23, Heart 7, Pericardium 6, Liver 3, Bladder 18 - irritable- Pericardium 7 - sore eyes, headache, dizziness- Si Shen Cong - constipation- SJ 6, Stomach 37

Spleen deficiency with hyperactive Liver fluid retention, edema, lack of blood for Liver which causes Wind

Principle of Treatment: strength Spleen, eliminate Phlegm-Damp

Acupuncture points – neutral, foot taiyin and Jueyin, Bladder 20, Stomach 36, Liver 2, Pericardium 6, Ren 17 - Phlegm- Stomach 40 - dry mouth, irritable- Heart 7, Liver 3During attack Woman can faint, lose consciousness, clenched fists and jaws, spasm, convulsions, frothy saliva, Phlegm in the throat, attacks may recur simultaneously, may not wake.

This condition can also happen after delivery, which would be treated the same.

Principle of Treatment: extinguish Wind, relieve convulsions and Phlegm, revive consciousness.

Acupuncture points – Du 26, Si Shen Cong, Pericardium 8, Stomach 40 - during the day- Bladder 62 - at night- Kidney 6 - closed (lock jaw)- Stomach 7 - Phlegm in throat- Ren 22

Alternative Treatment Methods for Eclampsia 

Ear Acupuncture- ST, subcortex, Shenmen, HT, occipital, Yuan Zhong, LR, KI,

*bleed retro auricular vein in blood pressure groove and/or apex of ear.