Diagnosis This is a clear case of Kidney-Yin deficiency (night-sweating,
exhaustion, tongue without enough coating, pulse Empty on the deep
level) and Liver-Yang rising (throbbing headache, flickery eyes, Wiry
pulse). Thus this is a combined condition of Deficiency (of Kidney-Yin)
and Excess (Liver-Yang rising). The dizziness and tinnitus can be
accounted for by both Kidney-Yin deficiency and Liver-Yang rising.
Treatment principle Nourish Kidney-Yin and subdue Liver-Yang.
Herbal treatment This patient, who had been referred to me by his acupuncturist, sought
herbal treatment. The formula used was a variation of Liu Wei Di
Huang Wan Six-Ingredient Rehmannia Pill:
Shu Di Huang Radix Rehmanniae glutinosae praeparata 9 g
Shan Yao Radix Dioscoreae oppositae 6 g
Shan Zhu Yu Fructus Corni officinalis 4.5 g
Ze Xie Rhizoma Alismatis orientalis 4 g
Mu Dan Pi Cortex Moutan radicis 4 g
Fu Ling Sclerotium Poriae cocos 4.5 g
Shi Jue Ming Concha Haliotidis 12 g
Gou Teng Ramulus Uncariae 6 g
Tian Ma Rhizoma Gastrodiae elatae 6 g
Zhi Gan Cao Radix Glycyrrhizae uralensis praeparata 3 g
Explanation The first six herbs constitute the Liu Wei Di Huang Wan which
nourishes Kidney-Yin.
Shi Jue Ming, Gou Teng and Tian Ma subdue Liver-Yang.
Gan Cao harmonizes.
Western Differentiation
The causes of vertigo in Western medicine may be classified according to the sites which may
be:
- Ear
- Eighth cranial nerve
- Brainstem.
Ear
Causes in the ear include wax, otitis media, acute labyrinthitis, Mèniére's disease and postural