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Epilepsy of pregnancy

子痫 〔子癇〕zǐ xián

Also pregnancy wind tetany; child wind. From The Origin and Indicators of Disease (诸病源候论 zhū bìng yuán hòu lùn). A disease of pregnancy characterized by episodes of sudden collapse, unconsciousness, and convulsions of the limbs. It occurs in patients usually suffering from liver-kidney yīn vacuity when yīn-blood vacuity is exacerbated by pregnancy. When yīn is vacuous, yáng is hyperactive. This causes liver wind harassing the inner body, and vacuity fire flaming upward that stirs heart fire. Wind and fire fan each other, the chronic condition is aggravated and an episode occurs. The patient soon comes around, but then another fit may start.

Biomedical correspondence: eclampsia.

Medicinal therapy: Enrich yīn and subdue yáng; calm the liver and extinguish wind. Use Antelope Horn Powder (羚羊角散 líng yáng jiǎo sǎn) or Gastrodia and Uncaria Beverage (天麻钩藤饮 tiān má gōu téng yǐn). For exuberant phlegm-drool congestion with phlegm rale in the throat, and hanging eyes and clenched jaw, clear heat and sweep phlegm by adding bamboo sap (Bambusae Succus, 竹沥 zhú lì) and bile arisaema (Arisaema cum Bile, 胆星 dǎn xīng) to the above formula.

Acumoxatherapy: For persistent convulsions and coma, acupuncture can be used to revive the patient. For convulsions, needle LI-11 (Pool at the Bend, 曲池 qū chí), BL-57 (Mountain Support, 承山 chéng shān), and LR-3 (Supreme Surge, 太冲 tài chōng). For coma, needle GV-26 (Human Center, 人中 rén zhōng), PC-6 (Inner Pass, 内关 nèi guān), GV-20 (Hundred Convergences, 百会 bǎi huì), GB-20 (Wind Pool, 风池 fēng chí), and KI-1 (Gushing Spring, 湧泉 yǒng quán). For clenched jaw, use ST-7 (Below the Joint, 下关 xià guān) and ST-6 (Cheek Carriage, 颊车 jiá chē).

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