穴位貼敷對癌末病患便秘改善病例報告

Plaster Therapy on Acupoints Solving Constipation by Analgesic Drugs for Cancer Patients

癌末病人常因藥物治療或長期臥床等原因造成排便困難。西醫針對排便困難症狀使用軟便劑、瀉劑或灌腸劑進行治療。然而這種療法往往造成患者產生藥物依賴。癌末病患常因嘔吐或腸胃道阻塞等原因，無法以口服藥物進行治療，此時中醫內病外治的方式，將成為適合的臨床療法。本研究觀察三例癌末患者，應用穴位貼敷方式進行治療。選用任脈與胃經上共八個穴位進行貼敷，利用辛溫藥物幫助病患氣血流通，以甘遂瀉水逐飲。經治療後，排便情形改善，並且觀察到病患水腫消退之現象。穴位貼敷於本研究中療效明顯，然而在一病案中出現排尿頻繁，影響睡眠之現象，故仍需進一步研究，找尋最佳貼敷療程與貼敷方劑，以期能將貼敷療法之功效最大化。

General description: Plaster therapy on acupoints is usually used for allergic rhinitis or asthma is popular called San-Fu-Tien on summer time in Chinese community. Actually base on Chinese medicine theory, it can be applied to different kind of disease. Objectives: Patients with different kind of cancer disease received analgesic drugs, morphine or fentanyl, for pain control. Although pain sensation was decreased, it came with constipation and bloating. We applied plaster therapy with the special formula announced in Zhangshiyitong for in-patient with constipation problem. Methods: Yuán hú, Bái jiè zi, Xì xin, Gan suì were drying and made to powder, then were mixed well with the same weight. All of the fine powder were made to pill preparation and pills were soften and wet with distilled water or glycerin before patch to acupoints. Plaster therapy on Acupoints such as CV4, CV6, ST25 and others were used to relieve constipation instead of acupuncture or medicine due to patients` will or Doctors' order. Results: According to stool diary of these patient, it showed defecation was getting better after plaster therapy. Commentary: Plaster therapy on acupoints is a good choice for Chinese medicine doctors to help patients who are not available for acupuncture or medicine treatment.