Polycythemia

[Guest guest]

I have been reading peoples contributions since I joined the discussion

group. However I would like a bit of guidance.

 

I have a patient, a 59-year-old male who I have been treating for

circulation problems in his ankles. He came because his MD expressed concern

at the lack of a foot pulse. He had had a bad car accident 15 years ago

which resulted in fractures to nose, ankle and jaw. He has had 3 operations

on his ankles with a pin inserted. He now experiences constant pain in the

ankle and retricted movement.

 

He has a sedentary lifestyle, his only exercise being golf (with a golf

cart). His appetite is very low but he smokes approx 15 cigarettes and

drinks 4 cups of wine a day. He does not report many other symtoms, apart

from:

€ dry mouth at night

€ a blocked nose on the side that was injured

€ dry (smoker's cough)

His energy is good

His tongue is red with a thin, white coat on the outside and cracks on both

the Lung and the Stomach sections. The pulse is Deep, Thin, and Forceless

and Irregular.

He reports no Heart signs but was born with a hole in the heart which he

says has healed.

 

I treated him with acupuncture last year and prescribed patent herbs to help

Blood circulation (Xue Fu Zhu Yu Wan). This was successful in that his foot

pulse has been restored

 

Now routine blood tests have shown his red blood cell count to be higher

than normal and some blood is being taken to bring his count down. As a high

red blood cell count increases the viscosity of the blood I guess herbs

which invigorate the Blood would be correct. Are there particular herbs that

would act to regulate the red blood cells?

Would there be a connection between his smoking (Lung/Stomach blood-xu

condition) and the circulation condition?

 

I would be grateful for feedback.

Robin Westenra