Diabetes Mellitus Treatment in TCM

25.8 million people in the United States, 8.3% of the total population, have diabetes. It's one of the most prevalent chronic diseases in the country, and it's also one of the most preventable causes for heart disease, high blood pressure, blindness, kidney disease, neuropathy, and amputations. We spent $245 billion on diabetes patients last year with most of that going directly towards treatment. Traditional Chinese Medicine offers an effective and much cheaper alternative to managing diabetes.


Diabetes in Chinese Medicine

Traditionally, diabetes is characterized as xiao ke, wasting and thirsting disorder, but because of the most common symptoms experienced, it is often called duo shi, profuse eating, duo yin, profusing drinking, and duo niao, profuse urination. Diabetes, like most conditions we treat, can stem from several possible causes, according to Chinese medicine. These include congenital essence deficiency, aging, unregulated eating and drinking, and internal damage by the seven affects (meaning lifestyle and emotional factors).

In juvenile-onset diabetes, the cause is attributed to an insufficiency of the essence naturally endowed to newborns from their parents during fertilization. Whenever there is a congenital deficiency of jing, the most primary essence which we store in the Kidney, the child has an inherent tendency towards disease. This can be anything from developmental delays to scoliosis to diabetes (type 1). The nature of the disorders that manifest depend on the quality of jing from the parents, and many, though not all, can be overcome with early treatment.

Adults who develop diabetes later in life typically have a pattern of long-standing heat in the Stomach coupled with Spleen deficiency. The heat may come from over-eating hot, spicy, greasy,

fatty, rich foods or alcohol or from depressive heat of the Liver affecting the Stomach; this causes a large appetite and rapid hungering after meals. The Spleen deficiency may be due to over-eating
sugars and sweets or fatty, rich food, as well. It could also be from over thinking, too little exercise, or over taxation of the body. Spleen deficiency allows for the accumulation of dampness in the body causing obesity. Long-standing Spleen deficiency also accounts for the emaciation and muscular atrophy later in the progression of the disease. Enduring heat eventually damages and consumes the yin fluids of the Stomach and Lung causing thirst. If Lung yin deficiency reaches the Kidney and is complicated by yin deficiency from aging, Kidney yin deficiency may develop. Spleen qi deficiency may develop into Kidney yang deficiency over time. Dual vacuity of Kidney yin and yang can lead to urinary problems and impotence. Chronic deficiency with damp accumulation gives rise to Blood stagnation and a lack of nourishment of organs and tissues, accounting for the neuropathy of the muscles and optic nerves.

Treatment

Treatment of diabetes, particularly type 2, will focus on strengthening the Spleen and Kidney and regulating and transforming dampness. These are the most common aspects of the disease pattern we see clinically, but variations may include: Lung and Stomach heat accumulation with damage to fluids, exuberant Stomach heat, dual deficiency of qi and yin, Kidney yin deficiency, Spleen-Stomach qi deficiency, damp heat obstructing the center, and Spleen-Kidney yang deficiency. Liver qi stagnation and Blood stasis often accompany the main pattern.

Acupuncture and moxibustion are very efficient at bolstering Spleen function, but due to the chronic nature of the disease, most patients choose herbal medicine as a more cost-effective treatment for diabetes. Taking an herbal formula also addresses the condition daily rather than intermittently as with acupuncture. A daily regiment of herbal medicinals helps to treat the condition from the inside on a molecular level and helps to manage blood sugar levels.

Our most commonly used formula for the treatment of diabetes is called Jiang Xue Yuan Jian. It contains Huang Qi, Shu Di Huang, Xuan Shen, Tu Si Zi, Cang Zhu, Nu Zhen Zi, Fu Ling, Zhu Ling, Huang Jing, and Shan Yao. The synergistic effect of the ingredients work to fortify the Spleen, nourish the Kidney, regulate body fluids and transform damp accumulation, quell fire, and redirect heat to warm the yang. It's a good balance of augmentation, dissipation, and harmonization. Patients are able to report normalized blood sugar levels, increased energy, and, in many cases, weight loss and better weight management (though the most significant results are seen in patients willing to make dietary and lifestyle changes).

Lastly, acupuncture and herbs are amazingly effective at healing diabetic ulcerated wounds. In addition to managing the diabetes, there are acupuncture and herbal techniques for healing and regenerating flesh. Getting an open sore to close, finally, and preventing a gangrenous infection can be the difference between a patient continuing to walk or losing a foot. Seems like an easy choice!