Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a group of severe mental disorders of unknown cause. It typically begins gradually or subacutely in young and middle-aged adults. Clinically, it often presents as a syndrome with varied symptoms, involving disturbances in perception, thought, emotion, and behavior, as well as a lack of coordination in mental activity. The condition may follow a prolonged course, with recurrent episodes, worsening, or deterioration. Some patients may eventually experience decline and psychiatric disability, while others may achieve recovery or near-complete recovery with treatment.
TCM Pattern Identification and Medication Reference
| Common Symptoms
Clinical Description:
Emotional indifference, sparse and sluggish speech, incoherent speech, mumbling to oneself, white greasy tongue coating, wiry and slippery pulse
Plain-Language Explanation:
- The person may appear emotionally indifferent, with a flat expression and low energy.
- They may speak very little and seem sluggish, with slow, reduced responsiveness.
- Their speech may be disorganized and difficult to understand.
- They may talk to themselves, quietly mumbling repeatedly.
- The tongue coating may look white and sticky or greasy.
- The pulse may feel tense and smooth, with a flowing quality.
| Treatment Approach
Clinical Description:
Soothe the Liver and relieve constraint; transform phlegm and open the orifices
Plain-Language Explanation:
- May help soothe Liver qi and relieve constraint, easing discomfort such as distension in the chest and flanks, low mood, or frequent sighing.
- May help transform phlegm-turbidity and unblock the orifices, easing manifestations such as difficulty expectorating phlegm, mental clouding, or impaired consciousness.
| Related Products
The products below are provided for informational reference only and do not constitute medical advice or a prescription. Refer to the product packaging and instructions, and use under the guidance of a physician or pharmacist.
| Common Symptoms
Clinical Description:
Stuporous and unresponsive, blank and vacant expression, silly laughter and self-talk, visual hallucinations, auditory hallucinations, self-blame and self-reproach, pale tongue body, swollen tongue, white greasy coating, wiry and slippery pulse
Plain-Language Explanation:
- The person may appear dazed and unresponsive, sitting motionless as if frozen.
- Their gaze may seem fixed and vacant, and their expression may appear dull.
- They may often laugh inappropriately and talk to themselves.
- They may see things that are not actually there.
- They may hear sounds or voices that are not actually there.
- They may persistently feel that they have done something wrong and blame themselves.
- The tongue may appear pale.
- The tongue may appear enlarged or swollen.
- The tongue coating may be white and greasy.
- The pulse may feel tense and smooth.
| Treatment Approach
Clinical Description:
Dispel phlegm and open the orifices; relieve constraint and calm the mind
Plain-Language Explanation:
- May help transform phlegm-turbidity and unblock the orifices, easing manifestations such as difficulty expectorating phlegm, mental clouding, or impaired consciousness.
- May help relieve constraint and calm the mind, easing discomfort such as low mood, palpitations, insomnia, or frequent disturbing dreams.
| Related Products
The products below are provided for informational reference only and do not constitute medical advice or a prescription. Refer to the product packaging and instructions, and use under the guidance of a physician or pharmacist.
| Common Symptoms
Clinical Description:
Agitation and restlessness, staying awake all night, unpredictable crying and laughter, impulsive destructive behavior, dark urine and constipation, flushed face, dry mouth and preference for cold drinks, red or deep-red tongue, yellow greasy or black greasy coating, rapid, slippery, forceful pulse
Plain-Language Explanation:
- The person may be agitated and restless and unable to sleep through the night.
- They may shift unpredictably between crying and laughing, act impulsively, or even break things.
- Urine may be dark or reddish, and constipation may occur.
- The face may appear flushed.
- The mouth may feel dry, with a desire for cold drinks.
- The tongue may be red or deep red.
- The tongue coating may be yellow and greasy, or black and greasy.
- The pulse may feel smooth and fast, with a strong force.
| Treatment Approach
Clinical Description:
Clear Heart Fire and purge fire; eliminate phlegm and open the orifices
Plain-Language Explanation:
- May help clear Heart Fire and reduce excessive internal heat, easing manifestations such as restlessness and insomnia, mouth sores, or facial flushing and hot flashes.
- May help transform phlegm-turbidity and unblock the orifices, easing discomfort such as difficulty expectorating phlegm, mental clouding, or impaired consciousness.
| Related Products
The products below are provided for informational reference only and do not constitute medical advice or a prescription. Refer to the product packaging and instructions, and use under the guidance of a physician or pharmacist.
| Common Symptoms
Clinical Description:
Rough skin, dull complexion, dysmenorrhea or amenorrhea in female patients, purple-dark tongue body, varicose veins beneath the tongue, choppy or wiry pulse
Plain-Language Explanation:
- The skin may look rough.
- The complexion may appear dull or grayish.
- Women may experience painful or absent menstrual periods.
- The tongue may appear dark purple.
- The veins beneath the tongue may be noticeably distended.
- The pulse may feel choppy or impeded, or tense.
| Treatment Approach
Clinical Description:
Move qi and invigorate blood; calm the mind and open the orifices
Plain-Language Explanation:
- May help regulate qi and promote blood circulation, easing manifestations such as distension in the chest and flanks, abdominal pain, or bruising.
- May help calm the mind and unblock the orifices, easing discomfort such as palpitations, insomnia, mental clouding, or impaired consciousness.
| Related Products
The products below are provided for informational reference only and do not constitute medical advice or a prescription. Refer to the product packaging and instructions, and use under the guidance of a physician or pharmacist.
References
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- Ma Qimin, Li Xibo, Zhang Haiyan, et al. Epidemiological survey of mental disorders in Baoding City[J]. Chinese General Practice, 2008, 11(6): 522-526.
- Zhao Zhenhuan, Huang Yueqin, Li Jie, et al. Survey of the prevalence of mental disorders among the permanent resident population of Guangzhou[J]. Chinese Journal of Nervous and Mental Diseases, 2009, 35(9): 530-534.
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- World Health Organization. The ICD-10 classification of mental and behavior disorders, diagnostic criteria for research[M]. Geneva：WHO，1993.
- Huang Wendong. Practical Internal Medicine of Traditional Chinese Medicine[M]. Shanghai: Shanghai Scientific and Technical Publishers, 1986.
- Chinese Pharmacopoeia Commission. Pharmacopoeia of the People’s Republic of China: Clinical Medication Instructions, Volume on Chinese Patent Medicines[M]. Beijing: China Medical Science Press, 2011.