Dementia

Dementia is a syndrome characterized by memory and cognitive impairment (aphasia, apraxia, agnosia, or executive dysfunction, or a marked decline in memory and cognitive abilities compared with the person’s previous level) severe enough to interfere with occupational and social activities. Etiologically, dementia includes Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia, and other conditions.

TCM Pattern Differentiation and Medication Guide

|Common Symptoms

Clinical description:

Forgetfulness and difficulty planning, slowed responses, clumsy movements, tinnitus or hearing loss, soreness and weakness of the lower back and knees, a relatively thin tongue body, a dark-red tongue or purple spots or patches, a greasy or thin tongue coating, and a thready, wiry or rapid pulse.

In plain language:

  • Becoming forgetful and often making mistakes when planning or carrying out tasks.
  • Slower responses; difficulty keeping up in conversation or with tasks.
  • Movements seem clumsy and less coordinated.
  • Ringing in the ears or reduced hearing.
  • Soreness and weakness in the lower back and knees.
  • The tongue appears relatively thin.
  • The tongue is dark red, or purple spots or patches may be visible.
  • The tongue coating looks greasy or thin.
  • The pulse is thready and taut, or thready and relatively rapid.

|Treatment Approach

Clinical description:

Tonify and nourish the liver and kidneys; transform phlegm and unblock the channels.

In plain language:

  • Support the nourishment of the liver and kidneys, with the aim of easing discomfort such as dizziness, tinnitus, soreness and weakness in the lower back and knees, or low energy.
  • Help transform phlegm and promote the flow of the channels, with the aim of easing symptoms such as difficulty bringing up phlegm, limb numbness, or joint pain.

|Related Products

The products below are provided for informational reference only and do not constitute medical advice or a prescription. Follow the product packaging and instructions, and use under the guidance of a doctor or pharmacist.

|Common Symptoms

Clinical description:

Blank expression, forgetfulness and slowed responses, fatigue and lethargy, cool hands and feet, frequent nighttime urination or urinary incontinence, a swollen tongue with teeth marks, a dark-red tongue or purple spots, a greasy or watery-slippery coating, and a deep pulse.

In plain language:

  • The person may seem slow to respond or dazed, and may have trouble remembering things.
  • They may feel mentally and physically tired, low in energy, and lethargic.
  • The hands and feet may often feel cool to the touch.
  • Frequent urination at night or urinary incontinence may occur, with reduced control over urination.
  • The tongue may look swollen, with noticeable teeth marks along its edges.
  • The tongue may be dark red, with purple spots visible on its surface.
  • The tongue coating may look greasy or watery and slippery.
  • The pulse may feel deep and be more clearly felt with firmer pressure.

|Treatment Approach

Clinical description:

Supplement the kidneys and strengthen the spleen; transform phlegm and unblock the channels.

In plain language:

  • Support kidney function and spleen activity, with the aim of easing discomfort such as soreness and weakness in the lower back and knees, low energy, poor appetite, or fatigue.
  • Help transform phlegm and promote the flow of the channels, with the aim of easing symptoms such as difficulty bringing up phlegm, limb numbness, or joint pain.

|Related Products

The products below are provided for informational reference only and do not constitute medical advice or a prescription. Follow the product packaging and instructions, and use under the guidance of a doctor or pharmacist.

|Common Symptoms

Clinical description:

Markedly blank expression, drowsiness, restlessness, dizziness and headache, vertigo, deviation of the mouth or tongue, hemiplegia, a red tongue, a white or greasy coating, and a wiry or wiry-slippery pulse.

In plain language:

  • The person may appear markedly dazed, withdrawn, or slow to respond.
  • They may be drowsy and have difficulty staying alert.
  • They may feel restless or become easily agitated.
  • Dizziness and headache may occur and interfere with daily activities.
  • Vertigo or blurred vision may occur.
  • The corner of the mouth or the tongue may deviate, affecting speech.
  • Hemiplegia may occur, markedly limiting movement on one side of the body.
  • The tongue may look red.
  • The tongue coating may be white or greasy.
  • The pulse may feel wiry or wiry and slippery.

|Treatment Approach

Clinical description:

Calm the liver and extinguish wind; transform phlegm and unblock the channels.

In plain language:

  • Help subdue rising liver yang and calm internal wind, with the aim of easing discomfort such as dizziness, vertigo, tremors, spasms, or numbness in the hands and feet.
  • Help transform phlegm and promote the flow of the channels, with the aim of easing symptoms such as difficulty bringing up phlegm, limb numbness, or joint pain.

|Related Products

The products below are provided for informational reference only and do not constitute medical advice or a prescription. Follow the product packaging and instructions, and use under the guidance of a doctor or pharmacist.

|Common Symptoms

Clinical description:

Markedly blank expression, agitation and restlessness, foul breath or a bitter, sticky taste in the mouth, nausea and retching, copious yellow, sticky phlegm, a red tongue, a yellow, greasy coating, and a slippery, rapid pulse.

In plain language:

  • The person may seem slow and unresponsive, with a notably dazed expression.
  • They may feel restless and unable to sit still.
  • Their breath may smell unpleasant, or their mouth may taste bitter and sticky.
  • They may often feel nauseated or feel as though they might vomit.
  • There may be a large amount of yellow, sticky phlegm that is difficult to cough up.
  • The tongue may look red.
  • The tongue coating may be yellow and greasy.
  • The pulse may feel slippery and relatively rapid.

|Treatment Approach

Clinical description:

Transform phlegm and unblock the bowels; clear heat and resolve toxicity.

In plain language:

  • Help transform phlegm and promote bowel function, with the aim of easing discomfort such as difficulty bringing up phlegm, chest tightness, abdominal bloating, or constipation.
  • Help clear internal heat and resolve toxicity, with the aim of easing symptoms such as fever, a sore or swollen throat, or red, swollen sores.

|Related Products

The products below are provided for informational reference only and do not constitute medical advice or a prescription. Follow the product packaging and instructions, and use under the guidance of a doctor or pharmacist.

|Common Symptoms

Clinical description:

Lifeless eyes, marked dazedness, a face that appears grimy and coated with oil, rattling phlegm in the throat, copious sticky phlegm, a greasy or watery-slippery, thick and greasy tongue coating, and a slippery or soggy pulse.

In plain language:

  • The eyes may look lifeless, and the person may appear low in energy.
  • Responses may be slow, with marked dazedness and a lack of alertness.
  • The face may look oily and dirty, as if covered with a layer of grease.
  • Phlegm may rattle in the throat, producing a snoring-like sound during breathing.
  • There may be a large amount of thick phlegm that is difficult to cough up.
  • The tongue coating may be greasy or watery and slippery, or thick and greasy.
  • The pulse may feel slippery or somewhat soft and weak.

|Treatment Approach

Clinical description:

Dispel phlegm and awaken the mind; drain turbidity and open the orifices.

In plain language:

  • Help clear phlegm and promote mental alertness, with the aim of easing discomfort such as difficulty bringing up phlegm, mental clouding, or unclear speech.
  • Help eliminate turbidity and open the orifices, with the aim of easing symptoms such as chest tightness from phlegm obstruction, coma, or impaired consciousness.

|Related Products

The products below are provided for informational reference only and do not constitute medical advice or a prescription. Follow the product packaging and instructions, and use under the guidance of a doctor or pharmacist.

References

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  2. Lee JH，Kahn A，Cheng R，et al. Disease-related mutations among Caribbean Hispanics with familial dementia[J]. Molecular Genetics & Genomic Medicine，2014，2(5)：430-437.
  3. Zhang Y，Xu Y，Nie H，et al. Prevalence of dementia and major dementia subtypes in the Chinese populations: a meta-analysis of dementia prevalence surveys, 1980-2010[J]. Journal of Clinical Neuroscience: Official Journal of the Neurosurgical Society of Australasia，2012，19(10)：1333-1337.
  4. Fratiglioni L，De Ronch D，Aguero-Torres H，et al. Worldwide prevalence and incidence of dementia[J]. Drugs & Aging，1999，15(5)：365-375.
  5. Chen Haozhu，Lin Guowei，Wang Jiyao. Practical Internal Medicine[M]. 14th ed. Beijing: People’s Medical Publishing House，2014：2845-2847.
  6. Jia J，Wang F，Wei C，et al. The prevalence of dementia in urban and rural areas of China[J]. Alzheimers & Dementia，2014，10(1)：1-9.