Tetsuharu Kamiya

Nobiletin-rich Citrus reticulata peels, a kampo medicine for Alzheimer's disease: A case series

to provide such consent. As medical consent has not been legally allowed for families or guardians, in December 2011 the Japan Federation of Bar Association proposed an outline of medical consent for the government. In this regard, advanced care planning that includes guardian selection should be promoted. Additionally, public guardian systems should be developed. Health professionals, especially care managers, should arrange for a guardian to meet their client’s needs. In conclusion, the present study showed a scarcity of guardians in long-term care settings, and also highlighted a fact that care managers often compensate for this lack of guardians.

Short-Term Effects of Acupuncture on Open-Angle Glaucoma in Retrobulbar Circulation: Additional Therapy to Standard Medication

Background. The relation between glaucoma and retrobulbar circulation in the prognosis has been indicated. Purpose. To investigate the effects of acupuncture on retrobulbar circulation in open-angle glaucoma (OAG) patients. Methods. Eleven OAG patients (20 eyes with OAG) who were treated by topical antiglaucoma medications for at least 3 months were enrolled. Acupuncture was performed once at acupoints BL2, M-HN9, ST2, ST36, SP6, KI3, LR3, GB20, BL18, and BL23 bilaterally. Retrobulbar circulation was measured with color Doppler imaging, and intraocular pressure (IOP) was also measured at rest and one hour after rest or before and after acupuncture. Results. The Δ value of the resistive index in the short posterior ciliary artery (P < .01) and the Δ value of IOP (P < .01) were decreased significantly by acupuncture compared with no acupuncture treatment. Conclusions. Acupuncture can improve the retrobulbar circulation and IOP, which may indicate the efficacy of acupuncture for OAG.

Report on Disaster Medical Operations with Acupuncture/Massage Therapy After the Great East Japan Earthquake

The Great East Japan Earthquake inflicted immense damage over a wide area of eastern Japan with the consequent tsunami. Department of Traditional Asian Medicine, Tohoku University, started providing medical assistance to the disaster-stricken regions mainly employing traditional Asian therapies. We visited seven evacuation centers in Miyagi and Fukushima Prefecture and provided acupuncture/massage therapy. While massage therapy was performed manually, filiform needles and press tack needles were used to administer acupuncture. In total, 553 people were treated (mean age, 54.0 years; 206 men, 347 women). Assessment by interview showed that the most common complaint was shoulder/back stiffness. The rate of therapy satisfaction was 92.3%. Many people answered that they experienced not only physical but also psychological relief. At the time of the disaster, acupuncture/massage therapy, which has both mental and physical soothing effects, may be a therapeutic approach that can be effectively used in combination with Western medical practices.

Development and Clinical Application of a Precise Temperature-Control Device as an Alternate for Conventional Moxibustion Therapy

Moxibustion therapy has been used in East Asian medicine for more than a thousand years. However, there are some problems associated with this therapy in clinical practice. These problems include lack of control over the treatment temperature, emission of smoke, and uneven temperature distribution over the treatment region. In order to resolve these problems, we developed a precise temperature-control device for use as an alternate for conventional moxibustion therapy. In this paper, we describe the treatment of a single patient with paralytic ileus that was treated with moxibustion. We also describe an evaluation of temperature distribution on the skin surface after moxibustion therapy, the development of a heat-transfer control device (HTCD), an evaluation of the HTCD, and the clinical effects of treatment using the HTCD. The HTCD we developed can heat the skin of the treatment region uniformly, and its effect may be equivalent to conventional moxibustion, without the emission of smoke and smell. This device can be used to treat ileus, abdominal pain, and coldness of abdomen in place of conventional moxibustion in modern hospitals.

Die Rolle der Traditionellen Ostasiatischen Medizin bei Opfern der Erdbeben-Tsunami-Katastrophe im März 2011 in Japan

ZusammenfassungNachdem am 11. März 2011 ein schweres Erdbeben den Osten Japans erschütterte, verursachte der darauffolgende Tsunami noch verheerendere Schäden. Praktisch wurden in der betroffenen Region alle sozialen Versorgungseinrichtungen lahmgelegt oder zerstört, so auch die medizinische Basisversorgung [1, 2]. Wir leisteten ärztliche Unterstützung in den betroffenen Gebieten, indem wir hauptsächlich die traditionelle Medizin, wie sie in Japan praktiziert wird, anwandten. Dort, wo Infrastrukturen mit modernen medizinischen Einrichtungen zerstört waren, wurden traditionelle Methoden auf der Basis von einfacher körperlicher Untersuchung und Behandlung mit Kampo-Phytotherapie, Akupunktur & Moxibustion bzw. Massagen wirksam eingesetzt. Diese erwiesen sich sowohl für die Diagnostik als auch für die Therapie als sehr nützlich in einer derartig kritischen Situation.AbstractThe Great East Japan earthquake and tsunami disaster that occurred on March 11, 2011 seriously destroyed Japanese social activities the medical system included. We provided medical support to the damaged area, and mainly performed Oriental medicine. Traditional methods using physical diagnoses and the treatments with herbs, acupuncture, and massage were effective, where any infrastructure had suffered or any modern medical facilities had been destroyed. Acute phase infectious disease, common colds, and hypothermia were dominant. Allergies increased two weeks later, and there was much mental distress, and chronic pain symptoms one month later. We prescribed Kampo herbal medicines for common colds, hypothermia, allergies, and mental distress. Moreover, we also performed acupuncture and kneaded patients’ body to reduce pain, stiffness, and edema. These treatments were effective for both physical and mental distress. Thus we believe that Oriental medicine is valuable in disaster situations.

Preliminary study of the effects of orengedokuto on breath alcohol concentration

Orengedokuto (coptis detoxification decoction) is a medicinal extract widely used in Japan for the alleviation of symptoms of alcohol hangover and flush reaction. There have been no studies, however, on the effects of this medication on the concentration of alcohol in humans. The aim of this preliminary experiment was therefore to determine the effects of orengedokuto given before alcohol consumption, on breath alcohol concentration.

High-Tech Equipment for Moxibustion in Modern Medicine

Japan is a super-aging society; year after year, the number of persons older than 65 years of age increases. Because they are frail, elderly persons require treatment methods that best suit their condition. Traditional medicine, which has been handed down and culled throughout history, is one such candidate treatment. Until recently in Japan, moxibustion therapy was provided in most households (Yamaoka, 2001). In recent years, hyperthermia treatment has spread widely in the field of orthopaedics, rehabilitation, and cancer treatment. Typically, medical sites require safe, sanitary treatment methods.