Diabetes‧糖尿病

Diabetes mellitus is probably the single most important metabolic disease and is widely recognized as one of the leading causes of death and disability in the United States. It has been out of control in the U.S., with current estimates are that over 7.8% of the adult population has the disease, 92% of them with the type 2 diabetes mellitus (NIDDM: non-insulin-dependent) with 600,000 new cases diagnosed each year. It usually appears around the age of 50 or later, though it can occur during teen years in some cases of obesity. 　　Diabetes is characterised by three well-known syndromes, polydipsia (excessive thirst), polyphagia (excessive hunger) and polyuria (excessive urination). Diabetes often goes undiagnosed because many of its symptoms seem so harmless. Over time diabetes are accompanied by many severe complications, such as blindness, renal failure, lower-limb amputations, cardiovascular disease and stroke. Recent studies indicate that the early detection of diabetes symptoms and treatment can decrease the chance of developing the complications of diabetes. 　　Acupuncture treatment for diabetes is most effective for those individuals who have had diabetes for only a few years, and have a milder disease manifestation. Diabetic acupuncture is also most effective in treating diabetes in younger individuals.The herb formulas that had been shown to have hypoglycemic effects in the animal studies. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) often conducted in conjunction with acupuncture, and based on several different principles and herbs, the treatment has been effective for diabetes sufferers in many instances.

糖尿病是以多食、多飲、多尿、形體消瘦、體倦乏力或尿有甜味為特徵的一種疾病。它相當於中醫書中的消渴。消渴之名首見於《內經》。《靈樞.五變》篇說：「五臟皆柔弱者，善病消癉」。指出了五臟虛弱是發生消渴的主要因素。中醫根據本病的「三多」症狀，將其區分為上、中、下三消，如《證治準繩.消癉》篇說：「渴而多飲為上消（膈消）；消谷善饑為中消（消中）；渴而便數有膏為下消（腎消）。」但雖有三消之分，但其病機性質則一致，均與肺、脾（胃）、腎有密切關係。本病主要由於素體陰虛、飲食不節，復因情志失調，勞欲過度所致。 　　針灸治療糖尿病在中醫典籍中早有記載。如晉代《針灸甲乙經》中載有“消渴身熱、面目黃，意舍主之；消渴嗜飲，承漿主之；消渴，腕骨主之…”等6個治療穴位，之後唐代《備急千金要方》和《外台秘要》有更詳細的記載，穴位增加到35個，明代《普濟方》集明以前之大成，總結辨證取穴18種，總穴44個，到清代《針灸集成》對病機有更進一步認識，分型論治則更加具體。 　　近來有關於針灸治療糖尿病的研究日漸增多，其治療作用可歸納為以下幾個方面：使胰島素水平升高，胰島素靶細胞受體功能增強，加強胰島素對糖元的合成代謝及氧化酵解和組織利用的功能，從而起到降低血糖的作用。使血液中甲狀腺素含量降低，從而減少了其對糖代謝的影響，有利於降低血糖。可使全血比粘度、血漿比粘度等異常指標下降，防止血栓形成，令微循環障礙改善，進而減少糖尿病的慢性併發症。