🌿 Folk Prescriptions

Stroke, also known as "cerebrovascular accident," clinically manifests primarily as sudden collapse, unconsciousness, facial paralysis, speech impairment, hemiplegia, and sensory loss. According to the World Health Organization, stroke ranked second among the top ten killers of human health in the 20th century. Every year, approximately 5.1 million people worldwide die from stroke. It has a high disability rate, and most survivors suffer varying degrees of permanent disability, especially hemiplegia, aphasia, and cognitive impairment. This not only brings immense suffering to patients and their families but also imposes a heavy burden on society and households. Currently, Professor Sun Yuanzheng of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Heilongjiang University of Traditional Chinese Medicine applies an integrated approach combining Chinese and Western medicine based on individualized and systematic principles, achieving excellent clinical outcomes.
Stroke is a group of cerebrovascular diseases primarily characterized by localized cerebral circulatory disorders, with acute or subacute onset. It commonly results from emotional stress, poor dietary habits, excessive alcohol consumption, and indulgence, leading to imbalance between yin and yang, dysfunction of zang-fu organs, and disruption of qi and blood. The pathogenesis of stroke is complex and variable. According to traditional TCM theory, stroke can be classified into four types based on severity: involvement of meridians (zhi-luo), channels (zhi-jing), zang-organs (zhi-zang), and fu-organs (zhi-fu). From a modern medical perspective, it is clinically divided into ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes. Ischemic stroke mainly includes atherosclerotic cerebral infarction and cerebral embolism, while hemorrhagic stroke commonly involves hypertensive intracerebral hemorrhage and subarachnoid hemorrhage.
Through more than two decades of clinical practice, Professor Sun Yuanzheng has developed a comprehensive integrative therapy for stroke. He advocates combining individualized and systematic treatment principles, using Chinese herbal medicine, Western drugs, acupuncture, and necessary rehabilitation methods. First, treatment should follow a systematic approach according to the disease progression. During the acute phase, the focus is on awakening the spirit, opening orifices, activating blood circulation, and resolving stasis. Aggressive management of cerebral edema is essential, and thrombolytic therapy is applied for ischemic stroke using agents such as urokinase, mannitol, glycerol fructose, Xingnaojing, and Shuxuantong. As soon as vital signs stabilize, acupuncture should be initiated immediately. During the recovery phase, the principle is to regulate qi and blood, unblock meridians, and promote recovery through combined therapies including acupuncture, rehabilitation, Chinese herbs, and psychological support, aiming to comprehensively improve motor, language, and cognitive functions. In the post-stroke sequelae phase, the emphasis is on nourishing liver and kidney, harmonizing yin and yang, strictly controlling blood pressure, blood glucose, and lipid levels. While enhancing patients' self-care abilities, improving quality of life, and facilitating early reintegration into society, prevention of recurrent stroke is also prioritized.
Second, individualized treatment tailored to different patient conditions is essential. Professor Sun emphasizes highlighting TCM characteristics within the framework of integrated Chinese-Western medicine, applying syndrome differentiation and treatment. He notes that involvement of meridians and channels represents mild stroke, suitable for nourishing blood, dispelling wind, and unblocking meridians. Formulae such as Da Qinjiao Tang with modifications, or preparations like Dahuoluo Dan and Xiaohuoluo Dan may be used. For severe stroke involving zang-fu organs, the priority is improving consciousness, treating accordingly with agents such as Niuhuang Qingxin Wan, Suhexiang Wan, Sanhua Tang, and Shenfujian Tang. He stresses fully leveraging acupuncture’s advantages in stroke treatment, employing techniques like scalp acupuncture, neck acupuncture, tongue acupuncture, body acupuncture, and electroacupuncture to address symptoms such as hemiplegia, facial deviation, speech difficulties, and swallowing problems.
Third, timing of treatment is crucial for efficacy. Professor Sun reminds patients that during the early and ultra-early stages of stroke, dehydration agents, thrombolytics, and neuroprotective agents should be administered promptly, followed by immediate initiation of acupuncture. Modern studies show that acupuncture improves cerebral blood flow, reduces cerebral edema, and promotes functional recovery of damaged nerves. Acute ischemic stroke patients treated with scalp acupuncture achieve immediate effects. Within 5–10 minutes of acupuncture, muscle strength in paralyzed limbs may improve by one to two grades—known as the “immediate effect” of acupuncture. With continuous, systematic acupuncture treatment, this effect accumulates progressively, leading to stable improvement in therapeutic outcomes.
A 64-year-old woman suddenly experienced right-sided hemiplegia last April. CT confirmed cerebral infarction. She was brought to the Second Affiliated Hospital of Heilongjiang University of Traditional Chinese Medicine the next day. Upon admission, her condition had exceeded 24 hours; she exhibited right hemiplegia with grade 0 muscle strength. Professor Sun immediately administered acupuncture. After 5 minutes of scalp acupuncture manipulation, her muscle strength improved to grade 3, enabling both upper and lower limbs to lift off the bed—demonstrating a striking immediate effect. Subsequently, she received acupuncture twice daily, combined with blood-activating and stasis-resolving medications, along with encouragement for functional exercises. Four days later, she could move around the bedside; seven days later, she walked independently indoors; and after 20 days, she made a full recovery.
Professor Sun also points out that currently, doctors tend to focus heavily on motor function recovery during the acute phase of stroke, often overlooking psychological issues and cognitive impairments in stroke patients. Statistics indicate that depression has become one of the most common and significant complications after stroke, affecting about one-third of stroke patients. Among them, 75% are misdiagnosed due to various reasons. The main causes include physicians’ and family members’ neglect and lack of awareness regarding mental illness. Depression interferes with and hinders stroke recovery, increases hospitalization duration and economic burden, intensifies suffering for patients and families, and raises the risk of recurrent stroke. Through projects such as “Observation of Acupuncture Efficacy on Post-Stroke Depression” and “Study on Acupuncture Treatment of Subcortical White Matter Encephalopathy,” Professor Sun found that combining medication, acupuncture, psychological support, and rehabilitation often yields remarkable results.
Practice proves that integrating Chinese and Western medicines, acupuncture, psychology, and other treatments effectively reduces side effects of Western drugs, lowers healthcare costs, enhances efficacy, and clearly surpasses purely Western medical approaches.