Case 3, Algodystrophy

            Patient, 64-year-old housewife, has a history of high blood pressure. His main complaint was pain in his left foot and lower leg for 3 months.
She had a fracture of the external malleole and osteosynthesis by screwed plaque more than 3 months ago. Since then she had persistent pain in her left ankle, left foot and left leg, and the pain was compounded by walking, sometimes there was a feeling of electric shock, she could not walk without crutches. Her surgeon said that what she had was algodystrophy syndrome, which Western medicine has no effective treatment, can only do physical therapy, pending the natural recovery of the body itself. The average recovery time will be 6 to 24 months, but some patients need more than three years to recover.

Clinical examination:
His left external malleole has a scarred surgical scar, left foot, ankle and lower leg with a slight swelling (Fig.7), sensitivity and rube faction, the temperature is relatively higher than the other side.

Additional review:
X-rays showed that his fractured left ankle consolidated, but that his left foot had developed osteoporosis, (Fig.8), and his surgeon had prescribed a scan to confirm the diagnosis, which would take 10 days.
It should be noted that algodystrophy is a serious traumatic complication, it causes patients to lose their working capacity normally for 6 to 24 months or even more, modern medicine has no effective treatment for it. In case it is at an early stage, acupuncture treatment is very effective, the earlier the treatment time, the better the effect; For developed and later stages, patients should be treated with hot needles to have some effect.
Therefore, it is advisable, when we meet such patients, not to wait for the results of the examination and to do an acupuncture treatment for the patients as soon as possible, in order to stop the development of the condition of a disease. We just need to explain to the patient that the earlier the acupuncture treatment, the better the effect, there may be a chance that a treatment is sufficient, the results of future examinations may become normal due to acupuncture treatment.

Diagnosis:
Algodystrophy left leg and foot

Treatment:
Acupuncture;
After the needle, her pain was greatly reduced, and she walked without using crutches, and without limping too; Then, by holding the needles for 20 minutes, it was found that the swelling of his left lower limb had subsided, that the skin color had returned to normal. We had booked the patient an appointment in two weeks with the results of the scan examination for further consultation.

Case 11, Algodystrophy

                  The 24-year-old male patient fell down the stairs four months ago, resulting in a fracture of the base of the fifth metacarpal of the right hand.
After closed reduction, Kirschner's percutaneous brooch was fixed. Pain of the hand, arm, elbow and shoulder on the same side. This symptom is likely to be the onset of algodystrophy syndrome and should be treated with acupuncture as soon as possible.

Clinical review:
There was no obvious abnormality in the skin color of both hands, the dorsal side of the base of the fifth metacarpal of the right hand was slightly swollen, sensitivity, forearm, elbow and shoulder. Wrist, elbow and shoulder movements are normal

The X-ray (Fig.33) shows a fifth fracture of the well reset metacarpal base fixed with a Kirschner pin with a normal bone. Figure 34 is the image after removing Kirschner's brooch, we can see that the bone has started to loosen, this time the pain affects the exercise and recovery of the function of the hand, if not a timely acupuncture treatment, it is very likely to develop into Algodystrphy syndrome .

Treatment:
Acupuncture;
The pain was greatly reduced after the needle, and there was almost no pain after the needle. Give him a two-week appointment (estimated pain may reappear), but two weeks later he didn't come, I had called by phone and asked. He said he was fully recovered.
He would be picked up when he got home that day.