August 18th is the 8th Chinese Anemia Day, and the total incidence of anemia in China is about 20%. There are significant differences among different populations, especially concentrated in pregnant women, infants, and elderly people. What is the difference between traditional Chinese medicine blood deficiency and Western medicine anemia? How does traditional Chinese medicine regulate anemia? Wang Yue, Director of the Hematology and Oncology Department at the First Affiliated Hospital of Hunan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, gave a detailed introduction. Anemia "is a disease name in Western medicine, which refers to a syndrome in which the capacity of peripheral red blood cells in the human body decreases, leading to a decrease in oxygen carrying capacity and an inability to meet the oxygen demand of tissues and organs. The core manifestation is a decrease in hemoglobin concentration, with adult males<120 grams per liter, females<110 grams per liter, and pregnant women<100 grams per liter. According to traditional Chinese medicine, blood deficiency refers to insufficient blood supply or weakened blood function in the body, leading to the loss of nourishment of organs, meridians, and tissues. Often manifested as pale or pale complexion, dizziness and blurred vision, palpitations and insomnia, numbness in hands and feet, etc. There are similarities with the "tissue organ hypoxia" state in Western medicine. Traditional Chinese medicine blood deficiency and Western medicine anemia can both manifest as pale or pale complexion, pale lip and nail color, dizziness, fatigue, palpitations, etc. Both are based on a weakened state caused by insufficient oxygen supply, nutrition, or immune weakness in the body. Blood deficiency ≠ anemia. Anemia is a quantitative concept that emphasizes a decrease in hemoglobin levels, while blood deficiency is a functional concept that emphasizes weakened blood function, such as fever and wind caused by blood deficiency. ”Wang Yue said that most anemia patients have traditional Chinese medicine blood deficiency syndrome, such as anemia after tumor chemotherapy, which may be accompanied by fatigue, palpitations, etc; However, patients with blood deficiency may not necessarily be anemic. For example, patients with immune neurasthenia who meet the traditional Chinese medicine syndrome differentiation criteria for blood deficiency may have normal hemoglobin levels. Traditional Chinese medicine believes that blood deficiency is often related to "spleen and stomach weakness, liver and kidney deficiency" - spleen and stomach weakness cannot convert food into blood, and liver and kidney deficiency cannot convert essence and qi into blood. Traditional Chinese medicine conducts syndrome differentiation and treatment, usually adjusting according to the following types of syndromes: one is the deficiency of qi and blood, which is commonly seen in chronic anemia. Patients present with pale complexion, fatigue, palpitations, pale tongue coating, and weak pulse. The conditioning plan is to replenish qi and generate blood, using Danggui Buxue Tang, which combines Huangqi with Danggui. The dosage of Huangqi is five times that of Danggui, reflecting the concept of "qi can generate blood". The second type is spleen and stomach weakness, which is more common in malnutrition anemia. Symptoms include loss of appetite, bloating, loose stools, and emaciation. When regulating, it is necessary to invigorate the spleen and nourish the blood. The Xiangsha Liujunzi Tang (Codonopsis pilosula, Atractylodes macrocephala, Poria cocos, Muxiang, and Amomum villi) is used to regulate qi and invigorate the spleen, and the Siwu Tang (Rehmannia glutinosa, Angelica sinensis, Paeonia lactiflora, and Chuanxiong) is used to enhance the blood replenishing effect. The third type is liver and kidney yin deficiency, which is commonly seen in patients with chemotherapy or aplastic anemia. It is characterized by dizziness, tinnitus, restlessness of the five hearts, soreness and weakness of the waist and knees, and red tongue with little coating. The conditioning plan is to nourish the kidneys and essence, using Zuo Gui Wan (including Rehmannia glutinosa, Yam, Goji berries, Cornus officinalis, turtle shell collagen, etc.), combined with various medicines to nourish yin and kidney, fill lean marrow and generate blood. There is also a type of spleen kidney yang deficiency, which is common in patients with renal anemia or chronic anemia. Symptoms include cold limbs, frequent nocturia, edema, etc. Regulating requires warming yang and nourishing blood. You can use Right Return Pills (including Rehmannia glutinosa, Cuscuta chinensis, Eucommia ulmoides, Deer Antlers Gelatin, etc.) to help yang transform into blood, warm the limbs and bones, and alleviate discomfort symptoms. (New Society)