My Method of Constructing Evidence/Symptoms

Abstract

When incorporating Kampo therapy in otorhinolaryngological treatment, satisfactory results are not always obtained if the disease name is used as the only parameter. Kampo therapy, which is based on evidential medicine, refers to a method whereby medical professionals increase the number of parameters evaluated, beyond the disease name, and select drugs in conjunction with the signs that patients give out. I wish to explain, using actual examples, the ways in which otorhinolaryngologists can administer Kampo therapy based on evidential medicine using diagnostic methods made available to us.
The parameters used for evaluation include chief complaints, history of illness, patient's overall appearance such as physique, facial tone (and expressions), skin condition, local observations (nasal mucosa, nasal discharge, nature of otorrhea, observation of the pharyngeal mucosa, nature of liquid collected in the tympanic cavity), observation of the tongue, and sometimes stomach check-ups. These parameters are used in combination as required. Focusing on Kampo therapy to treat nasal allergy using these parameters, this paper introduces the use of evidential medicine in the selection of the most appropriate drugs, for treatment of individual patients.