Clinical Experimental Treatments for Arthrosis of the Carpometacarpal Joint of the Thumb Using Kampo Medicine

Abstract

Arthritis of the carpometacarpal joint of the thumb is typically treated with oral anti-inflammatory drugs, external medicines, and temporary external fixation. We report 3 cases of arthritis of carpometacarpal joint of the thumb that were successfully treated with sokeikakketsuto. In cases 1 and 2, a 50-year-old woman and 68-year-old man, respectively, were diagnosed with arthritis of the carpometacarpal joint and were successfully treated with sokeikakketsuto. In case 3, a 66-year-old man complained of pain in the second carpometacarpal joint caused by gout, and was successfully treated with eppikajutsuto and daiobotampito. However, the pain in the carpometacarpal joint of the thumb due to arthritis remained, and was successfully treated with sokeikakketsuto. Eppikajutsuto and daiobotampito were effective for acute arthritis such as gout, and sokeikakketsuto was effective for osteoarthritis. Overall, patients with different diseases in the various local regions may have slightly different clinical presentations even in the same case.