Three Cases of Easy Fatigability and Tiredness Successfully Treated with Hangekobokuto

Abstract

We describe 3 cases of easy fatigability successfully treated with hangekobokuto. Case 1 was a 44-year-old woman who had been experiencing fatigue for a long time due to her busy work schedule. Juzentaihoto was ineffective, and she felt abdominal swelling and showed epigastric resistance upon abdominal examination. Case 2 was a 13-year-old woman who became easily tired, had palpitations, felt uneasy, and showed epigastric resistance upon abdominal examination, after moving from overseas to Japan. Case 3 was an 18-year-old woman who became easily tired under the pressure of her studies after entering university, felt uneasy, felt abdominal swelling, and showed epigastric resistance upon abdominal examination. Hangekobokuto relieved these symptoms. In Case 2 and Case 3, there were obvious stressors, and qi stagnation was strongly suspected. In Case 1, although the patient did not complain of obvious stress, she did not respond well to juzentaihoto, which compensates for qi deficiency, so we also considered qi stagnation. For symptoms such as “get tired easily,” qi-tonifying formulas are often used, but qi-regulating formulas including hangekobokuto may also be effective. It is also important to focus on the patient’s mental state and living environment.