TREATMENT OF FAMILIAL MEDITERRANIAN FEVER WITH ACUPUNCTURE

抄録

There is uncertainty on the etiology of the illness and no final agreement ha s been reached on determining its name. It has been given names like“Armenians illness”, “Jews illness”, “Periodic illness”, “Arthritis of fever”, and“Polyserositis”. Genetically it is otosomal resevive, but this cannot always be fixed. After a brief glance at the symptoms, we shall move to the story of our patient.
It starts around the age 15. Intermittent fever is the most significant symptom. Abdominal pain is possible and pain like pleura pain might be seen around the chest. Severe pain in the joints of the knee, ankle, shoulder, hip, elbow and sacroiliac are possible. No redness is seen on the joints. Erytheme may be seen in the ankle and it might be opened for appendicitis or may be diagnosed as peritonitis, possibility of Malaria should always be kept in mind and research should be made on symptoms like cold and shivering. Fever may be 39° to 40°. It may last for a day or more. Sedimentation and leucocide are high. The crises last short if Western medical methods and colchicin are used continuously. There is no other treatment.
The story of our patient: She suffered an illne s s which showed itself with pain from shoulder to the groin. This happened in London in 1970, 14 years ago. She then stayed at a hospital where she was examined for a month. She was thought to be suffering an unseen pleurisie and was sent out of the hospital when the pain had stopped. She was given tonics but the attacks became more and more frequent. No analgesia could stop her pain. When she came back to Turkey in 1971, the pain started showing itself periodically. In 1975, at a very painful time, she stayed at SSK Samatya Hospital for 14days and was discharged with diagnosis of Myalgie. Though she had consulted many specialists outside, no treatment made her any good. Sedimentation, around 100mm in 2hours, had always been very high. Neither the intestinal biopsy, nor the Excrement virus culture at a university clinic brought out any results.