Kampo medicine, based on traditional medicine theory, in treating uncured glossodynia: efficacy in five clinical cases.

Glossodynia, or tongue pain, is resistant to conventional therapies. Kampo medicines were evaluated in patients suffering from incurable glossodynia. Patients were diagnosed by traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) theory in order to determine the appropriate herbal prescriptions. Five Japanese females (50-76 years old) with glossodynia refractory to conventional therapy were enrolled in this study. Small portions of rikkunshito, jiinkokato, hachimijiogan and ryutanshakanto worked for a female diagnosed with "Spleen" and "Heart" Yin deficiency, "Kidney" Yang deficiency and "Liver" Qi stagnation producing heat syndrome. Seishoekkito and bakumondoto were effective for a patient diagnosed with "Spleen Qi" deficiency and "Stomach" Yin deficiency producing heat syndrome. Rikkunshito, kamikihito and chikujountanto worked for a patient diagnosed with "Spleen Qi" and "Heart Yin" deficiency, stagnation of "Liver" Qi producing fire and "Gallbladder" Qi deficiency. Rokumijiogan, kamishoyosan and kambakutaisoto were effective for a patient with Yang rise based on Yin deficiency of "Kidney" and "Liver," and restless organ disorder based on Yin deficiency of 5 viscera. A patient diagnosed with "Spleen" Yang deficiency responded to a combination of anchusan and hangeshashinto. These patients with glossodynia had resolution of pain within 1 month of treatment. Herbal mixtures containing Ganoderam lucidum, not prescribed based on TCM theory, but effective for herpes virus infection, worked for a female suffering from glossodynia for 1 year after artificial teeth were placed, but required about 5 months to note improvement. Kampo medicines, properly prescribed based on TCM theory, quickly resolved the pain of refractory glossodynia.