Exploring Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy Based on the"Qi Collateral"and"Blood Collateral"of Theories of Collateral Disease
Diabetes often leads to microvascular complications,with diabetic peripheral neuropathy(DPN)being one of its common complications.Severe cases may result in gangrene or even amputation,making it a condition with a high disability rate.DPN falls into categories such as"bi syndrome,""insensibility,""atrophy syndrome,"and"blood bi,"and due to its chronic and difficult-to-cure nature,it often exhibits pathological changes like blood stasis obstructing collaterals and impaired collateral circulation.These characteristics align closely with the pathogenic features of collateral disease,which include chronicity,stasis,persistence,and complexity.In response to this pathogenesis,the author found from the theoretical perspective of"qi collateral"and"blood collateral"that blood stasis obstructs the meridian throughout the entire course of DPN.The severity of symptoms presented at different stages of this disease also varies.Therefore,unblocking collateral treatment should be regarded as the core of DPN treatment,and the treatment method of"supplementing and unblocking"should be adopted.On the one hand,practitioners should replenish qi and yin,nourishing meridians,and on the other hand,practitioners should promote blood circulation and removes blood stasis,unblocking meridian and collateral.Collateral is useful when it is not blocked,and therefore,unblocking and supplementing collateral should be treatment principle for this disease.Replenishing qi and nourishing yin can nourish collateral and activating blood and resolving stasis can unblock collateral.