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Objective To observe the therapeutic effect of DENG Tie-tao's Foot-bath Recipe (mainly composed of Radix Achyranthis Bidentatae,Rhizoma Chuanxiong,Spica Prunellae,Fructus Evodiae,Ramulus Uncariae Cum Uncis,etc.)for the treatment of essential hypertension with hyperactivity of liver Yang syndrome. Methods Eighty essential hypertension patients with hyperactivity of liver Yang syndrome were randomly divided into treatment group and control group,40 cases in each group. Both groups were given basic antihypertensive western medicine treatment, and additionally the treatment group was given external application of DENG Tie-Tao's Foot-bath Recipe and the control group was given foot-bath with warm water. Seven days constituted one treatment course. Before and after treatment , the scores of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)symptoms and Athens Insomnia Scale were observed , blood pressure variability (BPV)was detected with ambulatory blood pressure monitoring instrument , and plasma norepinephrine(NE) and epinephrine(E) levels were examined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results (1)The total effective rate for improving TCM symptom scores of the treatment group was 87.5%, and that of the control group was 75.0% , the difference being significant (P < 0.05). (2)The total effective rate for lowering blood pressure of the treatment group was 85.0%, and that of the control group was 72.5% , the difference being significant (P < 0.05). (3)After treatment,scores of Athens Insomnia Scale in the two groups were obviously decreased(P<0.01 compared with those before treatment),and the decrease in the treatment group was superior to that in the control group (P <0.01). (4)After treatment,24h BPV,daytime BPV and night BPV in the two groups were decreased to certain degrees (P < 0.05 compared with those before treatment),and the decrease of 24h BPV and night BPV in the treatment group was superior to that in the control group(P<0.05).(5)After treatment,plasma NE and E levels in the two groups were decreased to certain degree (P < 0 . 05 compared with those before treatment), and the decrease in the treatment group was superior to that in the control group (P < 0.05). Conclusion DENG Tie-Tao's Foot-bath Recipe exerts synergistic action on lowering blood pressure steadily by relieving TCM symptoms, improving the quality of sleep, decreasing 24hBPV of essential hypertension with hyperactivity of liver yang syndrome. And the regulation of plasma NE and E levels may be one of its therapeutic mechanisms.
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Introduction: Prevention of the onset of cardio/cerebrovascular diseases, which represent circulatory system diseases, is now emphasized. It requires ensuring good arterial distensibility, which has been demonstrated to be reduced by life environments such as the lack of exercise or overnutrition but improved by aerobic exercise. Even if implementation of such exercises is possible, it increases the risks of the frail elderly with declined cardiopulmonary function and those with other diseases. This study aimed to focus on plantar flexion and dorsiflexion exercises of the ankles as a type of effective, low-load exercise that can induce dynamic stimulation associated with increased blood flow, using muscle pumping of the triceps surae and footbath, which could potentially increase overall blood flow via hyperthermic action. We then investigate the benefits of the combined effects of these two exercises on arterial distensibility. Methods: We selected 25 physically and mentally healthy adult men and women (17 men and eight women; mean ± SD age, 25.7 ± 3.3 years) as study subjects. All the 25 subjects performed each of three exercises, namely footbath, ankle exercise, and ankle exercise in footbath, in a sitting position for 15 minutes. Ankle-brachial index (ABI), brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (PWV), systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and heart rate were measured using form PWV/ABI before and after the exercise for the evaluation of arterial distensibility. Results: No significant differences were observed in the PWVs, ABIs, systolic/diastolic blood pressures, and heart rates before and after exercise in the footbath and exercise groups. However, for the footbath exercise group, a significant reduction in PWV was observed from before to after exercise. Discussion: In this study, we focused our attention on the ankle exercise in footbath as a low-load exercise that could improve arterial distensibility. The results indicated a significant reduction in PWV, an index used to show the level of arterial distensibility, only for the footbath exercise group, which performed the combination of ankle exercise and footbath. We can infer that the improvement of arterial distensibility is attributed to the synergistic effect of the muscle pump and hyperthermic actions, which result in further increases and facilitation of cardiac output. Conclusions: This study demonstrated that the ankle exercise in footbath was beneficial for the improvement of arterial distensibility.
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Objective To observe the anal exhaust effect in patients treated with warm water foot bath after laparoscopic surgery.Methods 90 cases after laparoscopic surgery including renal cancer , renal cysts, epinephrine-tumor patients were randomly divided into A , B and C group.Nursing measures were given at 6 hours after operation. A group were treated with warm water feet bath ; B group received abdominal ring massage ; And C group were control group.Time of anal exhaust postoperatively was observed among the 3 groups.Results Anal exhaust time after oper-ation in A group was average (24.34 ±0.28) hours, which was significantly shorter than in B group (33.07 ±0.18) h and C group (37.90 ±0.19) h (p <0.01).Conclusion Warm water foot bath can promote the anal exsufflation rapidly, effectively after laparoscopic surgery in Urology patients , and has great significance helpful to early recovery .
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<b>Introduction:</b> Prevention of the onset of cardio/cerebrovascular diseases, which represent circulatory system diseases, is now emphasized. It requires ensuring good arterial distensibility, which has been demonstrated to be reduced by life environments such as the lack of exercise or overnutrition but improved by aerobic exercise. Even if implementation of such exercises is possible, it increases the risks of the frail elderly with declined cardiopulmonary function and those with other diseases. This study aimed to focus on plantar flexion and dorsiflexion exercises of the ankles as a type of effective, low-load exercise that can induce dynamic stimulation associated with increased blood flow, using muscle pumping of the triceps surae and footbath, which could potentially increase overall blood flow via hyperthermic action. We then investigate the benefits of the combined effects of these two exercises on arterial distensibility.<BR><b>Methods:</b> We selected 25 physically and mentally healthy adult men and women (17 men and eight women; mean ± SD age, 25.7 ± 3.3 years) as study subjects.<BR> All the 25 subjects performed each of three exercises, namely footbath, ankle exercise, and ankle exercise in footbath, in a sitting position for 15 minutes. Ankle-brachial index (ABI), brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (PWV), systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and heart rate were measured using form PWV/ABI before and after the exercise for the evaluation of arterial distensibility.<BR><b>Results:</b> No significant differences were observed in the PWVs, ABIs, systolic/diastolic blood pressures, and heart rates before and after exercise in the footbath and exercise groups. However, for the footbath exercise group, a significant reduction in PWV was observed from before to after exercise.<BR><b>Discussion:</b> In this study, we focused our attention on the ankle exercise in footbath as a low-load exercise that could improve arterial distensibility. The results indicated a significant reduction in PWV, an index used to show the level of arterial distensibility, only for the footbath exercise group, which performed the combination of ankle exercise and footbath.We can infer that the improvement of arterial distensibility is attributed to the synergistic effect of the muscle pump and hyperthermic actions, which result in further increases and facilitation of cardiac output.<BR><b>Conclusions:</b> This study demonstrated that the ankle exercise in footbath was beneficial for the improvement of arterial distensibility.
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Mycobacterium fortuitum is one of the rapidly-growing atypical mycobacteria, belonging to Runyon group IV. M. fortuitum infection is usually related to trauma, injections and surgical procedures, and is resistant to treatment with anti-tuberculous agents. Herein, we report on a case of M. fortuitum infection after footbath. A 51-year-old male presented with painful, erythematous nodules and plaques with crust and purulent discharge on the lower legs for 3 months. The skin lesion occurred after two herb and aroma footbaths and leg massage. He went to the massage shop again, and received the footbath one more time. The skin lesion aggravated and he visited a hospital, then the skin biopsy was performed but the result was unremarkable. He was treated with antihistamine and antibiotics but there was no improvement. So he visited our hospital, and culture demonstrated atypical mycobacterium, which was identified as M. fortuitum by polymerase chain reaction. He was treated with oral clarythromycin for 5 months, and the skin lesions have improved.
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Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Anti-Bacterial Agents , Biopsy , Leg , Massage , Mycobacterium , Mycobacterium fortuitum , Nontuberculous Mycobacteria , Polymerase Chain Reaction , SkinABSTRACT
Carbon dioxide (CO<sub>2</sub>)-enriched water, one of the Japanese pharmacopeias, has been used as an alternative thermotherapy to treat the intractable diabetic skin diseases. However, few scientific researches on the physiological effects of CO<sub>2</sub>-enriched footbath have been reported. Fifteen males (aged 22-52, 31±10) took part in this study after providing their written informed consents. They took three kinds of footbath (plain water, CO<sub>2</sub>-enriched water and control without water) at 38°C for 30min in random sequence. Their core temperature from oral and tympanic membrane, cutaneous blood flow, tissue hemoglobin concentration at the cerebral frontal cortex and trapezoid muscle, systemic blood pressure, heart rate variability, salivary IgA, comfortable feeling with face scale were measured before, during and after footbath. CO<sub>2</sub>-enriched footbath showed significant physiological effects on the systemic and peripheral circulation. Local (under water) cutaneous blood flow, and tissue blood flow of the frontal cortex were significantly higher than in the plain water footbath. The systolic and diastolic blood pressure and heart rate in CO<sub>2</sub>-enriched footbath were also lower than those in the plain water footbath. Heart rate variability of CO<sub>2</sub>-enriched footbath showed an decrease of LF/HF ratio and more HF/(LF+HF) ratio than that of plain water footbath. These parameters indicated lesser stress for the heart in CO<sub>2</sub>-enriced footbath than in the plain water footbath. The relaxing effect of CO<sub>2</sub>-enriched footbath was also indicated from the results of face scale and salivary IgA concentration. All of these results supported that the CO<sub>2</sub>-enriched footbath was less stressful and more relaxing, and had more physiological effects on the local systemic and cerebral circulatory system and autonomic nervous system than plain water footbath.
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The purpose of this study was to clarify difference in heating effect of the two types of bathing for the elderly, footbathing at 44°C and full bathing at 40°C.<br>The subjects of this study were nine elderly persons for footbathing (average 73.5 years old) and 10 elderly persons for full bathing (average 77.4 years old). The tympanic temperature was measured using a thermistor, sweat rate using the ventral capsule method, and blood pressure and heart rate using an autonomic spygmomanometer during control period 10 minutes before bathing, for 20 minutes during bathing, and for 10 minutes after bathing. Subjects wore plain clothes while taking a footbath time or swimming trunks while taking a full bathing. The ambient temperature was set to 20°C during the footbath or 26°C during the full bathing.<br>During the footbath, the tympanic temperature increased to 60% that of full bathing and a significant increase of sweat rate was observed. In contrast, during full bathing, a significant rise in systolic blood pressure was observed immediately after bathing started due to hydrostatic pressure and a significant drop of diastolic pressure was observed after bathing due to heating during bathing.<br>These findings suggest that the footbath is safe, does not cause any change in blood pressure and is expected to provide mild warming for the elderly.
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Footbath have long been used for primary health care or for nursing, however, few researches have been reported. We intended to make footbath a safe physiotherapy or care technique in the modern medicine by more profound researches on footbath. The effect of footbath on the gastric motility was studied because footbath may promote recovery from post-surgical gastric paresis. The effects of footbath on the gastric motility and subjective hunger sensation were monitored in 14 healthy adult females (32±6 yeas old). They signed informed consents and took footbaths at 38, 40, 42°C and control footbath (by a footbath machine). The experiments started after permission of the Ethical Committee of International Research Center for Traditional Medicine.<br>They took footbath after 10-min rest in a sitting position. Each footbath was 30 min long, followed by 10-min rest. The same subject participated in the studies four times at the same time of the day before taking lunch (10:00-14:00). These experiments were in a random order four days apart each other except menstruation periods. Their blood pressure, ECG R-R variability and electro-gastrogram (EGG) were monitored. The subjective hunger sensation was asked before, during and after footbath. The autonomic nervous balance was estimated from FFT analysis of the R-R variability. LF (0.04-0.15Hz) and HF (0.15-0.40Hz) components of the R-R variability were calculated. EGG was also analysed by means of FFT to calculate amplitude and frequency. The results showed the amplitude and frequency of EGG increased depending on temperature. However, the correlation between HF power of R-R variability and amplitude of EGG showed negative correlation. Regarding hunger sensation, more cases felt hunger in 38, 40°C than in control. At 42°C, the amplitude and frequency were apparently higher than in other temperatures, while the hungry cases were less than in 38 or 40°C. These discrepancies may be caused by the artifact due to sweating on the abdominal EGG leads, considering high b wave of EEG at 42°C.<br>In conclusion, it was indicated that footbath may promote gastric motility and induce hunger sensation at 38-40°C in healthy volunteers.
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We studied temperature-dependent effects of the footbath on heart rate variability, EEG (F3, F4, P3, P4 of 10/20 international method), cerebral circulation, and subjective comfort, using electrocardiography (ECG), electroencephalography (EEG), near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), transcranial Doppler (TCD) and face scale. Subjects were 14 healthy adult women (32±6 years old) who took 3 types of footbath (10cm below the knee at 38°C, 40°C, and 42°C) and the control sitting position without footbath in a randomized sequence after providing written informed consent. Their ECG, EEG, NIRS on the forehead, and TCD findings for the middle cerebral artery were monitored for 50min including a 30min footbath. Subjective changes were monitored every 5min using the face scale. LF (low frequency; 0.04-0.15Hz) and HF (high frequency; 0.15-0.4Hz) components and Lorenz plots parameters were obtained from ECG R-R variability. EEG power and EEG right-left coherence were also calculated.<br>At 42°C footbath, total hemoglobin (Hb) concentration of the forehead, LF/HF ratio, Pulsatility Index (PI: a marker of intracranial circulation and intracranial pressure obtained from TCD), and parietal β<sub>1</sub> wave power increased significantly. HF power and EEG coherence of θ and α<sub>1</sub> wave of the parietal and frontal leads decreased significantly with decline of comfort. At 40°C, cerebral circulation, LF/HF and PI changed less, but EEG power of the frontal α<sub>1</sub> and α<sub>2</sub>, and parietal β<sub>1</sub> waves increased significantly after the cessation of footbath with simultaneous increase of comfort. At 38°C, transient but significant decrease of PI value after footbath was associated with significant increase of EEG power of the frontal θ and parietal α<sub>2</sub> waves after footbath. Parameters having statistically significant correlation with subjective comfort were HF power, Lorenz plots parameters, EEG power and coherence, and frontal Oxy Hb (r=0.150-0.231, p<0.0001 by Spearman's method). The EEG power of frontal α<sub>1</sub> waves had the largest correlation coefficient with subjective comfort (r=0.231, p<0.0001).<br>It was assumed that temperature-dependent changes of autonomic nervous activity and cerebral circulation caused changes of EEG and comfort during footbath. It was indicated that frontal α<sub>1</sub> wave power of EEG and Lorenz plots parameters obtained from R-R variability may be usable as indices of comfort in hot bathing.
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Footbath is a safe and easy thermal therapy, however, it may cause stress on our body depending on the temperature. Temperature dependent changes of stress biomarkers in the saliva or urine, and of R-R variability by footbath were studied, and mechanism of effects and side effects were discussed.<br>Subjects were 14 healthy adult females (32±6 yeas old). The experiments started after permission of the Ethical Committee of International Research Center for Traditional Medicine. They took footbath at 38, 40, 42°C and control study after providing informed consents. They took footbath after 10min rest in a sitting position. Each footbath was 30min long, followed by 10min rest. The same subject participated in the studies four times at the same time of day before lunch. These experiments were in a random order four days apart each other except menstruation periods. Their ECG R-R variability and their concentration of salivary IgA and urinary 8 (OH) dG/creatinin were measured before and after footbath. The autonomic nervous balance was estimated from FFT analysis of the R-R variability; LF (0.04-0.15Hz) and HF (0.15-0.40Hz).<br>The results indicated that at 40 and 42°C their autonomic nervous balance estimated from LF/HF or HF power changed to sympathetic predominance. At 38, 40 and 42°C, salivary IgA increased significantly, and at 40 and 42°C, urinary 8 (OH) dG/creatinin increased significantly, while no significant change occurred in the control study.<br>These results indicated footbath for 30min at 40 and 42°C induced sympathetic predominance and caused oxidative stress. It was reported that oxidative stress induced activation of platelet aggregation. The oxidative stress as well as sympathetic activation may be related with the causes of the accidents during hot bathing as well as with the effects of thermal therapy. Further investigations are worth being performed.
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Temperature dependent systematic circulatory changes by the pure thermal action were studied by means of footbath, which can neglect hydrostatic pressure and buoyancy. 14 healthy adult females (32±6 yeas old) took footbath at 38, 40, 42°C and control footbath after providing the written informed consent. The experiments started corthe permission of protocol of this experiment by the Ethical Committee of International Research Center for Traditional Medicine. They took footbath after 10 minutes' rest in a sitting position. Each footbath was 30 minutes long, followed by 10 minutes' rest. The same subject participated in the studies four times at the same time of the day before lunch. These experiments were in a random order four days apart each other except during menstruation periods. Their systemic circulatory changes and autonomic nervous balance calculated from FFT analysis of the R-R variability were monitored by the automatic sphygmomanometer, impedance cardiography and ECG, and their cerebral circulatory changes were monitored by the Near Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS) and the Transcranial Doppler (TCD), and skin circulation was measured by the thermographic changes of the face and hand. Their subjective comfort was assessed by the face scale every 5 minutes. The results showed that their cardiac output and blood pressure increased, and tissue blood flow of the M. Trapezius and the skin temperature of both hand and face increased in temperature dependent manner. Simultaneously LF/HF or HF power changed depending on the temperature. Regarding cerebral circulation, total blood volume of the surface of the frontal lobe was suspected to be increased, however, elevation of PI values indicated an increase of the intracranial pressure. The same systemic and autonomic nervous changes of footbath were reported in full body bath. Considering the subjective comfort, the appropriate duration of footbath for healthy persons may be 20-25min at 38°C, 15min at 40°C, 10min at 42°C. Circulatory activation by footbath may support the clinical utility of footbath for the safe care of aged people who may be drawn in bath tub. High PI value at 42°C footbath which means high intracranial pressure may cause the accidents during lethal hot bathing.