[Analyzing the Chinese medicine pathogenesis of stroke]

Both ischemic and hemorrhage stroke pertain to the category of wind stroke in Chinese medicine (CM). Up to date, it is deemed that the etiology and pathogenesis of wind stroke are wind, fire, sputum, qi, stasis, and deficiency. Among them, it is regarded that wind and fire are the key factors triggering wind stroke. By analyzing the time order and causality, it is found that wind stroke is prior to the onset of wind and fire, wind and fire are the secondary outcomes of wind stroke. By parallel comparing stroke with thromboembolism and hemorrhagic diseases in other Zang-organs, it can be comprehended that the reason why wind symptoms appear in stroke is due to its physiological feature of brain itself. Based on Neijing, the pathogenesis of wind stroke is proposed as follows. Tunnels of viscera (vessels) get lesions. The old pathogenic factors of sputum and stasis or the stasis formed by bleeding inside viscera consume qi, and blood of viscera and damage the spirits hidden in them. The damage of Gan-spirit causes symptoms of stroke, such as hemiplegia, deviation of eyes and mouth, and so on. Wind and fire symptoms are caused by the injury of Gan blood and yin, and/or the stagnation of fire in pericardium (the pathway organ) due to obstruction by old pathogenic factors and stasis (formed by bleeding).