Tianma can calm the liver and alleviate wind, treating headaches and dizziness caused by blood deficiency and liver wind internal movement. It can also be used for pediatric convulsions, epilepsy, and tetanus. Additionally, it can be used for dizziness, hemiplegia, and numbness caused by wind-phlegm.
Since Tianma has a significant effect on headaches and dizziness caused by liver yang hyperactivity, it is often taken as a "tonic" medicine. However, Tianma should not be used indiscriminately for dizziness, regardless of the deficiency or excess of the individual's constitution or the abundance or deficiency of qi and blood. In fact, there are also contraindications for the use of Tianma.
1. Tianma should be used with caution in patients with reduced body fluid, blood deficiency, and yin deficiency.
2. Pay attention to compatibility. The book "Ben Cao Yan Yi" states that "Tianma must be used with other medicines to see its effectiveness." Few ancient and modern physicians use Tianma alone. They mostly prescribe different formulas based on different disease patterns. For example, Banxia Baizhu Tianma Decoction, Tianma Gouteng Drink, Tianma Pills, etc.
3. Even for conditions such as liver yang hyperactivity and phlegm obstructing the meridians, when using Tianma, the patient's condition should be carefully examined, the disease mechanism should be understood, and the prescription should be adjusted accordingly in order to achieve good therapeutic effects.
4. Tianma should not be decocted for a long time. The main component of Tianma is Tianma glycoside, which is highly volatile when exposed to heat.
5. When using Tianma alone or Tianma preparations, if symptoms such as dizziness, chest tightness, shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting, increased heart rate and breathing, and itching occur, the medication should be stopped immediately. Patients with severe symptoms should seek medical treatment promptly.
