Treatment of Diabetic Foot Osteomyelitis with Persian Medicine: A Case Report

Somayeh  Aghighi; Maryam  Moghimi; Gholamreza  Kordafshari; Hoorieh  Mohammadi Kenari; Amir Abbas  Kordafshari

doi:10.18502/tim.v10i3.19762

Somayeh Aghighi School of Unani Medicine, Hamdard University, New Delhi, India
Maryam Moghimi Masiha Teb Shomal Knowledge-based cooperation, Sari, Iran
Gholamreza Kordafshari School of Persian Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Hoorieh Mohammadi Kenari Institute for studies in Medical History, Persian and Complementary Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Amir Abbas Kordafshari Faculty of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/tim.v10i3.19762

Keywords: Diabetic foot osteomyelitis; Persian medicine; Herbal therapy; Dry cupping; Wet cupping; Venesection; Leech therapy

Abstract

Osteomyelitis of the lower extremity is a commonly encountered problem in patients with diabetes and is an important cause of amputation and admission to the hospital. The patient presented in this article was a 52-year-old diabetic man with a diabetic foot osteomyelitis who was referred to Vali-e-Asr Persian medicine clinic. He was treated with Persian medicine methods. The treatment methods of Persian medicine were: modification of lifestyle such as sleep and nutrition, oral herbal therapy, wound washing with herbal decoctions, dry cupping, wet cupping, venesection and leech therapy. During the period of 52 days, the foot ulcer and the osteomyelitis were improved. This case report demonstrates that using the capacities of Persian medicine in addition to conventional treatments, helped to markedly improve the patient’s condition.