• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.559-568
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• 2004

Diagnosis of Raynaud's phenomenon is primarily based on clinical symptoms. Cold stress test(CST) done by DITI(Digital Infrared Thermographic Image) can be helpful for objective diagnosis. The cold stress test was performed three times by DITI; the first after 15 minutes of rest, the second right after one minute of soaking in $20^{\circ}C$ water, the third ten minutes after immersion. For a clear diagnosis, the temperature of the finger tips must be low, or the thermal difference between the metacarpophalangeal joints and the fingertips must be large. Also the evaluation of treatment depends on decrease of thermal gradient between the metacarpophalangeal joints and the finger tips after CST. In oriental medicine Raynaud's phenomenon can be categorized by coldness of the limbs or numbness. Numbness was diagnosed as depression of Ki and Chiljehyangbuhwan(Qizhixiangfuwan) was prescribed. Positive results were observed, not only in follow up CST, but also Visual Analogue Scale after treatment.