The purpose of this study was to investigate the characteristics of the lifestyle of our diabetic patients under treatment in our hospital in order to provide them with a more effective education.
  Method:A questionnaire survey was conducted on the diabetics to find their lifestyle. The results were compared with the data on the lifestyle of the general population (GP) in Nagano prefecture, obtained from the 2007 Health and Nutrition Survey in Nagano. The relationship between lifestyle of the diabetics and stages of change model was also examined.
  Results and discussion:The ratio of those who did not have breakfast and ate between meals was larger in our diabetic subjects than the corresponding figure of the GP. Diabetic women in the stage of maintenance ate breakfast more regularly than diabetic women in the other stages. This suggested that it was necessity to recognize the stage of diabetics and to educate them according to the stage. More people in the diabetics were smokers than in the GP, and the frequency was higher in diabetic men in the stage of preparation and maintenance than in the other stages. Therefore, diabetics in the stage of preparation and higher should be advised to quit smoking, if they are smokers. The diabetics seemed to feel stressed less than the GP. Those diabetics who habitually slept less than six hours said that they were under stress. This indicated that there was a possibility of deterioration in blood sugar level, and that sleeping time was one of the important factors. The diabetics did not take less exercise than the GP, especially in diabetic men in the stage of preparation and diabetic women in the stage of pre-contemplation and contemplation. This showed that the diabetics without regular exercise should be aware of the necessity of therapeutic exercise, and require individual programs.

We report a patient, who had neuropathic pain after radiation, called “chronic post-radiation pain syndrome,” who was successfully treated by Shimbuto. The patient was a 83-year-old man, diagnosed with Stage IB non-small cell lung cancer of the left upper lobe. Although the lesion had a surgical indication, he selected radiotherapy, and stereotactic body radiotherapy was performed. A few months later, he experienced neuropathic pain in his anterolateral chest wall. Loxoprofen and acetaminophen had little effect; moreover, tramadol hydrochloride/acetaminophen combination tablets and pregabalin induced drowsiness and dizziness. He then wanted to take Kampo medicine (Japanese traditional medicine) and was observed to have susceptibility to gastrointestinal disorders and cold intolerance by Kampo diagnosis. We prescribed Shimbuto 5 g per day, along with pregabalin. After 2 months, the pain had almost disappeared and he could stop taking pregabalin. Shimbuto is usually prescribed to patients at a risk of gastrointestinal disorders, pain, numbness, and other symptoms induced by cold intolerance. Shimbuto includes the extract of processed aconite root, which is effective for pain and numbness; therefore, it might be a good option for treating neuropathic pain when we have difficulties with Western medicine.