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Successful Treatment of CFS - Oriental Medicine

Wayne

Senior Member
Messages
4,298
Location
Ashland, Oregon
I ran across an article in the journal, "Acupuncture Today" (March 2002). I thought it was pretty remarkable, so thought I'd post a link here.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome


This article describes and discusses a treatment trial for 46 patients with CFS. Just a brief description of this trial, and the outcome:
.........................................................................

Cohort Description

Among the 46 patients in this study, 31 were male and 15 were female. These patients ranged in age from 19-44. Their clinical symptoms included a long period of extreme fatigue; a wan effect; emotional depression; insomnia; impaired memory; occasional sighing; scanty qi and a disinclination to talk or faint voice; no thought for food and drink or indigestion; flabby muscles; lack of strength; possible muscle-joint soreness and pain; heart palpitations; shortness of breath; and an inability to recuperate. After various sorts of examination, organic disease had been ruled out.

Treatment Outcomes

Thirty-five (76.09%) out of 46 patients were judged cured, which meant that their symptoms completely disappeared. Eleven patients (23.91%) improved, meaning that their clinical symptoms lessened. Thus, the total effectiveness rate was 100% using this protocol.

Treatment Method

Self-composed bu gan yi qi tang consisted of 30g each of radix astragali membranacei (huang qi); herba agrimoniae pilosae (xian he cao); and bulbus lilii (bai he); 10g each of radix rubrus panacis ginseng (hong shen); fructus corni officinalis (shan zhu yu); radix bupleuri (chai hu); fructus citri aurantii (zhi ke); pericarpium citri reticulatae (chen pi); and radix angelicae sinensis (dang gui); and 12g each of rhizoma actractylodis macrocephalae (bai zhu) and radix albus paeoniae lactiflorae (bai shao). If there was a tendency toward heat, rhizoma coptidis chinensis (huang lian) and radix scutellariae baicalensis (huang qin) were added. If there was yang vacuity, herba epimedii (xian ling pi) and rhizoma curculiginis orchiodis (xian mao) were added. If there was torpid intake, massa medica fermentata (shen qu), fructus crataegi (shan zha) and fructus germinatus horedi vulgaris (mai ya) were added. If there was insomnia and heart palpitations, radix sophorae flavescentis (ku shen) and stir-fried semen zizyphi spinosae (suan zao ren) were added. Ten ji equaled one course of treatment. Treatment consisted of 1-3 courses.
 

Sushi

Moderation Resource Albuquerque
Messages
19,935
Location
Albuquerque
Hi Wayne,

Yes, this is interesting! I wonder if "your local Chinese medicine doc" could replicate it? I have had many courses of treatment by very good Chinese medicine doctors, was very hopeful, but didn't find the treatment helped.

Maybe you have to use this or a very similar protocol. Maybe they are over-reporting cures (what does cure mean?).

Anyway, thanks, it is hopeful.

Sushi
 

WillowJ

คภภเє ɠรค๓թєl
Messages
4,940
Location
WA, USA
I'm not sure that's ME/CFS as oppposed to CF. Still, it's an interesting article (I'm interested in helping CF patients, too, even if, and I can't really tell from that info but since they all had depressed mood it seems a reasonably good if, it's not pertinent to us).

The link is quite interesting in that it's talking about gut dysbiosis, "a desire (but inability) to move", and musculoskeletal complaints, (but also "mental-emotional disorders").
 

Tulip

Guest
Messages
437
After various sorts of examination, organic disease had been ruled out.

This isn't talking about the disease ME/CFS. It is clearly talking about "chronic fatigue". ME/CFS IS an organic disease....
 

Wayne

Senior Member
Messages
4,298
Location
Ashland, Oregon
GU Syndrome - Heiner Freuhauf

Hi Wayne,

Yes, this is interesting! I wonder if "your local Chinese medicine doc" could replicate it? I have had many courses of treatment by very good Chinese medicine doctors, was very hopeful, but didn't find the treatment helped.

Maybe you have to use this or a very similar protocol. Maybe they are over-reporting cures (what does cure mean?).

Hi Sushi, Willow, Tuliip,

Good points you all brought up. This study was apparently done in China, and who's to know whether all, most, a few, or perhaps none of the participants had bona fida ME or CFS as we know it in the western world.

I actually came across this article as I was researching GU Syndrome. This is apparently a 2,000-3000 year old Chinese concept that has been ignored by traditional chinese medicine (TCM) practitioners until recently. I'm finding my research quite fascinating.

Heiner Fruehauf, who helped this concept to resurface, feels Lyme Disease (with which I've been diagnosed) is actually a modern manifestation of GU Syndrome. After having been frustrated with his inability to effectively treat his CFS patients, he eventually began to treat them with herbs as was done in those ancient times.

In short, he uses various antiparasitic and tonic herbs (on a rotation basis) to kill off pathogens and build up the body at the same time. He's apparently had a great deal of success following this strategy. He works close to Portland, Oregon, and I'm curious as to whether he's been networking with other TCM practitioners in the state (I live in S. Oregon, about 300 miles away).

Anyway, I'm highly intrigued at this time. We'll see where this takes me. I'm feeling hopeful that I can perhaps treat my Lyme Disease effectively without over-reliance on antibiotics. They tend to scare me, having read of many who became worse on long-term antibiotics, and others who quickly relapsed after discontinuing them. This may end up being a more suitable approach for me.

Best, Wayne
 

insearchof

Senior Member
Messages
598
Hi Wayne

That was very interesting. Thanks for posting.

I do believe in the benefits of chinese herbs - but like western medicine, you are still relying on the chinese medicine practitioner to address and prescribe correctly.

Let us know how you get on, if you go down this track.
 

WillowJ

คภภเє ɠรค๓թєl
Messages
4,940
Location
WA, USA
This isn't talking about the disease ME/CFS. It is clearly talking about "chronic fatigue". ME/CFS IS an organic disease....

it is indeed an organic disease. however, depends on what "various examinations" they did to rule out organic disease. If it was CBC, SED rate, TSH, and that usual set, such testing may not have caught the organic disease processes of ME, yet some practitioners consider such a basic set of testing enough to rule out organic disease (illogicly and unscientifically, but they do).

Again in patients all of whom had depressed mood, it's highly unlikely all or even most were ME/CFS and possible none were, but not enough information was given to know if possibly some had ME.

and it's interesting even if pertinent only to CF or to specific limited applications (gut dysbiosis, infections, etc.)
 

ramakentesh

Senior Member
Messages
534
The best medical intervention i have ever taken for POTS and I guess you'd say CFS were a chinese herbal mixture.
 

ukxmrv

Senior Member
Messages
4,413
Location
London
The description doesn't sound like ME, it sounds more like depression or ideopathic CF or a heart/blood condition. I've tried accupunture and herbs and no change to my ME symptoms. Then again Dr Chai uses chinese herbs in some of his preparations.
 

Wayne

Senior Member
Messages
4,298
Location
Ashland, Oregon
The best medical intervention i have ever taken for POTS and I guess you'd say CFS were a chinese herbal mixture.

Hi Ramakentesh,

Thanks for mentioning this. I was wondering if you could describe in a little more detail what kind of Chinese herbal mixture was so helpful for you. Sounds like something interesting to explore further.

Thanks, Wayne
 

jeffrez

Senior Member
Messages
1,112
Location
NY
This isn't talking about the disease ME/CFS. It is clearly talking about "chronic fatigue". ME/CFS IS an organic disease....

ME/CFS is a western construct. Chinese medicine doesn't use the same metaphors or conceptual models.
 

Questus

Senior Member
Messages
125
ME/CFS is a western construct. Chinese medicine doesn't use the same metaphors or conceptual models.

Very true Mr. Kite.

My husband and I lived in China a few years ago while he was doing business there.

Chinese medicine is fascinating. A doctor and Chinese herbal pharmacy work as follows, (and they are never short of Chinese patients.) The doctor sits in a chair in the shop and the patient sits across from him..(anyone can watch). The doctor looks at his eyes, his hands and they talk. There is a translator on hand for westerners. The doctor then gives the 'prescription' to the 'pharmacist', and the pharmacist puts a fresh sheet of butcher block paper on a table.

He then takes dried and powered herbs AND many dried animal parts, (a vast assortment of animals) and 'fills' the prescription. He wraps the concoction up in the paper, and the patient takes it home and uses it to make tea with per instructions.

I used to hang around this place and watch. Was fascinated by the process. Made Chinese friends while living in China and they who told me what some of the stuff is, and they say the tea is incredibly awful tasting.

Of course in China they eat everything and anything. (Couldn't bring myself to go to the live snake market where you choose the snake you want to make soup with...)

There's a very good reason why I won't eat anything...Herbs, food, etc...from China. They have no gov't agency that oversees what is produced. They can manufacture anything they want, and call it whatever they want and export it. They can and they do. Buyer beware.

During the months that we lived there I got reflexology almost every day. There are reflexology places on almost every corner, and the the Chinese people use them often. Most 'white people' as they call westerners can not tolerate it, (they find it excruciatingly painful) but I suspect I've lost some of the feeling in my feet. For 10.00 dollars you get an hour of intense reflexology. I found it to be the most powerful modality I've ever experienced. They use a tremoundous amount of pressure. It's considered medicinal, as the reflexologists are highly trained. It 'got me through' the day, and have found nothing like it in the U.S.
 

pine108kell

Senior Member
Messages
146
My guess is that antibiotics are probably safer than taking a long list of herbs imported from China, though I am pretty certain that neither is generally a "successful treatment" for CFS.

I doubt there is any serious peer review of this Chinese journal.
 

Wayne

Senior Member
Messages
4,298
Location
Ashland, Oregon
During the months that we lived there I got reflexology almost every day. There are reflexology places on almost every corner, and the the Chinese people use them often. ... I found it to be the most powerful modality I've ever experienced.

Hi Questus,

Your story is similar to another one I heard from Lisa on this forum (username Slayadragon). I think her experience was only for a week or so, but she said it was the most relief (at the time) as she had gotten since she was stricken with CFS (she has since almost totally recovered by doing mold avoidance).

Best, Wayne
 

Questus

Senior Member
Messages
125
Hi Questus,

Your story is similar to another one I heard from Lisa on this forum (username Slayadragon). I think her experience was only for a week or so, but she said it was the most relief (at the time) as she had gotten since she was stricken with CFS (she has since almost totally recovered by doing mold avoidance).

Best, Wayne

Wayne, I would encourage anyone living in a large metropolitan area with a large number of Chinese ex-pats to try and find someone who does reflexology who was trained in China.

Chinese reflexology will either make you scream, 'stopstopstop'...or you will feel wonderful throughout your entire body and for hours afterwards. They use extreme pressure.

Unfortunately, the price for an hour of reflexology in N. America is too expensive for most people to do daily.

I tried an American reflexologist when I got back, and it was very dissappointing. Apples and oranges.

Ironically, or perhaps interestingly.. I saw far fewer places offering acupunture. 'Cupping' is very common though.

Chinese massage is also very inexpensive and like the reflexology is done with extreme pressure. I could not tolerate the Chinese massage. Most of the big cities in China give 'white people' (their term, not mine) Thai massage instead. Chinese massage is very painful, even for perfectly healthy people. But the Chinese give a great 'Thai' massage.

All in all though, it's my least favorite country in the world to be in..but the reflexology is great.
 

Jenny

Senior Member
Messages
1,388
Location
Dorset
Here is an article from the Chinese Medicine Times, 2007, on ME. It is written by the Traditional Chinese Acupuncuturist who treated me in the 1980s. After a couple of years of his treatment with acupuncture and Chinese herbs I was 90% recovered and stayed that way for most of the next 12 years.

I would go back to him like a shot, but his practice isn't so convenient now as he's moved from the UK to the US (Santa Barbara)!

Jenny


http://www.chinesemedicinetimes.com/section/215/1/chronic_fatigue_syndrome

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
by Giovanni Maciocia


From a western perspective chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), which used to be called M.E. (myalgic encephalomyelitis), is a relatively new disease and it is unclear what the causative agent might be. Indeed, in Western medicine there is no general agreement that it is a separate disease at all. Even its name is not generally agreed upon as it is variously called post-viral syndrome, chronic post-viral fatigue syndrome, chronic mononucleosis, chronic Epstein-Barr virus disease, and, especially in the USA, chronic fatigue immune deficiency syndrome

Western medicine pathophysiology

The reason there is no general agreement on the nature and causative agent of this disease is that there is no conclusive test which is specific to CFS. There is no blood test that would conclusively prove a patient suffers from CFS in the same way there is for, say, mononucleosis. Current research, however, does show that CFS might be caused by an enterovirus and specifically, the Coxsackie sub-group of enteroviruses. In the USA, research seems to be oriented towards the Epstein-Barr virus (the one that causes glandular fever or mononucleosis) as a cause of CFS Enteroviruses entry via the mouth causing sore throat and enlarged glands. Immune response can be compromised by physical or mental stress, immunosuppressive drugs, pregnancy, malnutrition or surgery. If primary immune response fails, enteroviruses can pass to lungs or large intestine producing a chest infection of gastroenteritis. Inside the intestines, the enteroviruses remain and multiply forming a reservoir of infection. From here, they can spread via the blood stream to other tissues including nerve, muscle and endocrine glands. Enteroviruses have a particular tropism for muscles and nervous tissue: this explains the clinical manifestations of CFS, i.e. the muscle ache and changes in brain function. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome patients recognize the virus and respond to it but without eliminating it for extended periods. As we shall see, from the Chinese perspective, this inability of the patient to rid themselves of the virus is due to a deficiency of the bodys Qi.

Chinese medicine pathophysiology

Although modern Chinese books do not discuss CFS, Chinese medical books have, since very early times, described the cause, diagnosis and treatment of conditions similar to Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. For example, the clinical manifestations of Li Dong Yuans theory of Yin Fire deriving from a deficiency of the Original Qi resemble quite accurately a situation of CFS.

The five main conditions with which CFS can manifest are:

Residual pathogenic factor

Latent Heat

Lesser Yang pattern

Yin Fire

Deficiency

a) Residual pathogenic factor

One of the main conditions leading to post-viral fatigue is that of residual pathogenic factor. If external Wind invades the body and is not cleared properly, or if the person fails to rest during an acute invasion of Wind, the pathogenic factor may remain in the Interior (in the case of CFS usually as Dampness).

After an invasion of a pathogenic factor, the pathological development can have three possible outcomes:

the pathogenic factor may be expelled completely

it may become interior

it may appear to have been expelled, but a residual pathogenic factor has been formed

The residual pathogenic factor can be formed however, after an exterior pathogenic factor has become interior. Therefore, a residual pathogenic factor may be formed at the exterior or interior stage; from the perspective of the Four Levels, a residual pathogenic factor may be formed at the Wei or Qi level.

A residual pathogenic factor is simply a left-over pathological product when the patient appears to recover after an acute invasion of an exterior agent but the illness persists. Once formed in the Interior, a residual pathogenic factor continues to produce symptoms and signs or, it predisposes the person to further invasions of exterior pathogenic factors because it obstructs the proper diffusing and descending of Lung-Qi and the ascending and descending of Spleen-Qi and Stomach-Qi. It will also tend to weaken Qi and/or Yin, establishing a vicious circle of pathogenic factor and deficiency.

Residual pathogenic factors frequently manifest with Dampness and/or Phlegm. This occurs because external Wind and its resulting residual pathogenic factor disrupt the ascending of Spleen-Qi cannot descend, turbid fluids are not transformed, and because Spleen-Qi cannot ascend, the clear fluids cannot be transformed; this leads to the formation of Dampness and/or Phlegm. Also, heat burns the body fluids which can then condense into Dampness or Phlegm. Once formed, Dampness and/or Phlegm are rather self-perpetuating. In fact, Dampness and Phlegm impair the Spleens transformation and transportation which in itself leads to more Dampness of Phlegm being formed, thus establishing a another vicious circle.

Five main causes that favour the formation of a residual pathogenic factor:

weak constitution

exposure to cold, dampness or wind too soon after an invasion of external Wind

irregular diet

not taking care during an acute illness

antibiotics

In the case of CFS, the residual pathogenic factor is nearly always Dampness (with or without Heat) and is typically in three locations.

head (causing poor memory and concentration)

stomach and Spleen (causing digestive problems)

muscles (causing muscle ache, fatigue and heaviness)

b) Latent heat

Symptoms of CFS, appearing without an acute infection can be explained as a manifestation of Latent Heat. The concept of Latent Heat is very ancient and originally, it was used to explain the manifestations of acute Heat as a transformation of Cold. The Simple Questions in chapter 3 says: if Cold enters the body in wintertime, it comes out as Heat in springtime. Wang Shu He says: In Winter Cold attacks causing Shang Han disease; if a person does not fall ill, the Cold hides under the skin and in springtime it changes into Heat, and Ye Tian Shi says: Warm disease in Spring is due in every case to pathogenic factor lurking in Winter. This means that under certain circumstances, a pathogenic factor (which may be Wind-Cold or Wind-Heat) can enter the body without causing immediate symptoms. It then incubates inside the body for some time, turning into Heat which later emerges towards the Exterior causing a person to feel suddenly very tired with weary limbs, slightly thirsty, hot and irritable. He or she would not sleep well and the urine would be dark. At this time the pulse feels fine and slightly rapid and the tongue is red. This condition is called Latent Heat or Spring Heat, although it can occur in any season and not just in springtime.
Clinical manifestations

weary limbs

irritability

insomnia

slight thirst

slight feeling of heat

lassitude with sudden onset

dark urine

red tongue

rapid-fine pulse

Besides causing the above symptoms and signs, Latent Heat will also tend to injure Qi and/or Yin, thus establishing a cycle of Heat and deficiency. Latent Heat occurs when an individual suffers an invasion of exterior Wind without developing immediate symptoms and the pathogenic factor goes into the interior where it turns into Heat and comes out months later. The underlying reason for this is usually a Kidney deficiency. If the body condition and the Kidneys are relatively good, a person will develop symptoms at the time of invasion of external Wind. This is a healthy reaction. If the Kidneys are weakened by overwork and excessive sexual activity, the bodys Qi is too weak even to respond to the invading external Wind. This causes the Wind to penetrate into the Interior without the person developing exterior symptoms. Once in the Interior, it incubates and turns into Heat to come out some months later.

Ancient doctors believed that if the Essence is properly guarded and not dissipated, pathogenic factors will not enter the body and Latent Heat will not develop. The Simple Questions in chapter 4 says: The Essence is the root of the body, if it is guarded and stored; Latent Heat will not appear in springtime. It also says: In Winter, Cold attacks; in Spring, Heat attacks.

c) Lesser Yang pattern

Exterior Wind-Heat (or Wind-Cold) can sometimes lodge itself in an energetic niche which is in between the Interior and Exterior (called Half-Exterior/Half-Interior in Chinese). In the scheme of the 6 Stages patterns and specifically of the three Yang stages, the Greater Yang (Tai Yang) stage is the most exterior, the Bright Yang (Yang Ming) the most interior and the Lesser Yang (Shao Yang) the hinge between the two. Sometimes, exterior Wind invades the body through the Greater Yang stage and then lodges itself in the Lesser Yang stage: when this happens, the pathogenic factor is trapped between the Greater Yang and Bright Yang stages: it somehow bounces back and forth between the Exterior (Greater Yang) and the Interior (Bright Yang). When it bounces towards the Greater Yang, the patient experiences aversion to cold; when it bounces back towards the Bright Yang, the patient feels hot (subjectively hot).

Clinical manifestations

feeling hot and cold in alternation

fullness of the hypochondrial region

poor appetite

irritability

dry throat

nausea

bitter taste

blurred vision

white-sticky tongue coating on one side only

wiry pulse

d) Yin fire

The concept of Yin Fire was introduced by Li Dong Yuan in his book Discussion of Stomach and Spleen (Pi Wei Lun, 1246). Dr Li says that as a result of improper diet and overwork, the Original Qi (Yuan Qi) becomes weak in the Lower Burner and the Stomach and Spleen are weakened in the Middle Burner. This causes the patient to feel tired and often cold. When the patient is also subject to emotional stress, the Ministerial Fire is stirred, it becomes pathological and it leaves its place of concealment in the lower Dan Tian


As the Ministerial Fire and the Original Qi reside in the same place in the lower Dan Tian, the pathological Ministerial fire displaces and weakens the Original Qi even more. Dr Li said that pathological Ministerial Fire becomes a thief of the Original Qi. The arousal of the pathological Ministerial fire upwards causes some Heat and mouth ulcers. This he called Yin Fire. Yin Fire is neither Full Heat nor Empty Heat but simply a different kind of Heat that derives from a deficiency of the Original Qi and of the Stomach and Spleen. Yin Fire is not treated by clearing Heat or draining Fire but by tonifying the Original Qi and gently clearing Heat upwards.

The pathology of Yin Fire is further complicated by Dampness and by a pathology of the Middle Burner as well. When the Spleen is deficient, Dampness is formed and this infuses down to the Lower Burner. Here it swamps the Original Qi and the Ministerial Fire displacing the latter from the place (the Lower Burner) where it should be concealed. The Middle Burner has Dampness too; Spleen-Qi (or even Spleen-Yang) is deficient and fails to rise. For this reason, Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang Tonifying the Centre and Benefiting Qi Decoction is used to raise Spleen-Qi and warm Spleen-Yang so that Dampness no longer infuses downwards to the Lower Burner. When the Lower Burner is opened and unblocked from Dampness, the Ministerial Fire will return to its place of concealment in the Lower Burner, thus eliminating the symptoms of Yin Fire.

Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang eliminates Yin Fire by tonifying the Original Qi with Ren Shen Radix Ginseng and by lightly clearing Heat upwards with Chai Hu Radix Bupleuri and Sheng Ma Rhizoma Cimicifugae. The remedy Tonifying Qi and Ease the Muscles is a variation of Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang.

Clinical manifestations

feeling of heat in the face

red face

mouth ulcers

occasionally a low-grade fever

dizziness

weak voice

depression

muscle weakness

exhaustion

feeling cold in general

loose stools

cold feet

spontaneous sweating

shortness of breath

pale tongue

weak pulse

e) Deficiency

In addition to the above four factors, in CFS there is always an underlying deficiency of the bodys Qi which favours the formation of Latent Heat, a residual pathogenic factor, or of Yin Fire. The deficiency may be of Qi, Yang, Blood or Yin although a deficiency of Qi is the most common. The organs involved are mainly the Spleen, Lungs, Liver and Kidney; of these, the Spleen is the one most commonly involved. In the development of Latent Heat and Yin Fire, a deficiency of the Kidney is a particularly important. As we have seen above, in Latent Heat a person is subject to an invasion of Wind without developing acute symptoms. The pathogenic factor penetrates into the Interior and it lurks inside to emerge later as Latent Heat. The reason for this pathology is primarily a deficiency of the Kidney.

I personally consider the essential manifestations of true Chronic Fatigue Syndrome to be in four main groups:

pronounced muscle fatigue and ache

poor memory and concentration

exhaustion

persisting, intermittent, general flu-like feeling

Summary of TCM aetiologies

overwork

irregular diet

excessive sexual activity (in men)

emotional stress

excessive physical work and sport

antibiotics (in the case of residual pathogenic factor)

immunizations (in the case of Latent Heat)

Clinical note

In order to distinguish full from empty conditions of CFS, I attach great importance to the tongue and pulse.

If the tongue has a thick coating and the pulse is Full and Slippery, the condition is predominantly full. If the tongue has a thin coating (or no coating) and the pulse is weak in general, then emptiness predominates. In summary, the following are the features of full and empty conditions of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.


Full conditions

Dampness in the muscles

Lesser Yang pattern

Yin Fire


Empty conditions

Qi deficiency

Yang deficiency

Blood deficiency

Yin deficiency


a) Dampness in the muscles

pronounced ache in the muscles

a feeling of heaviness of the limbs

muscle fatigue on slight exertion

tiredness and sleepiness

feeling of heaviness of the body or head

no appetite

feeling of fullness of the chest or epigastrium

a sticky taste

poor memory

lack of concentration

a muzzy (fuzzy) feeling of the brain

dull headache

Tongue: a sticky tongue coating.

Pulse: slippery


In case of Damp-Heat

feeling of heat

thirst but without desire to drink

bitter taste

slightly dark urine

yellow vaginal discharge

loose stools with offensive odour

yellow tongue coating

Treatment principle

Resolve Dampness and if necessary, clear Heat


Herbal prescription

LIAN PO YIN

Coptis-Magnolia Decoction

ZHI SHI DAO ZHI WAN

Aurantium Eliminating Stagnation Pill
HUO PO ZIA LING TANG

Pogostemon-Magnolia-Pinellia-Poria Decoction

GAN LU ZIAO DU YIN

Acupuncture

SP 9 Yinlingchuan

SP 6 Sanyinjiao

BL 22 Sanjiaoshu

CV 12 Zhongwan

CV 9 Shuifen

LI 11 Quchi

SP 3 Taibai

ST 8 Touwei

TB 7 Huizong

GV 14 Dazhui

b) Lesser Yang pattern

There are two types of patterns pertaining to the Lesser Yang channels; one from the 6 Stages (from the Discussion of Cold-induced Diseases by Zhang Zhong Jing, c. AD 200), and the other from the 4 Levels (from the Discussion on Warm Diseases by Ye Tian Shi, 1742). They essentially describe the same pattern, the only difference being that the pattern from the 4 Levels involves more Heat.


Treatment principle

Clear the Lesser Yang


Herbal prescription

XIAO CHAI HU TANG

Small Bupleurum Decoction
HAO QIN QING DAN TANG

Artemisia-Apiacea-Scutellaria Clearing the Gall-Bladder Decoction

Acupuncture

TB 5 Waiguan

GV 14 Dazhui


c) Yin fire

feeling of heat in the face

red face

mouth ulcers

occasionally a low-grade fever

dizziness

weak voice

depression

muscle weakness

exhaustion

feeling cold in general

loose stools

cold feet

spontaneous sweating

shortness of breath

Tongue: pale

Pulse: weak


Treatment principle

Tonify the Original Qi (Yuan Qi), clear and subdue Yin Fire, raise Qi, resolve Dampness


Herbal prescription

BU ZHONG YI QI TANG

Tonifying the Centre and Benefiting Qi Decoction

Acupuncture

GV 14 Dazhui

TB 5 Waiguan

LI 11 Quchi

LU 10 Yuji

HT 8 Shaofu

SP 6 Sanyinjiao


d) Spleen and Kidney Yang deficiency

tiredness which is worse in the mornings

slight ache in the muscles

muscle fatigue after slight exertion

slight epigastric and abdominal distension

loose stools

lower backache

weak knees

frequent-pale urination

dizziness

tinnitus

feeling cold

cold feet

Tongue: pale

Pulse: weak and deep


Treatment principle

Tonify Spleen-and Kidney-Yang, resolve Dampness


Herbal prescription

YOU GUI WAN plus LIU JUN ZI TANG

Restoring the Right (Kidney) Pill plus Six Gentlemen Decoction


Acupuncture

BL 20 Pishu

SP 6 Sanyinjiao

BL 23 Shenshu

GV 4 Mingmen

CV 4 Guanyuan

KID 3 Taixi

KID 7 Fuliu

BL 52 Zhishi

GV 20 Baihui

Moxa should be used

f) Liver Blood deficiency

tiredness

muscle fatigue on slight exertion

slight muscle ache

blurred vision

numbness of limbs

dizziness

scanty menstruation.

Tongue: pale and thin

Pulse: choppy or fine





Treatment principle

Nourish Liver-Blood, strengthen the sinews, resolve Dampness


Herbal prescription

BU GAN TANG

Tonify the Liver Decoction

Acupuncture

BL 18 Ganshu

BL 20 Pishu

BL 17 Geshu

LIV 8 Ququan

ST 36 Zusanli

Sp 6 Sanyinjiao

CV 4 Guanyuan

Moxa can be used

g) Yin deficinecy

The symptoms vary according to the organ involved. The three organs which most frequently suffer from Yin deficiency in CFS are the Lungs, Stomach and Kidneys. Combinations of two or even all three organs are common.

Lung-Yin deficiency

dry throat

dry cough

exhaustion

breathlessness

hoarse voice

feeling of heat in the afternoon

night sweating

Tongue: without coating (possibly only in the front part), there may be cracks in the Lung area

Pulse: floating-empty


Treatment principle

Nourish Yin, generate fluids, and strengthen the Lungs


Herbal prescription

SHA SHEN MAI DONG TANG

Glehnia-Ophiopogon Decoction

Acupuncture

LU 9 Taiyuan

CV 17 Shanzhong

BL 43 Gaohuangshu

BL 13 Feishu

GV 12 Shenzhu

CV 12 Zhongwan

ST 36 Zusanli

SP 6 Sanyinjiao

GV 20 Baihui

No moxa

Stomach-Yin deficiency

dry mouth

no appetite

tiredness

dry stools

slight epigastric pain

malar flush

thirst with no desire to drink or desire to drink only small sips

Tongue: normal body-colour, midline crack in the centre, rootless coating or no coating in the centre, transversal cracks on the sides indicating chronic Spleen-Qi and Spleen-Yin deficiency

Pulse: floating-empty on the right middle position


Treatment principle

Nourish Yin, strengthen Stomach and Spleen


Herbal prescription

YI WEI TANG

Benefiting the Stomach Decoction

Acupuncture

ST 36 Zusanli

SP 6 Sanyinjiao

CV 12 Zhongwan

ST 44 Neiting

GV 20 Baihui


Kidney-Yin deficiency

soreness of the lower back

exhaustion

depression

lack of drive and will-power

weak legs and knees

dizziness

tinnitus

deafness

dry mouth and throat which are worse at night

night sweating

disturbed sleep (waking up during the night)

thin body

Tongue: without coating

Pulse: floating-empty

Treatment principle

Nourish Yin, strengthen the Kidneys and firm Will-Power


Herbal prescription

ZUO GUI WAN

Restoring the Left (Kidney) Pill


Acupuncture

KID 3 Taixi

LU 7 Lieque & KID 6 Zhaohai together

CV 4 Guanyuan

SP 6 Sanyinjiao

BL 23 & BL 52 together

GV 20 Baihui




End notes


1. Shepherd C 1989 Living with M.E., Cedar, William Heinemann Ltd., London, pp. 14-16
2. Ibid., p.889

3. 1979 The Yellow Emperors Classic of Internal Medicine-Simple Questions (Huang Di Nei Jing Su Wen), Peoples Health Publishing House, Beijing, first published c. 100 BC, p.21

4. Ibid., p.24

5. Ibid., p.24






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zoe.a.m.

Senior Member
Messages
368
Location
Olympic Peninsula, Washington
Jenny, that's a great article, thank you for posting it!

Wayne (I read ac. today whenever I can get my paws on it), I think there is a newer study that is similar with similar results, and it's somewhere on Phoenix Rising...! I am really excited to see this GU concept since I've never heard of it--I can't wait to read it!

Just to address a couple of concerns: There's reason to be concerned with where your herbs are coming from, but again, it's about the practitioner. I know that mine pays for herbs that are tested for contamination and metals (they cost more) and uses many US and Canadian sources as well. He told me frankly that China is such a wasteland that he can't see much coming from them (TCM-wise) for much longer and that the market is already demanding Western-grown herbs. So, I'm not sure if it's accurate to say that abx are safer, but there is something to the FDA process and synthesizing things in terms of safety, just not always in efficacy. Also, I agree that the concept of ME/CFS is not in the Chinese language per se. It is considered a very old disease, but one which modern pollutants and stresses have changed the course and outcome of, but I have read articles and books by TCM practitioners that do the subject quite some justice. I think where it can be especially confusing is that TCM breaks everything down into symptoms, almost unrelated or regardless of how that pattern sounds in terms of a disease process diagnosis... if that makes sense? And as far as emotional and physical symptoms being thrown around, a good practitioner knows that it's ridiculously difficult (and possibly makes no difference whatsoever since the treatment is the same) to try to chicken-and-egg whether an imbalance is caused by a psychological cause or whether the imbalance is the cause of the psychological distress. Now, if you look at 5-element acupuncture, that's a whole other can of worms and something I can't always defend.
 

Wayne

Senior Member
Messages
4,298
Location
Ashland, Oregon
GU Syndrome - Lymephotos.com

I am really excited to see this GU concept since I've never heard of it--I can't wait to read it!

Hi Zoe,

Just wanted to take a moment and encourage you to follow up on your interest in GU Syndrome. It really struck a chord with me, and then just yesterday I discovered a most interesting website at Lymephotos.com. For me (with lights flashing), these two concepts combine to give a very reasonable explanation for what many of us on this board are expereincing.

I myself have tested positive for Lyme Disease. The main bacteria is known as Borrelia burgdorferi (see pictures here). For anybody researching Lyme Disease, it is quickly learned there are many bacterial co-infections, as many as 300. What I found interesting is that some of the most prominent Lyme doctors believe there are still many more bacterial co-infections undiscovered and unkown.

Then the Lymephotos website makes a good case for there being co-infections of undiscovered and unknown micro-parasitic infections as well! Sounds an awful lot like GU Syndrome, an ancient Chinese concept. Heiner Fruehauf, who brought out this concept a few years ago is now successfully treating some of his patients with herb rotations that were used thousands of years ago.

Many pwME/CFS say they have been tested for Lyme and came back with negative results. For me, I think it's important to realize there are probably multitudes of pathogens we have never heard of or discovered, but are quite possibly impacting many of us in major ways. So as I begin aggressive treatment of my Lyme Disease (using mostly natural methods to start out with), I can't help but think that many pwME/CFS might benefit from following a similar route, since Lyme Disease treatment involves treating many kinds of discovered AND undiscovered pathogens/parasites.

Wayne
 

LBS

Senior Member
Messages
115
Location
Sacramento, CA
I know this is an old thread, but I bring it back up because I can't easily find more recent discussion of this topic. I'm new to this forum, this is my first post. I'm a 52 year old woman who has been suffering with CFS-like symptoms for some 30 years. Because of my poor experiences with the medical community early on, I have mostly avoided seeking help from doctors (early attempts were met with skepticism as I was told they could find nothing wrong and so forth-- I'm sure others here have similar stories). I have managed to keep myself going--barely--with what I now know to call "pacing," but have never had any real relief until recently. This disease has, for the most part, been sheer agony. I'm sure most here can relate.

Unemployed and uninsured for many of those past 30 years, I finally took a job about five years ago that included medical insurance and decided it would be a good idea to see if there were any new avenues of treatment available. I had started, based on my own reading, with a combination of supplements (coq10 and ALA) but was finding limited relief. My new family doctor is trained in both western and Chinese traditional medicine. He looked at my list of symptoms and told me that western medicine was not going to help me. He examined me and prescribed a traditional Chinese tonic for my spleen.

This tonic was pretty amazing, in that within just a few days I was feeling much more energetic, and within a week or two I was feeling the way I'd always thought "normal" probably felt. But, there was a catch (isn't there always)? Once I started feeling so much better, I stopped taking the other supplements, and within two weeks I began to feel worse again. So I have added the coQ10 and ALA back, and am once again beginning to feel better.

I realize this is all anecdotal evidence, and who knows whether this will last or would work out well for anyone else here, but my take on the experience is that that ALA and coQ10, by themselves, were not enough to break through these long-standing symptoms. The herbal tonic prescribed by my doctor appears to have possibly done something to increase the ability of these other supplements to do their mitochondrial repair work. The herbal tonic is not something to be taken long term, so I have begin to phase it out of my treatment plan, and it will be interesting to see how I feel over the next few weeks.

Of course, this could all be coincidental, but I thought I'd share it here in this thread since I'm not seeing much discussion of actual experiences with Chinese medicine here.
 

Enid

Senior Member
Messages
3,309
Location
UK
Thanks everyone for the interesting discussion - I've never tried traditional Chinese medicine but can well imagine an understanding there completely lacking in the west.