Chinese medicine update: multiple sclerosis & Chinese medicine

Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients, Nov, 2003 by Bob Flaws

Keywords: Chinese medicine, Chinese herbal medicine, multiple sclerosis, treatment based on pattern discrimination

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Most Popular Articles in Health: Fuel your workout: exercisers who eat before they work out have more energy ...; Soothe a dry, itchy scalp: 5 easy expert solutions; Cocktails and calories: Beer, wine and liquor calories can really add up. ...; The sour truth about apple cider vinegar - evaluation of therapeutic use; The, six best supplements you've never heard of: these secret weapons can ...; More »

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a slowly progressive autoimmune disease characterized by disseminated patches of demyelination in the brain and spinal cord. This results in multiple and varied neurological symptoms. The onset of this disease is usually insidious, and its course is marked by alternating periods of remission and exacerbation. As with so many other autoimmune disease, the Western medical etiology of this condition is unknown. In other words, biologists have yet to pin-point the initial triggering factor for the body's autoimmune attack against its own tissue. However, some, as yet unknown environmental factor seems to play a role in this disease since its incidence is five times higher in temperate than in tropical climates and its occurrence has been linked to the location where a patient spent their first 15 years. Slightly more women than men suffer from this disease, and its age of diagnosis is usually between 20-40 years. Some authorities believe that, by the time this condition has been diagnosed, it is well established, having actually begun in adolescence or even childhood.

In Chinese medicine, this disease is categorized as wei zheng, wilting condition. However, some of MS's symptoms are their own disease categories in Chinese medicine, e.g. ma mu, numbness and tingling, fa li, lack of strength, zhi juan, fatigued limbs, ban shen bu sui, hemiplegia, shi yi wei er, double vision, mu hu, blurred vision, zhen chan, tremors or spasticity, xuan yun, dizziness, and niao shi jin, urinary incontinence.

The causes of MS in Chinese medicine are listed as external invasion or internal engenderment of damp heat evils, unregulated diet, over-taxation, and former heaven natural endowment insufficiency. Damp heat evils due to either external invasion or internal engenderment may brew and steam internally, thus damaging the qi and consuming yin at the same time as possibly congealing dampness into phlegm. It is also possible for prolonged or extreme over-taxation to consume blood and yin. Hence, the sinew vessels fail to receive adequate moistening and nourishing. Lack of blood and yin may give rise to internally stirring of wind, with consequent spasms and contractures. Extreme or prolonged yin vacuity may reach yang, giving rise to kidney yang insufficiency. Kidney yang insufficiency may also be due to over-taxation, former heaven natural endowment insufficiency, or overuse of steroids.

Treatment based on pattern discrimination

1. Phlegm heat internally brewing pattern

Main symptoms: Atrophy, wilting, and weakness of the extremities either accompanying the onset of fever or as the sequelae of a fever, possible limb numbness and insensitivity tending toward paralysis, head distention, chest oppression, tinnitus, possible decreased visual acuity, nausea, vomiting, oral thirst but no desire to drink, profuse, yellow-colored, thick, sticky phlegm, a red tongue with yellow, or slimy, yellow fur, and a bowstring, slippery or slippery, rapid pulse.

Note: This pattern is usually only seen as the main pattern of this disease in obese patients. Otherwise, phlegm tends to be only a complicating factor in a number of other patterns.

Treatment principles: Clear heat and transform phlegm, open the orifices and free the flow of the network vessels.

Rx: Di Tan Tang Jia Jian (Flush Phlegm Decoction with Additions & Subtractions)

Ingredients: Bile-processed Rhizoma Arisaematis (Dan Xing), 6g, Pericarpium Citri Reticulatae (Chen Pi), 9g, Rhizoma Pinelliae Ternatae (Ban Xia), 8g, Sclerotium Poriae Cocos (Fu Ling), 15g, Fructus Immaturus Citri Aurantii (Zhi Shi), 6g, Lumbricus (Di Long), 9g, Fasicularis Vascularis Luffae Cylindricae (Xi Gua Luo), 12g, and Succus Bambusae (Zhu Li), 30ml.

Additions & subtractions: One can substitute Concretio Silicea Bambusae (Tian Zhu Huang) and Fructus Gleditschiae Chinensis (Zao Jiao) for Zhu Li. For marked yellow phlegm or other symptoms of heat, add nine grams of Radix Scutellariae Baicalensis (Huang Qin). For chest distention, add nine grams of Rhizoma Typhonii Gigantei (Bai Fu Zi). For chest oppression, add nine grams of Radix Platycodi Grandiflori (Jie Geng). For nausea or vomiting, add nine grams of Caulis Bambusae In Taeniis (Zhu Ru) and six grams of uncooked Rhizoma Zingiberis (Sheng Jiang). For concomitant qi vacuity, add nine grams each of Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae (Bai Zhu) and Radix Codonopsitis Pilosulae (Dang Shen) and 15 grams of Radix Astragali Membranacei (Huang Qi).

Acupuncture & moxibustion: 1. Shen Ting (GV 24), Bai Hui (GV 20), Feng Fu (GV 16), Da Zhui (GV 14), Ling Tai (GV 10), Ji Zhong (GV 6), Ming Men (GV 4), Chang Qiang (GV 1). 2. Feng Long (St 40), Nei Ting (St 44), Yin Ling Quan (Sp 9). 3. Please see the additions and subtractions below.

Additions & subtractions: For visual disturbances, add Jing Ming (Bl 1) or Zan Zhu (Bl 2) and Tai Yang (M-HN-9). For tremors in or contractions of the limbs, add Tai Chong (Liv 3) and He Gu (LI 4). For dizziness, add Feng Chi (GB 20). For fatigue, add Zu San Li (St 36) and Qi Hai (CV 6). If Western medical diagnosis can precisely identify plaques of demyelination in the spinal cord, add Jia Ji (M-BW-35) corresponding to the affected area. For atrophy, wilting, weakness, numbness, and/or insensitivity of the upper extremities, add Jian Yu (LI 15), Bi Nao (LI 14), Qu Chi (LI 11), Shou San Li (LI 10), He Gu (LI 4), and Wai Guan (TB 5). Select 2-3 points per treatment. For atrophy, wilting, weakness, numbness, and/or insensitivity of the lower extremities, add Bi Guan (St 31), Fu Tu (St 32), Liang Qiu (St 34), Zu San Li (St 36), Shang Ju Xu (St 37), and/or Jie Xi (St 41). Select 2-3 points per treatment. For weakness of the wrist, add Yang Chi (TB 4) and Yang Xi (LI 5). For weakness of the hand, add He Gu (LI 4) through to Hou Xi (SI 3) using the penetrating needle method. For weakness or numbness of the fingers, add Ba Xie (M-UE-22). For weakness of the knee, add Wei Zhong (Bl 40) and Qu Quan (Liv 8). For weakness of the feet or numbness of the toes, add Ba Feng (M-LE-8). For talipes equinus due to weakness of the sinews vessels of the foot yang ming, foot shao yang, and foot jue yin, use Shang Ju Xu (St 37), Jie Xi (St 41), Qiu Xu (GB 40), Zhong Feng (Liv 4), and/or Yang Ling Quan (GB 34). For talipes varus due to weakness of the sinews vessels of the foot tai yang and foot shao yang, add Kun Lun (Bl 60), Shen Mai (Bl 62), Xuan Zhong (GB 39), and Qiu Xu (GB 40). For talipes valgus due to weakness of the sinews vessels of the sinews vessels of the foot tai yin and foot shao yin, add Gong Sun (Sp 4), San Yin Jiao (Sp 6), Tai Xi (Ki 3), and Zhao Hai (Ki 6). For nausea or vomiting, add Shang Wan (CV 13) and Nei Guan (Per 6). For head distention, add Tai Yang (M-HN-9). For chest oppression, add Nei Guan (Per 6). For tinnitus, add Ting Hui (GB 2).

Featured Download

Speak Like a CEO

Health Care Industry

Chinese medicine update: multiple sclerosis & Chinese medicine

Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients, Nov, 2003 by Bob Flaws

Find Research Guides for:

Find Featured Titles for: Business

Most Popular Articles in Health

Most Popular Publications in Health