http://www.acufinder.com/Acupuncture+Information/Detail/Chinese+Traditional+Medicine+for+Hepatitis+C 04/25/2024 02:25:24 pm Chinese Traditional Medicine for Hepatitis C By: Dr. Misha Ruth Cohen, OMD, L.Ac.
Many people with hepatitis C virus (HCV) are turning to Chinese traditional medicine for treatment. CHINESE MEDICINE has a rich history in the treatment of chronic hepatitis. Hepatitis B and C infections are prevalent throughout China, accounting for the increased risk of hepatocellular carcinoma in the Chinese population. The Chinese medical system has been dedicated to solving these problems for many years. The Chinese are working to eliminate sources of hepatitis, and to develop treatments for chronic viral hepatitis using both CHINESE MEDICINE and western medicine. A 1995 literature review revealed there are at least 55 herbal formulas that can be used to treat hepatitis.(4) Some recent herbal studies from China and Australia showed positive results in hepatitis C using herbal formulas similar to those widely used in the United States. (5, 6, 7) In the United States, CHINESE MEDICINE is a popular complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapy among patients with chronic liver disease. Anecdotal reports from one of the largest Western medicine hepatology practices in San Francisco suggest that at least 20-30% of patients report use of CHINESE MEDICINE herbs for hepatitis.(8) The actual use of CHINESE MEDICINE may be underestimated because patients often choose not to divulge the use of CAM therapies to their western health care providers. Chinese Medicine Philosophy The primary goal of Chinese medicine is to create wholeness and harmony within a person thereby allowing the mind, body, and spirit to self-heal themselves. Chinese philosophy states that there are two opposing principles of life: yin and yang. Imbalances between yin and yang within a person can manifest as illness because the body is considered a microcosm of the world. CHINESE MEDICINE defines the physiological components of illness using the concepts of qi (vital energy), xue (blood), jin-ye (body fluids), jing (essence), shen (spirit), and organ systems. Organ systems are domains within the body that govern particular body tissues, emotional states, and activities. According to CHINESE MEDICINE literature, people in China have experienced the various syndromes associated with HCV infection for over 2000 years. This is because CHINESE MEDICINE diagnoses are based on symptoms, not on detection of antibodies to a specific virus. CHINESE MEDICINE treatments for these syndromes have been used over the past millennia and are generally considered safe and effective for all patients. However, CHINESE MEDICINE recognizes that each person has a unique constitution and pattern of disease that exists in conjunction with the age-old syndromes. CHINESE MEDICINE contends that the best form of treatment is to modify, alter, or supplement the base therapies to create an individualized treatment that meets each patient's unique characteristics and needs. The organ systems primarily disturbed in hepatitis are the liver and spleen organ systems. These disturbed organ systems affect digestion and energy. According to CHINESE MEDICINE, acute viral hepatitis is generally associated with excess damp heat or damp cold conditions. While some people acutely infected with HCV may have or notice symptoms, this is relatively rare. The CHINESE MEDICINE stage at which one is diagnosed with hepatitis C is usually either the chronic stage of qi stagnation, or the stage of qi and yin deficiency. Advanced chronic disease includes development of the patterns of xue stagnation and xue deficiency. All HCV infection is associated with toxic heat or the li qi (the pestilence/epidemic factor). In Western medicine, extremely harmful external elements include severe bacterial or viral infections such as HIV and HCV. However, those terms are inappropriate in CHINESE MEDICINE. Instead, it is said Chinese medicine "recognizes the existence of Pestilences called li qi or yi qi. These are diseases that are not caused by the climatic factors of Heat, Cold, Wind, Dampness, or Summer Heat dryness, but by external infectious agents that are severely toxic because they strike directly at the interior of the body. (10). The various modalities of CHINESE MEDICINE therapy include diet, massage, heat therapies, exercise, meditation, and acupuncture. Heat therapies include the use of moxibustion. Moxibustion is the burning of the herb mugwort over certain areas of the body to stimulate or warm these areas. Also heated packs, often with herbs inside, are used in CHINESE MEDICINE therapy Acupuncture is perhaps the most well known form of CHINESE MEDICINE in the United States. It is the art of inserting fine, sterile, metal filiform needles into acupuncture points on the body in order to control the flow of energy. Acupuncture therapy can include electrostimulation and/or hand stimulation. This form of therapy is most appreciated for its ability to relieve pain. However, acupuncture is also able to help change body energy patterns, which promotes the body's ability to heal itself of organic syndromes and symptoms. In these treatments, CHINESE MEDICINE often does not distinguish energetic effects from physiologic effects. The different modalities of CHINESE MEDICINE have different aims. Some focus on balancing the body's energy, while others focus on building the physical body and adding substances to both balance and change the body materially. For example, the Enhance herbal preparation that is widely used in HIV and HCV contains herbs to tonify the spleen qi, and build xue. Qi tonification increases the amount of energy in the body that is available for certain functions. Qi tonic herbs often have the specific effect of increasing digestion and food absorption. This increases the quality of the blood (xue). COMBINING EASTERN AND WESTERN THERAPIES If you decide to use a combination of eastern and western therapies, you must discuss all of your treatment approaches with both your eastern and western practitioners. The use of some herbal therapies in conjunction with interferon therapy may be inappropriate. However, Chinese medicine can be highly effective for the management of side effects from drug therapy. CHINESE MEDICINE may also be used as an alternative to western drug therapy in some cases. Find an acupuncture provider that treats Hepatitis on www.Acufinder.com REFERENCES:
Copyright 2008 - All rights reserved. About the Author Dr. Misha Ruth Cohen, OMD, L.Ac., has over 25 years experience in the practice of Asian medicine--including acupuncture, herbal medicine, nutrition and diet, and Asian bodywork. Today, Cohen has developed great expertise in the area of gynecology and is considered one of the pioneers of utilizing Chinese medicine to help treat HIV and AIDS. SEE MORE ARTICLES ABOUT ACUPUNCTURE AND LIVER CONDITIONS Printed from Acufinder.com http://www.acufinder.com/Acupuncture+Information/Detail/Chinese+Traditional+Medicine+for+Hepatitis+C 04/25/2024 02:25:24 pm |