Chinese medicine & Lyme Disease
As a healthcare provider I feel obligated to inform patients about this enormously important public health concern. Chinese herbal medicine and acupuncture have important roles in the management and recovery from tick borne diseases.
Chinese herbal management of these conditions has been rediscovered and formulas developed by Dr. Heiner Fruehauf. I encourage you to peruse the following articles about these treatment approaches. Unlike the harsh approach of antibiotics, these formulas create an environment that supports your energy as well as addressing the infections. In each case, I will work with you to develop a plan designed to address your situation and help support you as you work towards healing. If you are on antibiotics/antimalarials, I will gladly work with you and your prescribing provider to coordinate your care as the herbal program will be designed to work with the other medicines you are taking.
Driving Out Demons and Snakes: Gu Syndrome
Acupuncture is a wonderful supportive system that can help patients recover whether it is a new (acute) infection or one that has been there for a long time (chronic). Treatment with antibiotics and antimalarials can be hard on the body. The digestive system is often significantly impacted. Acupuncture can help with indigestion, gas, nausea, diarrhea and/or constipation.
Persistent Symptoms
Often patients have a full recovery when the infection is caught early on, but some people continue to experience symptoms that persist after the completion of antibiotics. For those patients whose infections weren’t caught early on, symptoms are often more severe and generally take longer to resolve. Consider acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine for help with these commonly persistent symptoms: fatigue, muscle aches, shooting pain and numbness, foggy headed sensation (‘Lyme fog’), etc.
Strong Immune System
The immune system needs to work hard at clearing infections. Although the antibiotics/antimalarials that are generally prescribed significantly reduce the bacteria/parasites, ultimately you need a strong immune system to completely clear the infection. The herbal approach helps to support your immune system and does so without the harsh effects. Acupuncture has also been shown by scientists at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute to improve immune function in patients receiving chemotherapy. Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine can be great additions to your overall approach to supporting your immune system as you recover from tick borne diseases too.
Check out these other pages to learn more:
