The Treatment of Modern Western - Biblio.nhat-nam.ru

MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS (MS) 3793. Although Western physicians say that attacks and remissionsof MS are spontaneous, our clinical experience asChinese doctors suggests that precipitating factors for bothacute attacks and remissions can be identified by Chinesemedicine. For instance, many female MS patients experienceworsening of wind, liver, and/or spleen related symptomspremenstrually. If there is insufficient blood, when the blooddescends to the uterus prior to menstruation, this may resultin the arising or aggravation of internally stirring windand/or liver depression. If liver depression is aggravated, thenthe spleen will tend to become more vacuous due to the livercounterflowing horizontally with wood assailing earth.Other acute attacks can be traced to unusual fatigue, emotionalstress, and/or unregulated diet. Therefore, when MSpatients experience acute aggravations, it is very importantfor their Chinese medical care-giver to identify the precipitatingfactor(s) and to explain these to the patient so that thepatient may prevent such exacerbations in the future. Forinstance, if an MS patient’s symptoms worsen on exposure toheat, they should consider moving to a cooler climate in thesummer or installing air-conditioning in their home.4. Chinese sources do not typically list blood stasis as a patternof MS. However, blood stasis often does complicate MSbased on the statement that, “Enduring diseases enter thenetwork vessels.” The clinical meaning of this statement isthat blood stasis is commonly engendered within the networkvessels of chronically ill patients. In such cases, oneshould add appropriate blood-quickening, network vesselfreeingmedicinals to any other guiding formula, howeverremembering that blood vacuity may cause or aggravateblood stasis and that blood stasis may cause or aggravateblood vacuity. Therefore, in most cases, blood-quickeningmedicinals should be combined with blood-nourishing medicinalsor medicinals should be chosen which inherentlyboth quicken and nourish the blood, such as Dang Gui(Radix Angelicae Sinensis) and Dan Shen (Radix SalviaeMiltiorrhizae). Further, because blood stasis in the networkvessels and wind often exist simultaneously, one should notoverlook those wind-extinguishing medicinals which alsoquicken and free the flow of the network vessels, such asQuan Xie (Scorpio) and Wu Gong (Scolopendra).5. Chinese research has shown that Chinese medicine cankeep MS patients in remission longer and slow this condition’sprogress. 36. Stress reduction and a low fat diet yet high in essentialfatty acids are important adjunctive therapies in most casesof MS. When stress plays a part in the activation or aggravationof MS, Chinese medical practitioners should considerthe use of appropriate spirit-quieting medicinals based onthe patient’s overall pattern discrimination.ENDNOTES1 Agranoff, B.W. & Goldberg, D., “Diet and the Geographical Distributionof Multiple Sclerosis,” Lancet, #7888, Nov., 1974, p. 1061-10662 Vimy, M.J. et al., “Glomerular Filtration Impairment by Mercury fromDental ‘Silver’ Fillings in Sheep,” The Physiologist, #33, Aug., 1990, p. 943 Lu Xi et al., “A Study of the Chinese Medicine Prevention of Relapse ofMultiple Sclerosis,” Zhong Yi Za Zhi (Journal of Chinese Medicine), #7,1995, p. 417-418