Good Life Acupuncture
7209 Curry Ford Road
Suite A
Orlando, FL 32822
ph: 407-223-0806
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Disclaimer: This article is complied, translated and edited by John Hsu, DAOM, and Jeannette Britton, LAc. from all reliable resources in China to share and inform the TCM practitioners and general publics how COVID19 is currently treated in China by using Chinese Medicine remedies. For readers who may have such an infection, should contact and consult your primary physician, go to hospitals, or CDC immediately. This article is intent to share the educational information only, further adopting the COVID19 remedies shown in this article should be evaluated more and approved by health departments before application.
As acupuncture practitioners our scope of practice is in the promotion, maintenance, and restoration of health for our patients, as well as in the prevention of disease. The COVID19 virus has caused more concern among our community with the growing number of new cases each day and the climbing death toll. No vaccine and no effective pharmaceutical medicines are yet available, therefore, we can only rely on the health of our own immune system if infected.
I have studied how to prevent and relieve symptoms of COVID19 since the outbreak in China, working with my TCM colleagues to help treat affected patients. Due to this experience I would like to share how to help treat COVID19 patients in the US. The symptoms can be taken care of by using the right herbal formula at the right time according to the symptoms.
Story 1 (COVID19 Herbal Remedy)
This article is summarized from the experiences of my colleagues (TCM doctors) in China during the COVID19 outbreak period. In order to help control the spread, private clinics were not allowed to accept patients; all patients were sent to hospitals and according to test results were then sent to different facilities for isolation and treatment.
Since the onset of COVID19 in China, TCM doctors have been summoned to integrate with the medical teams in most hospitals to help fight this disease. The TCM diagnosis of COVID19 is characterized as Damp Toxin (湿瘟). There are several TCM herbal formulas which are prescribed according to the presenting symptoms of COVID19, with the patient taking herbal soup twice per day in conjunction with western medical treatments. Over 90% of COVID19 facilities practice this integrative medical approach, and the results are remarkable. More than 10 shelter hospitals have been built to accept mild symptomatic patients and suspected COVID19 patients to share the load of the regular hospitals.
One shelter hospital, Jiang Xia Fan Cang Yi Yuan江夏方舱医院, which is led by Dr. Zhang Bo Li 张伯礼 (72 years old, famous TCM doctor), utilizes only traditional Chinese medicine without any western medical remedies. Dr. Zhang designed TCM treatments for use in other hospitals with remarkable results, and he subsequently asked the government’s permission to set up this purely TCM shelter hospital treating COVID19.
The treatment results are as follows: Accepted patients from 2/14/2020 to 3/10/2020; total patient count 564; cured 482, not cured 82 (including 14 with underlying conditions) and transfer to designated hospital.
Age groups: 20-40 29.5%, 40-59 49.3%, 60 above 17.7%
Symptoms: 30% fatigue & shortness of breath, 40% cough
Formula: modification of Ma Xin Shi Gan Tang, Yin Qiao San, and *Lian Hua Qin Wen Jiao Nang.
*Lian Hua Qin Wen Jiao Nang: Lian Qiao, Jin Yin Hua, Ma Huang, Xing Ren, Shi Gao, Ban Lan Gen, Yu Xin Cao, Guan Zhong, Huo Xiang, Da Huang, Hong Jing Tian, Bo He, Gan Cao.
Story 2 (COVID19 Prevention & Herbal Remedies )
He Nan Province Tong Xu County People Region 3 Hospital (河南通许县人民医院三院区 is a Western Medical hospital which adopted Chinese Medicine into their practice since 10/24/2018 and built the Dr. Ni Hai Xia Chinese Medicine and Culture Research Center.
In the beginning of 2020, COVID19 spread into the He Nan Province and this hospital accepted 25 cases of infected patients. 17 of 25 were cured and tested negative, while the other 8 have no symptoms but are still under observation.
During the COVID19 period, all 1200 health care workers and staff kept healthy, with not one case of infection. How? The hospital provided herbal formulas to their employees during work. For those not in direct contact with patients, Gan Cao Gan Jiang Tang was prescribed; and those having direct contact with patients were additionally prescribed Gui Zhi Tang plus Bai Zhu & Fu Ling.
For workers with symptoms of Lung retention of cold damp, clear Lung formula She Gan Ma Huang Tang; for workers with dry itching throat symptoms, Ge Gen Tang plus Bai Zhu & Fu Ling; for workers with fatigue symptoms due to overwork, Fu Ling Si Ni Tang to boost up their immune system. In addition to providing herbal formulas to the staff, the hospital applied Moxa smoke every morning inside the building to expel the virus.
Since the COVID19 virus may cause illness rapidly, providing herbal treatments quickly (within 2 hours) is important. Therefore, the hospital’s herbal pharmacy prepares enough formula tea bags in advance for both the staff and patients- an individual can take the doctor's prescription and get the herbal formula filled in minutes.
Here are some details in the treatment of more severe COVID19 conditions: for high fever in the lung take Da Qing Long Tang; a mild fever can take Ge Gen Tang plus Bai Zhu & Fu Ling; for Lung infection with no significant CT image changes, She Gan Ma Huang Tang can prevent buildup of Lung edema; for Lung infection with CT image changes, take Ze Qi Tang and Fu Ling Si Ni Tang to expel Lung water/phlegm; for coughing with wheezing sound (implies dense phlegm), take Qian Jin Wei Jing Tang; for nausea (implying Shao Yang syndrome), Xiao Chai Hu Tang modification.
Story 3 (TCM View about COVID19)
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, COVID19 is caused by ‘exterior evils’ (Wai Gan Bing外感病) that develop rapidly and are highly contagious, culminating in "Yi Bing" or epidemic disease. Most infected patients have the same symptoms no matter the age and gender. The major types of exterior evils are wind, cold, heat, dampness, dryness, and heat toxin. COVID19 in China is considered a wind-cold-damp type exterior condition by the majority of TCM doctors.
The wind evil ‘attacks’ the upper part of body, especially the Lung, and penetrates through the mouth and nose, with rapid spreading. The most effective method to block the pathway of COVID19 is to protect the mouth and nose, therefore wearing a face mask is essential and effective. Washing the hands is also helpful. In western culture it is not common for ‘healthy’ people to wear a mask, whereas in Asian countries such as China, Korea, Taiwan, Japan, etc it’s quite accepted; this may explain one aspect of why COVID19 spread more rapidly in western countries compared with Asian countries, as a COVID19 infected patient may not present symptoms for several days and in the meanwhile can appear healthy.
The cold evil prefers a cold environment and dislikes heat; for this reason a colder area may suffer more cases than a warmer area. Most drugs such as antibiotics are cold in nature, and as such may have potential to cause side-effects for COVID19 patients. Moxibustion or heat treatments can help relieve COVID19 symptoms and also help stimulate the immune system.
The damp evil, when it ‘attacks’ or penetrates the Lung, can block the airway and induce phlegm or water retention. Thus when lung capacity is reduced due to lung blockage, ventilators become essential in western medical protocol. Based on TCM experience in herbal medicine, there are many medicinal herbs that can remove damp, water retention, and phlegm from the lung in only one day or two. These herbs are Ban Xia, Tian Nan Xing, Ting Li Zi, Dong Gua Ren, Lu Gen, Xing Ren, Xi Xin, Gan Jiang, etc.
The COVID19 pneumonia mainly causes deep inflammatory reaction of airways and alveolar injury. Pulmonary fibrosis and consolidation are less severe than SARS, but the exudative response is more obvious than SARS. On the biopsy section, a large number of thick secretions can be seen overflowing from the alveoli, and fiber bands can be seen. These secretions are called phlegm, water toxin, or dampness in TCM terms and will block the airway and reduce the effect of ventilators.
Based on the above analysis of the three ‘evils’ of wind-cold-damp, we know the needed principal actions in an herbal formula prescription for COVID19: dispel wind, warm the lung, and expel damp/phlegm. Herbal medicine, moxibustion, and fire needling will be the major remedies; cupping, acupuncture, auricular (ear) therapy, and Tuina can be the additional supporting remedies.
Story 4 (Acupuncture protocol for substitute ventilator)
The ventilator is the most important equipment for severe COVID19 patients who develop into lung/heart failure. No ventilator mean no chance of survive if no other treatment can restore the lung function.
Dr. Fang Bang Jiang 方邦江who is an acupuncturist treating COVID19 patients in Wu Han, develop the acupuncture protocol to restore lung function and rescue a lot of patients without ventilator support, and help the patients shorten the time depend on ventilators.
In TCM theories, the major organs related to lung failure are Spleen and Kidney. Spleen is the mother of Lung, and Kidney can grasp the Qi to help breathing. Dr. Fang's protocol consist of Tai Xi (KD3), Lou Gu (SP7), and Stop Wheezing point (in the upper one third of PC channel of forearm)
For rapid shallow breathing is the indication for needling KD3, and also the low blood oxygen level, tinnitus, lower back soreness symptoms can be improved after needling.
For fatigue and low appetite are the indications for needling SP7.
For shortness of breath, tachycardia, and heart failure are the indications for needling Stop Wheezing point.
Story 5 (Qing Fei Pai Du Tang - One Approved Clinical Effectiveness Formula for treating COVID19)
Ingredients: Ma Huang 9g、Zhi Gan Cao 6g、Xing Ren 9g、Shen Shi Gao15~ 30g、Gui Zhi 9g 、Ze Xie 9g 、Zhu Ling 9g、Bai Zhu 9g、Fu Ling 15g、Chai Hu 16g、 Huang Qin 6g 、Ban Xia 9g、Sheng Jiang 9g、Zi Wan 9g 、Kuan Dong Hua 9g、 She Gan 9g、Xi Xin 6g、Shan Yao12g、Zhi Shi 6g 、Chen Pi 6g、Huo Xiang 9g.
Application: add 6 cups of water (1 cup = 200ml) boiling into 2 cups of decoctions, one cup take as warm in 40 minutes after breakfast and dinner, three days as one course of treatment. For severe patients, can take 3 cups every day; for high fever patient, the dosage of Shen Shi Gao should use 30 g. Modification formula according to symptoms is necessary and more effective.
Power Form Application: 5:1 concentration powder with the above dosage, (Sheng Shi Cao use 15g), the total is 196 g, take 19 g mix with 8 oz hot water after breakfast and dinner, twice a day.
On January 27, 2020, China National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine (NATCM) start research program for treating COVID19, apply Qing Fei Pai Du Tang among 4 provinces: Shan Xi在山西, He Bei河北, He Long Jiang黑龙江and Shan Xi陕西, to observe the clinic effectiveness on symptoms of fatigue, fever, cough, sore throat, poor appetite and lung CT image changes.
Upon February 5, 2020, total 214 COVID19 patients treated by this formula, during one course of treatments (3 days), effective rate is above 90%, over 60% of patients have remarkable improvement of clinical symptoms and lung CT images, and the other 30% remain steady conditions.
This formula is composed of 4 classic formula from Shang Han Lun (Cold Damage Book), the patients treated with COVID19 from mild to severe conditions. This formula is only for treating purpose not for prevention.
COVID19 Supplements
You can call or text our clinic to order the products.
#1 ($120) Boost up respiratory system to prevent COVID-19 virus infection. 200 gram per bottle, take 3spoons (5 gram) mix with hot water, before breakfast and dinner, twice daily for 10 days, then once in the morning for 20 days.
#2 (S$25/L$40) Sinus Detox oilman, *contain Sulphur, put light coating into the nose membrane (only small amount), the oilman will induce running nose or sneezing to expel out the toxin inside sinus.
#3 ($120) General Respiratory System Detox, 200 gram per bottle, for mild symptoms of possible COVID-19 infection. (This formula is recommended and used in China for good result). Take 4 spoons (6 gram) mix with hot water after each meals, and can take up to 6 times (very 4 hours) according to the symptoms developed. *Please contact our office when you start to take this formula after possible symptoms developed, and we will suggest the following herbal supplement for best result.
#4 ($60) Reduce Fever (in respiratory system), 100 gram per bottle, take 2-4 spoons (3-6grams) per time, mix with hot water, 3-6 times daily. Only recommend for temperature reach 102 degree F and above. Should taking with #3.
#5 ($60) Sore throat, ear, and swollen lymph node, 100 gram per bottle, take 2-4 spoons (3-6 grams) per time, mix with hot water, 3-6 times daily. Should taking with #3 (if with cough, fever, and/or shortness of breath) or #1(without other symptom)
#6 ($100) Strong Boost up immune system (whole body) with symptoms of chill, fatigue, lose stool, clear urination, body ache. 100 gram per bottle, take 1-2 spoon (1-3 grams), 2-3 times daily. Please contact our office before taking this formula.
#7 ($100) Strong Boost up energy (adrenal fatigue) with symptoms of sleepy, fatigue, low energy, body cold. 100 gram per bottle, take 1-2 spoon (1-3 grams), 2-3 times daily.
#8 ($60) Qing Fei Pai Du Tang, to detox lung and strengthen lung functions, for more severe COVID19 symptoms.
This article contain information from my teach Dr. Ni's website: www.hantang.com
Copyright 2009 Good Life Acupuncture. All rights reserved.
Good Life Acupuncture
7209 Curry Ford Road
Suite A
Orlando, FL 32822
ph: 407-223-0806
chengmin