How Western and Chinese Medicine Treatments are Combined

Sometimes western drugs and chinese medicine are used together to treat same symptoms. This can allow for a decrease in drug dosage. This makes sense since drugs tend to have more damaging side effects.

Drugs and Chinese Medicine together; drugs as chemotherapy (dispelling) and supporting herbal formula to offset weakening effect of toxic drugs.

Chinese medicine may be used instead of drugs when patient isn't strong enough to continue chemotherapy. The patient can then regain strength. Supporting Righteous, or combinations of mostly supporting and some dispelling.

For symptomatic treatment without drugs. Most commonly with fever, headache, fatigue, CMV retinitis, wasting syndrome, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, PML.

There are still gray areas when drugs and herbs are combined. There are general principles for combining drugs and herbs (see your health practitioner), and a fair amount of research on specific herbs and drugs exists. It is important to note that research has proven that in some cases, healing effects of drugs and herbs combined is greater. For more on this topic, read our article "Are My Drugs and Herbs Dangerous Together? Drug Herb Interactions."

It is best to have a chinese medicine herbalist and physician working together. (In California, acupuncturists and herbalists can order lab tests, but not in most states). Someone will need to monitor your lab values and know what to expect when herbs are added to your treatment regimen.

Hopefully, your health care practitioners can cooperate, educate one another, and work together for your well being. In these days of cooperative care, any one of your practitioners' refusal to work with practitioners from other medicines might be grounds for termination.

References http://www.icmart.org/baltic/abstract/ab27.html http://www.docmisha.com/hiv/toxichiv.html http://www.alternativemedicinechannel.com/hivaids/tcm.shtml Zhang, Ziolkowski. AIDS and Chinese Medicine, 1993. Enger & Long, ed. AIDS Immunity and Chinese Medicine. Oriental Healing Arts Institute, 1989. http://www.multiplemyeloma.org/aboutmyeloma/immunoglobulins.html#3 Current Medical Diagnosis & Treatment, 2001. Ryan, Shattuck. Treatment of AIDS with Chinese Medicine, 1994. Goh & Zhaoling. Alternative Treatments for HIV Infection. Science Press, 1996. http://www.itmonline.org/arts/sfxhivdr.htm http://www.itmonline.org/arts/hivthrpy.htm J Infect Dis 2000;181:946 J Infect Dis 1998;177:1533 AIDS 1998;12:1722 Lancet 1997;349:924 AIDS 1998;12:116 AIDS 1998;12:2289 Clin Infect Dis 1998;27:1255 JAMA 2000;283:74 Lancet 1994;343:1494 39th ICAAC, San Francisco, Calif., September 1999, Abstract 1285 7th CROI, San Francisco, Calif., February 2000, Abstract S21, 42, 55, 56, and 57 Ann Intern Med 2000;13:192 7th CROI, San Francisco, Calif., February 2000, Abstract S21 Lancet 1998;252:292 Lancet 2000;356:1424 http://www.bastyr.edu/research/buarc/ http://www.aegis.com/pubs/atn/1995/atn22405.html http://www.bulletin.ac.cn/ACTION/2000101201.htm http://www.aids.wustl.edu/aids/tradch.html http://www.acupuncturetoday.com/archives2001/nov/11actcm.html http://www.acupuncturetoday.com/archives2001/may/05sheng.html http://www.acupuncturetoday.com/archives2002/apr/04panafrican.html http://www.hivnet.ch:8000/asia/sea-aids/viewR?1964 John Scott, O.M.D. The Use of Golden Flower Chinese Herbs with AIDS/HIV http://spanda.com/articles/aids.html http://www.actcm.org/0520%20Clinics%20Special%20Project.htm Liu S, Jiang S, Wu Z, Lv L, Zhang J, Zhu Z, Wu S. Identification of inhibitors of HIV-1 gp41 six-helix bundle formation from extracts of Chinese medicinal herbs Prunella vulgaris and Rhizoma cibotte. Life Sci. 2002 Aug 30;71(15):1779-91. Lu WB, Wen RX, Guan CF. [A report on 8 seronegative converted HIV/AIDS patients with traditional Chinese medicine] Zhongguo Zhong Xi Yi Jie He Za Zhi. 1997 May;17(5):271-3. Chinese. Lu W. Prospect for study on treatment of AIDS with traditional Chinese medicine. J Tradit Chin Med. 1995 Mar;15(1):3-9. Review. Power R, Gore-Felton C, Vosvick M, Israelski DM, Spiegel D. HIV: effectiveness of complementary and alternative medicine. Prim Care. 2002 Jun;29(2):361-78. The wise and rich experience and counsel of Lynda Harvey-Carter, LAc., OMD

Migraine pattern #2 – Ascendant Liver yang This migraine includes dizziness, sudden anger, light sensitivity, and ringing ears. Liver yang rises when liver yin is deficient – and that happens over time from kidney yin deficiency, which can be due to overwork, too much sex, or too many warm herbs like ginseng and other sexual tonics. Too much coffee over a long period of time could contribute to this pattern, too (many people insist that coffee helps their migraines, and it can, but only temporarily. It may make underlying problems worse at same time). Acupuncture and migraine for this type might include Liv2, K3, K6, GB39, and GB43.

Migraine pattern #3 – Cold reversal pattern This migraine features pain at top of head, feeling of chill during attack, vomiting clear liquids, and a sensitivity to wind. This is a sudden attack of migraine only. It happens when influences of stress (liver) attack digestion (spleen). Acupuncture and migraine here might include moxa on ST36, Ren6, Du20, K7, and needling P6 and Ren13.

Migraine pattern #4 – Phlegm reversal pattern This headache comes with dizziness, heavy-headedness, feeling like there’s a tight band wrapped around head, vomiting of phlegm, stuffiness in chest, and a lack of appetite. It’s a severe complication of digestive deficiency. Phlegm comes from dampness, which is a diseased fluid problem due to poor digestion. Acupuncture and migraine to remedy this would be points like ST40, Sp9, L5, and ST36.

Migraine pattern #5 – Blood stasis obstructing network vessels This is a stubborn, stabbing headache that doesn’t change locations. It may be due to injury to head, or blood may have stagnated due to qi stagnation. Points that fix this one are LI4, Sp6, SP10, and Liv3.

Acupressure resources- you can check out a free acupressure chart on my website at http://pulsemed.org/free-acupressure-chart.htm. For more help with acupressure, you should buy my book, Powerful Body, Peaceful Mind.