Many people have accepted the idea that acupuncture is one of the most successful methods for treating pain. However, one are of Chinese medicine that is not well-known is the use of acupuncture and herbs for treating infection. Chinese medicine is quite effective and successful for treating bacterial and viral infections and the patient does not have to suffer any of the complications that all antibiotics may give such as secondary yeast infection and side effects such as rash, nausea and diarrhea.
An infection is characterized by the invasion of a bacteria, virus, parasite, or fungus causing inflammation. The infectious diseases which are caused by one of these invasive organisms include: kidney, vaginal, bladder, sinus, ear, eye, and gum infections, hepatitis, pancreatitis, laryngitis, bronchitis, tonsillitis, prostatitis, measles, acne, mumps, food poisoning, mastitis (breast), PID (pelvic inflammatory disease), ring worm, athlete’s foot, parasitic infections, malaria, tetanus, and many more.
The Chinese medical approach to treating infections includes herbs and acupuncture which further enhances the immune system stimulating white blood cell and antibody production.
Herbs and acupuncture are given, which have antibiotic-like properties that kill the foreign invader. Some of these herbs include coptis, scute, rhubarb, philodendron. These herbs also are cold in nature and get rid of excess heat from the infection.
Herbs and acupuncture points are given which balance and support the individual’s energy channels. For example, if a person with bronchitis has a liver, lung and spleen imbalance, herb and acupuncture points are selected which strengthen the spleen and lung; detoxify the liver and decongest the lung.
If the infection is of an acute nature, herbs and acupuncture points are selected which relieve the surface and dispel “wind cold” and wind heat”. This type of treatment gets rid of the invasive pathogen quite quickly. Spicy aromatic herbs such as cinnamon are used at this time.
In addition , Chinese medicine has quite a good record (3,000 years old, in fact) of successfully treating viral infections such as colds and flus, hepatitis, measles, mumps, viral pneumonia, mononucleosis, and chronic fatigue syndrome. So far, Western medicine methods include Acyclovir and Interferon (for some cases of hepatitis). For most of these viral infections, the patient is sent home by the Western doctor, left to recuperate on their own by bedrest. Antibiotics are given as a precautionary measure in case a secondary infection occurs. This further weakens the immune system, as the antibiotics not only kill the bad bacteria as well, leaving more nutrients for yeast overgrowth, hence more infections.
With Chinese Medicine, colds and flus are treated so that the patient’s immune system is stimulated and can recover in 1/3 to 1/4 the time they would ordinarily take to recover on their own. For serious viral infections such as hepatitis and pneumonia, the liver and lung are detoxified and strengthened so there is no residual weaknesses in those organs, which makes the patient less susceptible to other problems later on.
Chinese medicine offers a good and proven method for treating infections; treating the root cause of the problem and the symptoms very successfully, without the deleterious side effects of antibiotics.