Tips and Treatment Approach to Lyme Using Chinese Medicine
Most people living in the northeastern part of the country have either had acute Lyme or have it chronically or know someone who has. Those who knew they were infected and treated it early are the lucky ones. Unfortunately, more often than not, Lyme becomes chronic and even worse is left undiagnosed for far too long. Personally, I know I was bit two separate times, about 4 years apart within the last 12 years, but looking back on my health history, I actually think I’ve had Lyme for around 20 years. I had headaches that began increasing in frequency until they were daily and debilitating at times for about 8 years and no one once thought to test me for Lyme. The two times I knew I was bit I was fortunate to be able to get antibiotics right away and took them for 3 weeks and 6 weeks and I also took a lot of Chinese herbs both times which I know kept infection from infiltrating deeper.
One tip to help prevent a bite from infecting is to apply clove essential oil directly to the bite site. There are many herbs and essential oils that have anti-microbial properties that work quite well in both acute and chronic stages of Lyme and other tick borne diseases. If you’ve been bitten but are asymptomatic (which can often be the case for several weeks) there are some very effective Chinese herbal formulas that can be taken right away, best for at least 3 weeks, to prevent infection. These contain anti-microbial herbs that can be harsh on the system for a reason, in order to kill bacteria, and clear toxins, but they are balanced with herbs that nourish as well so as not to cause unwanted side effects. If you become symptomatic, some of these formulas can be continued and others added in order to increase potency and break the biofilm that microbes hide in and this should be continued for 6-8 weeks. These will continue to help reduce inflammation in the neurological and digestive systems. Depending on where symptoms are presenting different formulas may be prescribed. If you’re approaching treatment having been ill for a very long time, it’s best to commit to treatment for at least 6 months and in this case, treatments will be tailored to you individually.
One of the hallmarks of Chinese medicine is that there is no standard treatment, every patient is approached as an individual unique person. An acupuncturist looks for underlying patterns to illness and treats accordingly. The advantages to taking a natural approach to medicine are that there are safe and effective herbs as well as acupuncture treatments that can be used in both the short and long term that actually promote repair and regeneration. Chinese medicine understands and approaches the healing process from an energy based perspective, not just purely physical. If you’ve been ill with Lyme, or any chronic or severe acute illness (even covid), you know what it feels like to have your life force compromised—this is what we work with to restore health using the tools of acupuncture, herbs, nutrition, bodywork and qigong meditation.
Just to share a little more about how Chinese medicine approaches Lyme, we consider it a ‘Gu syndrome.’ The translation of Gu is basically possession, or ‘to cast a harmful spell over.’ Those who experience(d) Lyme can relate to this, it’s a feeling of wanting your life back, of not feeling yourself, almost as if you’re possessed by something else. This Gu type of toxin tends to hollow out the body by unseen forces. It has a complex presentation, affecting multiple systems of the body including the mind and spirit. There tends to be almost non-sensical or unexplainable symptoms and a typical treatment approach to these often doesn’t work. A Gu syndrome is a severe infection and consumes the host. These types of toxins/microbes are highly adaptable to different environments and there can be long incubation periods of hiding out alternating with periods of growth and replication leading to insidious onset of immune system invasion causing chronic symptoms. These include fatigue, joint pain, muscle pain, bone pain, malaise, stiff neck, neuropathy, difficulty thinking/concentrating/finding words, memory loss, muscle twitching and weakness, headaches, dizziness, vertigo, balance issues, ringing and pain in the ears, vision problems, urinary/bladder urgency/frequency/irritation, insomnia, difficult breathing, night sweats/fever/chills, shooting/stabbing/migrating pain, numbness, heart palpitations, carditis, gastritis or any digestive upset, loss of appetite, unexplained weight loss or gain, psychiatric issues, mood disturbances and more.
So in addressing this type of illness, an acupuncturist focuses on altering the terrain that is the physical body, mental and emotional mind, and the spirit of the person to clear infection, support the immune system, calm the mind and restore life force. Depending on how the individual presents will determine the order of approach, for example if someone’s digestive system is severely compromised, that needs to be the starting point before stronger herbs can be introduced that clear toxins and detoxify. All of this takes time but leads to a nourishing and replenishing of the whole person once these consumptive issues have been addressed.
My advice to those who want to prevent Lyme entirely, and also to anyone who has previously been infected, is to constantly check your clothes and body when you are outside (except for when it’s freezing with snow on the ground) and also check your entire body before going to bed. Ticks go towards the warm areas so check the armpits, behind the ears, base of the neck and entire scalp, in between the legs. Use a mirror if you have to and if you can have someone else check the back of your body. If you find a tick attached, send it in for testing, it’s much easier to test a tick itself than your own blood years later. Also check your outdoor animals constantly.
For those of you in the trenches of Lyme (or any chronic illness)—do not give up, include natural medicine in your treatment plan, reassure yourself that it can get betterand you will figure it out, take note of the progress even when it’s one step forward and two steps back, find ways to relax your being (acupuncture is a great way!), rest when you can balanced by moving and stretching when you can, prioritize your sleep and get help with it if you’re having difficulty (acupuncture also great for this!), eat a nutritious whole foods anti-inflammatory diet, drink lots of room temperature to warm water, take deep breaths, and find people who support you and make you laugh. We at the Stram Center are here to support your journey towards better health.
Sources:
https://classicalchinesemedici...
webinar: The Treatment of Lyme and Stealth Infections with Chinese and Natural Medicine by Hillary Thing, L.Ac.
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