Frequently-Asked Questions
About Lyme Disease
1.
Is Chinese Medicine effective against Lyme Disease?
Chinese
Medicine has been used successfully in China for many years in the treatment of
spirochetal infections similar to Lyme Disease. Since 1986, when Lyme Disease was first reported in China,
these treatment strategies have been adapted and applied to the treatment of
Lyme. Recent studies in the U.S.
have demonstrated the effectiveness of these treatment protocols--in more than
500 cases of Lyme Disease, all at different chronic stages, the treatments were
effective in completely eliminating symptoms for more than 60% of the patients
studied.
2.
How does Chinese Medicine work?
In
contrast to Western Medicine, which concentrates on killing or eliminating the
pathogen directly, Chinese Medicine approaches disease with a twofold strategy:
(1) attack the pathogen directly (similar to Western Medicine), and (2) support
the body’s natural defense by building up the immune system and restoring the
body’s inner balance. Chinese
medical treatment of Lyme Disease adopts this twofold strategy by utilizing (1)
herbal anti-pathogens which attack the Lyme spirochetes, and (2) constitutional
and supportive treatments which suppress autoimmune reactions, increase infusion
of blood to the brain and affected tissue, and enhance cellular immunity.
3.
What are the advantages of using Chinese Medicine?
The
anti-pathogenic agents used in Chinese Medicine have a wide anti-microbial
spectrum and as such can fight the co-infections which often accompany Lyme
Disease. The main agent--allicin--has
a very small molecular weight and can therefore penetrate the blood-brain
barrier in order to combat infections of the central nervous system, something
that conventional antibiotics are unable to do.
Use of herbal agents does not lead to fungal overgrowth, as with
antibiotics, and toxicity and adverse reactions are minimal.
The constitutional and supportive treatments afforded by Chinese herbs
assist the body’s power to heal and balance itself.
Chinese herbal treatment is not only safe and effective, the cost is
usually only a fraction of the cost of conventional treatment with antibiotics.
4.
What is the specific treatment protocol?
The
standard protocol for Chinese medical treatment of Lyme Disease calls for
approximately six months use of three basic formulae: (1) Allicin Capsules.
Allicin, a highly purified and concentrated garlic extract, has a very
wide anti-microbial spectrum and a very low molecular weight, allowing it
to easily cross the blood-brain barrier and attack infections of the
central nervous system. (2) HH
Capsules. The main herb used in
these capsules is Houttuyna cordata, which complements the allium in that it
also has strong anti-spirochete effects and a wide anti-microbial spectrum.
Its molecular weight is also small and it can pass through the
blood-brain barrier. (3)
Circulation No. 1 Capsules. The
formula used in these capsules improves microcirculation in the joints and
promotes blood infusion to tissues, relieving the joint pain that is symptomatic
of Lyme and aiding the body’s immune response to the disease.
In
addition, various other formulae are prescribed depending on the symptoms
displayed by each patient. In case
of severe fatigue, Cordyceps Capsules are added to the standard protocol.
Patients suffering from connective tissue diseases, such as arthritis,
vasculitis, fibromyalgia, etc., are recommended to add AI # 3 Capsules to the
standard protocol. And when central
nervous system symptoms are present, such as cognition and concentration
problems or memory loss, Puerarin Capsules are added to the standard protocol.
5.
What about co-infections?
It
is estimated that more than 65% of Lyme Disease patients suffer from Babesiosis,
the most prevalent among a cohort of possible co-infections.
The pathology of Babesiosis is similar to that of malaria, and the herbal
remedy prescribed--Artemesiae Capsules--is effective in the treatment of both
Babesiosis and malaria. Cost of the
capsules is less than 1/20 of the cost of conventional treatments.
6.
What is the treatment course?
Because
of the slow dividing cycle of the Lyme spirochete, the herbal treatments need to
last a relatively long time.
The overall treatment course should last at least six months.
Within the first one to two weeks of the herbal treatments, the majority
of patients experience what is known as “Herxheimer’s Reaction?
Lyme Disease symptoms are temporarily aggravated, similar to those in
patients who undergo antibiotic treatments.
This reaction, however, is an indication of the herbs?efficacy in
killing the spirochetes.
Sometimes this reaction is quite strong and patients must reduce the
herbal dosage only to gradually build it up again.
Anti-inflammatory and immune-regulatory herbs, such as AI # 3 Capsules,
can help reduce the severity of this reaction.
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