20/03/2020
Our latest news
We are all facing great challenges in these extraordinary times. I am doing my best to continue to remain available to consult and assist my patients, their families, and our community by keeping you informed as to the additional choices available to support your current state of health and address the unique challenges that arise as a result of the COVID-19 / coronavirus crisis around the world.
I am putting my commentary aside for the time being and allowing my teachers, colleagues and other masters of Classical East Asian Medicine to be heard. I have specifically chosen to work within the context of formulas developed by The Classical Pearls Company. These medicinals are only available by prescription, so I will be available as a link between you and the pharmacy. Ensuring that anyone interested in adding specific formula contact me via text 443.324.8788 or email at info@tedannenberg.com. and I will make arrangements.
Prior to ordering anything, I would like to speak with you about your particular needs and current situation so as to be as precise as possible in your formula selection.
I am posting several recent blogs, I will follow up with further emails, simplifying the formula selection process.
Initial Thoughts on Coronavirus Prevention and Treatment with Chinese Medicine by Heiner Fruehauf
In recent weeks, the coronavirus outbreak has prompted many questions about how to prevent or potentially treat this epidemic if it ever arrives at our clinic doorstep. During the infamous SARS outbreak 18 years ago the late Dr. Deng Tietao demonstrated that Chinese medicine treatment proved to be more effective than standard hospital procedures by saving the lives of all patients in his care at the Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of TCM. The coronavirus provides us with another opportunity to put our herbal thinking caps on.
Since we presently do not know much about the exact symptoms of coronavirus induced pneumonia (see the accompanying report by Dr. Liu Lihong for up-to-date symptom characteristics), it seems prudent to assume at least some of the characteristics of the “regular” respiratory epidemic that we have been facing during the last 2 months. At first, as predicted by the Chinese science of cosmic energetics (wuyun liuqi) for the latter part of 2019, we observed a tide of shaoyang respiratory infections, prompting the prescription of Chaihu (bupleurum) based regimens featuring Ease Pearls, or Release Pearls, or Xiao Chaihu Tang, or Chaihu Guizhi Ganjiang Tang.
At the beginning of 2020, patients with symptoms indicative of Perilla Pearls and/or Thunder Pearls started to pour in. Interestingly, even the more serious pneumonia patients did not require the primary prescription of heat clearing herbs (i.e., Dragon Pearls); rather, Fengsui Dan dominated as a secondary add-on remedy—a remedy that can simultaneously transform dampness and flare-up of deficient Kidney fire.
Several weeks ago, the following useful description of coronavirus characteristics from a Chinese medicine perspective circulated on Chinese media sites, first translated and shared on Facebook by Will Ceurvels (reproduced below in edited form):
“Coronavirus should be thought of as a damp type of epidemic. The pathogens linger and are difficult to dissipate completely. This disease is different from wind-heat accompanied by dampness, a situation where the heat will clear automatically as soon as the dampness is resolved, leading to the swift and full recovery of the patient. Damp toxicity, on the other hand, lingers and clings to the sick person like “oil mixed into flour”. When choosing a course of treatment, therefore, practitioners must be very careful not to mistake damp toxicity transforming into heat with heat toxicity accompanied by dampness. The herbs that should be used for these two situations are very different.
Coronavirus’ main etiology appears to be damp toxicity, not heat toxicity accompanied by dampness. When treating heat toxicity accompanied by dampness, the strategy is usually to clear heat, resolve toxins and dispel dampness. When encountering damp toxicity that transforms into heat or recalcitrant damp heat toxins, however, you should not use the familiar method of clearing heat and resolving toxicity—using cold herbs too early will inevitably exacerbate the dampness in this case and lead to cold enveloping heat . . . a move that will produce adverse effects in treatment outcomes. When treating this disease, therefore, the focus should be on resolving turbidity with aromatic herbs, thus out thrusting the surface and regulating the up-down dynamics of the Spleen/Stomach network. As this particular type of dampness becomes resolved, stagnant heat will be able to disperse and toxins will be not be able to form, thus leading to a gradual resolution of symptoms.”
This description resonates with the type of respiratory infections we have seen at our clinic near Portland, Oregon during the last 6 weeks. The following are examples of how a typical prevention and treatment regimen may look like (dosages are for adults):
Prevention: 3 Thunder Pearls 2x/day
Exposure: 2 Perilla Pearls + 2 Lightning Pearls 3x/day
Treatment: 3 Ease Pearls + 2 Lightning Pearls + 1 Fengsui Dan 4x/day
Fomula Descriptions
The design of Thunder Pearls reflects a unique approach to the difficult and recalcitrant problem of chronic parasitic infection in the digestive tract. It is based on the Qing dynasty remedy Jiajian Su He Tang (Perilla and Mint Decoction Modified), and represents a time-honored solution for the important clinical phenomenon of “Digestive Gu Syndrome”. Thunder Pearls aims to treat terrain issues associated with various deficiencies in the patient’s qi, yin, and blood. Due to its complex design, it can be used for a wide variety of disorders that involve chronic inflammation.
Perilla Pearls is designed to treat symptoms of sore throat and cough that often accompany the external wind invasions. It is based on Suzi Lihou Tang (Perilla Disinhibit the Throat Decoction), an 18th century remedy with the therapeutic advantage that it is suitable for both the wind heat and wind cold. It is enhanced by the classical 2nd century heat phlegm formula, Xiao Xianxiong Tang (Minor Sinking into the Chest Decoction), which ensures that excess mucus accumulation in the respiratory system can be resolved successfully.
The design of Lightning Pearls reflects a unique approach to the difficult and recalcitrant problem of chronic inflammatory disease. It is based on the Qing dynasty remedy Jiajian Su He Tang (Perilla and Mint Decoction Modified), and represents a time-honored solution for the important clinical phenomenon of “Brain Gu Syndrome” – a desigantion which includes many of modern societies treatment-resistant conditions which center around an overall inflammatory process in the nervous system. Lightning Pearls aims to not only counteract pathogens, but also to treat terrain issues associated with various deficiencies in the patient’s qi, yin, and blood. Lightning Pearls can be considered to be a more constitutional and long-term version of the Fever School’s flagship remedy Yin Qiao San (Honeysuckle and Forsythia Powder), and is thus also suitable to treat swollen glands in individuals afflicted by external wind invasions, or for preventive use during air travel.
The comprehensive design of Ease Pearls is an attempt to combine the qi moving, detoxifying and emotional harmonizing benefits of the two most famous and effective bupleurum formulas in Chinese medicine. It unites the 3rd century remedy Xiao Chaihu Tang (Minor Bupleurum Decoction) and the 12th century remedy Xiaoyao San (Ease Powder), and is further enhanced by the drying and descending effect of Banxia Houpo Tang and the moistening effect of Shengmai San. Both base remedies address congestion of the shaoyang system (Gallbladder and Triple Warmer), with a particular focus on treating and preventing all problems that can be classified as “Wood over-controlling Earth.” In general, Ease Pearls can be used as a crucial base or add-on remedy whenever the use of bupleurum is required. It is particularly suitable for all pathologies that can be classified with the terms Liver qi stagnation or shaoyang disorder—ranging from acute ear aches to chronic conditions such as PMS, or hot and cold sensations in Lyme disease patients.
Life Medicine
Acupuncture and Manual Therapy Since 1982
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