This condition (also known as myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) and postviral fatigue syndrome (PVFS)) has only been officially recognized by the medical profession in the U.K. since the summer of 1996. In the U.S. and Canada, western medicine finds the cause for this syndrome unclear; chronic stress, viruses, allergies, and hormonal imbalances have all been implicated. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) is easily confused with AIDS, mononucleosis, and other ailments.
Physical symptoms of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome include debilitating fatigue that lasts for six months or more. The fatigue is not from exertion and is not relieved by rest. Other symptoms include: persistent low-grade fever, aching, weak muscles, swollen lymph nodes, joint pain, headache, and sore throat.
Psychological symptoms are confusion, depression, impaired memory or concentration, excessive sleep requirement, appetite loss or gain, and agitation.
Very often these symptoms worsen with the slightest exertion. It is important to differentiate this from the persistent fatigue that is felt by 20-50% of the population in association with incorrect lifestyle or stress, as this is quite separate from Chronic Fatigue Synrome.
For many years, mainstream medicine has been searching for a specific cause, and the term post-viral fatigue syndrome (PVFS) was popular because it suggested that this condition occurred after viral infections. This is simply not the case; CFS can occur with no previous or obvious illness preceding it.
TREATMENT PROTOCOLS
This problem cannot be treated easily by the doctors. Some holistic doctors try to use different alternative ways to help the victims. According to Traditional Chinese Medicine theory, it is low energy (qi deficiency) that may trigger CFS, but the low energy can initially be caused by energy stagnation.
Since the scientific concepts behind Eastern and Western medicine are fundamentally different, there are some Eastern medicine concepts that will be introduced here. According to TCM theory, those who suffer from CFS will exhibit several of the following symptoms:
• Kidney yin deficiency
• Kidney yang deficiency
• Lung yin deficiency
• Liver deficiency
• Spleen deficiency
• Liver stagnation
These six types of imbalance can appear individually or in combination. For example, the symptom of kidney yin deficiency can also combine with spleen deficiency.
Each set of symptoms is indicative of a specific type of energetic deficiency or stagnation, and TCM practitioners will examine these symptoms in order to determine the course of treatment:
• Kidney yin deficiency: Symptoms include night sweats; thinning hair; sore back; menstrual disorder; ringing in the ear; tongue status – the colour is red; pulse – fine, hollow and rapid.
• Kidney yang deficiency: Symptoms include day sweating; dislike cold; weak back; no period or only small quantity of blood; tongue status – colour is light, shape – enlarged.
• Lung yin deficiency: Symptoms are dry cough; sore throat; afternoon fever; tongue and pulse symptoms similar to kidney yin deficiency. When the disease progresses, it will lead into kidney yin deficiency.
• Liver deficiency: Symptoms include headache; joint pain; numbness of the limbs; blurring vision; period could be light, or the colour is light; tongue status – colour is light; pulse – hollow.
• Spleen deficiency: Symptoms include lack of appetite; fullness of stomach; fatigue; swollen face; tongue status – very light colour or white, tongue coating – thin; pulse – hollow.
• Liver stagnation: Symptoms include irritability; frustration; gets angry easily; period usually is heavy; tongue status – color is dull; pulse – wiry or tight
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, according to Traditional Chinese Medicine theory, mainly arises from internal injury; this is caused either by the seven emotions or from an unhealthy lifestyle. If you want to use a simple term to describe the internal injury, you can use the term “emotional distress.”
In my practice I use acupuncture and Chinese herbs to treat this disease with good success, but there is no standard formula. Treatment protocols for each patient have to be based on the six types of conditions described above.
Here I will introduce some herbal formulas for the Chinese herbal doctors, or a professional who has experience in using those formulas. Symptoms can change and each individual’s conditions are different. We have to accommodate the symptoms and each patient’s individuality. Sometimes the dosage can be very heavy, sometimes it must be very light. It is not as simple as some people assume. Some think all herbs are natural and have no side effects, which is a mistake, because if we apply the wrong formula to the wrong situation, it will affect the disease or even damage the patient’s health.
1. Formula for kidney yin deficiency is based on “Six Taste Formula,” which was invented by a great herbal doctor, Ching Yue from Zong Dynasty, about 1,000 years ago. He was the governor of the department of health. His idea was from Zhang Chong Giang, a great herbal master about 2,300 years ago. Even now this Chinese herbal master is irreplaceable. He is the great master who invented the profound six channel diagnosis technique that has saved many lives.
Name of the formula: Six Taste Formula
Ingredients: Rehmania Root 28%; Alisma Rhizome 10%; Cornus Fruit 14%; Paeonia Root; 10% Dioscorea Rhizome 14%; Poria Fungus 10%
Acupuncture point is Taixi stream point Kidney 3 X 2 needles with both sides. Technique: tonification method.
2. The formula for kidney yang deficiency is “Golden Cabinet Kidney Qi” formula. The ingredients are based on the six taste formula with 2 extra herbs which are Cinnamon Bark 3.7, Aconite Carmichaeli Debx 3.7. This formula can be used for patient who suffers from ACTH insufficiency who does not have organic damage at the adrenal gland.
Acupuncture point is same as above plus Mingmen life door.
Technique: no needle, just moxibustion with moxa rolls
3. The formula for lung yin deficiency is based on “Six Taste” Formula with 3 extra herbs which are: Ningpo Figwort Root 5%; Baical Skullcap Root 5%; Fritillaria Cirrhosa D. Don 8%.
Acupuncture point is same as no. 1 plus Xiabai lung 4 X 2 needles. Technique: tonification
4. The formula for liver deficiency is “Four Object” Formula. The reason that I use this formula is because it is the yin organ that stores 2/3 of the blood of the body. Whenever there is a blood deficiency, we can use this formula. According to yin and yang concept, object is a fundamental substance in human, blood belongs to yin. The ingredients: Angelica sinensis (Oliv.) Diels 30%; Rehmania glutinosa (Gaertn.) 30%; Ligusticum wallichii franch 20%; Paeoniae Lactiflorae, Radix 20
Acupuncture points are Taichong liver 3 X 2 needles, and Sanyinjiao (3 negative joint) spleen 6 X 2 needles
Technique: tonification
5. The formula for spleen deficiency is “Four Gentlemen” Formula. The ingredients are: Radix Ginseng 30%; Atractylodes macrocephala koidz. 30% Poria cocos (Schw.) Wolf 20%; Radix Glycyrrhizae (Licorice Root) 20%.
Acupuncture points are Yinlingquan spleen 9 X 2 needles, and Taichong liver 3 X 2 needles. Technique: tonification
6. The formula for liver stagnation is “Smooth Liver” Formula. The ingredients are: Paeonia Root 20%; Citrus Peel 12%; Amomum Fruit 15%; Saussurea Root 12%; Cardamon Fruit 15%; Magnolia Bark 12%; Corydalis Rhizome 14%
The acupuncture point is Xingjian liver 2 X 2 needles
Technique: tonification
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