Chinese Herbology

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

An overview of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS)

Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a frequently misunderstood and under-diagnosed illness. It is also referred to as myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME). The term is used instead of chronic fatigue syndrome in several countries worldwide. It is gaining traction with researchers and others in the United States. Advocates feel that “chronic fatigue syndrome” inaccurately describes the syndrome. Patients have also expressed frustration with the name “chronic fatigue syndrome” because it is easily misunderstood as just being overly tired, leading to employers and family members doubting the veracity of their inability to function in their daily lives. In reality, ME/CFS is associated with debilitating fatigue that doesn’t seem to get any better with rest. ME/CFS can keep sufferers from working, attending school or doing everyday activities. And sadly, ME/CFS can last for years, robbing patients of their ability to function for long periods of time.

To make things worse, roughly 90 percent of people with ME/CFS have never been diagnosed with this illness. One reason it’s so under-diagnosed is because ME/CFS is a syndrome, which means that it can have a wide variety of symptoms and can be experienced in different ways by each patient. In addition, because the manifestation of ME/CFS can be so varied and misunderstood, it can take health providers a long time to untangle the symptoms and diagnose this condition in a patient, if it’s diagnosed at all.

Common Symptoms

While ME/CFS is associated with many different symptoms, some of the most common include:

Crushing fatigue that doesn’t seem to improve
A loss of ability to do daily activities
Post-exertional malaise (PEM), which is when doing everyday activities aggravate fatigue and other symptoms
Sleep difficulties
Cognitive issues, such as brain fog or memory loss
Painful or achy joints
Muscle weakness
Recurring sore throats
Chronic headaches
Dizziness triggered by positional changes
Digestive issues
Temperature dysregulation, such as chills or night sweats
Tender lymph nodes, most commonly in the armpits or neck

Stress or infection may be causes

The cause of ME/CFS isn’t clear, but experts have some theories. For example, many patients with ME/CFS remember that their symptoms started with a bout of what felt like the flu. Some scientists believe this points to some kind of infection or virus as the cause, most notably the Epstein-Barr virus. Another theory is that ME/CFS results from a perfect storm of many factors, such as stress, weakened immunity or an infection that may initiate the onset of symptoms.

Many ME/CFS patients describe undergoing a great deal of physical or emotional stress before becoming ill. And some scientists agree that ME/CFS may be caused by emotional stress that’s severe enough to weaken your immune system. They believe that stress can upset your brain’s hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA axis). The HPA axis regulates your body’s hormones, including the stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline. Disruption of the HPA axis can also upset and weaken other body functions, most notably, your immune function.

There’s no cure for ME/CFS, so conventional treatment is focused on relieving symptoms. This may include treating depression, addressing sleep issues, and prescribing medications for pain. The symptoms of ME/CFS are generally most pronounced during the first year or two, and for many people, they get better with time. Some, however, report that they continue to struggle to recover their health and former level of function entirely.

Help for ME/CFS with Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine

The principles of acupuncture and Chinese medicine are based on energy or Qi. Essentially, to be healthy, you must have enough energy to support the functioning of your body’s many systems, and that energy must flow freely. When your body’s energy doesn’t flow, symptoms of blockage emerge, such as infections, menstrual clots, headache, painful joints, muscle spasms and tension. With ME/CFS, a lack of energy is the underlying source of symptoms. Not having enough energy to do everyday tasks or symptom aggravation after overdoing it are prime examples of energy/Qi depletion.

In treating ME/CFS with acupuncture, it’s important to understand the underlying cause of the energy depletion and to provide treatments to restore your energy to pre-ME/CFS levels. Several research studies* support the use of acupuncture in treating ME/CFS. Scientists have found that acupuncture can reduce physical and emotional fatigue, improve quality of life, increase physical functioning, decrease pain, help sleep, and improve mental health in patients with ME/CFS.

*Source: https://www.verywellhealth.com/acupuncture-for-chronic-fatigue-syndrome-715648

Chinese Herbal Medicine and Food Therapy also offer help

In addition to acupuncture, most practitioners of Chinese medicine are trained in the use of herbal medicine not only to augment their acupuncture treatments but also as a stand-alone therapy. Herbs may be used to boost energy, strengthen immunity, treat insomnia and reduce stress and other mental health symptoms. Good nutrition is also crucial for patients with ME/CFS, as your energy is produced from the food you eat. Chinese food therapy focuses on eating the right foods to support your health and promoting good digestion—both as a way to improve your energy. Herbal and nutritional therapies are based on each person’s specific needs, symptoms and health history.

Clearly, ME/CFS comes with many challenges, including getting a correct diagnosis. The good news is that acupuncture and Chinese medicine can offer effective natural treatment options. Contact our clinic if you want to know more about how Dr Vickery uses acupuncture and Chinese medicine to help her patients with ME/CFS.

Immunity and Chinese Medicine

With the onset of spring and then again in late summer I tend to see an increase in patients who struggle with allergies. Boosting immunity is the key to alleviating these symptoms. They may already be in full allergy misery, or simply anticipating the coming season. They’re the ones with the itchy eyes and ears, a runny nose, coughing, and even asthma. Regardless of which symptoms they have, each and every one is suffering.

In addition, over the winter, I have seen people in the clinic who have had a nasty cold that they just can’t seem to get rid of. It starts like any other run of the mill cold, but at some point, it drops down and becomes a heavy chest cold with a chronic cough. Many of those patients have come to me frustrated and a little bit frantic because they can’t seem to shake this thing and are coughing for what seems like months.

I also see patients who seem to catch absolutely everything that’s going around. They do their best to take care of their health, but it never fails when the creeping crud or the galloping flu is in town, they always get it.

In every instance, getting sick is no fun, and these patients want to know what they can do to boost their immunity and have turned to Chinese medicine and acupuncture for help. In the simplest terms, immunity in Chinese medicine is a bit like a protective shield, or force, that protects you from the viruses, bacteria, and pollen that make you sick. We call this protective force Wei Qi, and it needs to be strong in order to do its job in keeping you healthy. Clearly, when your Wei Qi is weak, it’s easier for pathogens to get through and make you sick.

The question then, is what can you do to have strong Wei Qi? The answer is to look at the function of Qi, or energy, in general. Your body, and the entire universe for that matter, is fueled by an energy that the Chinese call Qi. In your body Qi keeps you warm, moves your muscles and the blood through your vessels, transforms food into nutrients, and protects you from outside invaders (like the flu bug). When your Qi is strong, its protective function will also be strong, but when you’re run down, burning the candle at both ends, or eating too much from the drive through window, your Qi takes a hit, often in the form of weakened immunity.

Knowing that the strength of your energy is the key to strong immunity, your best strategy is to build up your Qi. One of the most efficient ways to do that is by getting the most out of your diet. The Chinese believe that food is medicine you get to eat three times a day, and each meal is an opportunity to improve your health. Here then, are some tips, using both diet and lifestyle, that can help you build up your Wei Qi:

Eat good food. This means making sure you get enough plant based foods that are a variety of colors. Doing so ensures that you’re getting your full complement of vitamins and antioxidants which boost immunity. A simple rule of thumb is to eat real food (not packaged), mostly vegetables, with a little whole grain and protein.
How you digest your food also counts. If you don’t have good digestion, it doesn’t matter what you eat. Symptoms like heartburn, stomachaches, gas, bloating, loose stools, or constipation is your body telling you that your digestion needs some help. You can start by cooking your vegetables instead of eating them raw, as they’re easier to break down. Avoid very heavy, greasy foods, lots of sugar, and very cold drinks. In addition, get some help in the form of acupuncture, which can put your digestion right fairly quickly.
Your lungs are also an important part of your immunity. Think about it; when you get sick, some part of your respiratory system is usually the first place it shows up. Taking care of your lungs by practicing deep relaxing breathing, avoiding smoke and other pollutants, and avoiding breathing really cold air, are some simple strategies to keep your lungs healthy.
Sleep is also critical. Your body heals and rejuvenates while you are sleeping. Good sleep builds good Qi, so if the quality of your sleep is poor, your immunity will also suffer. Aim for 7-9 hours each night, turn off all lit screens well before bedtime, and get some help (again acupuncture is good) if insomnia is a problem.
Check your stress. There is a direct link between stress and immunity, in that when you are stressed your fight or flight response is engaged. This enables your body to deal with the threat at hand by ramping up the systems needed to either fight or run and curbing those systems that aren’t needed right in the moment. What this means is that when you’re stressed, immunity is dialed back, so getting a handle on your stress is a good way to support your immune function.
Get some Vitamin D. If you predominantly work indoors, chances are that your Vitamin D levels are low. Vitamin D is important for a whole range of health issues, and low levels can decrease your immunity. At your next physical, ask your doctor to run a Vitamin D test with your other bloodwork. Or if you just had your physical and the doctor didn’t order that test, you can get one ordered through our office. If your Vitamin D is low, we have supplements. The usual supplements are 1,000 to 2,000 i.u’s a day in the form of Vitamin D3.
Understand that your body is programmed to heal itself, but that seemingly unrelated things can affect that process. If you are sick or injured, experiencing a loss, going through a life transition, recovering from childbirth or surgery, or are run down in some way, your immunity is compromised because recovering from any of those things takes vital energy, leaving a deficit in Wei Qi.
Hand Washing. While this is not Chinese medicine, wash your hands frequently, especially if you have been around sick people. And keep your hands away from your face. Also, if you’re dealing with allergies, remember that anything you do outside is exposing you to pollen. So when you come indoors, wash your face, gently towel off the dog you’ve just walked, and change your clothes. This makes immunity’s job a little easier. Inside, wear a mask when doing the “dirty chores” like vacuuming and dusting.

Chinese medicine can help here, too! Both acupuncture and Chinese herbs are an effective way to strengthen your protective defenses, decrease stress, promote good sleep, and strengthen your lungs. If you feel like you are catching every little thing that is going around, think about acupuncture to fortify your Wei Qi.

Calm Your Anxiety Naturally

Anxiety is described in many different ways.

It can feel exhausting, baffling, frightening, and frustrating—all at the same time. For many people, symptoms sneak up suddenly and out of the blue. For others, it can be a predictable reaction to specific situations or events, such as insects, tight spaces, or social situations. That said, anyone who struggles with anxiety would agree that it’s unwelcome, uncomfortable, and they would do whatever it takes to make it go away.

While the symptoms of anxiety vary from person to person, anxiety can produce heart palpitations, numbness or tingling in the extremities, a racing heart, chest tightness, light-headedness, shortness of breath, a general feeling of fear, and the sensation of immediate danger. Many people both with and without anxiety have ended up in the emergency room convinced that they were having a heart attack, only to be diagnosed with acute anxiety or a panic attack.

There are many underlying causes of anxiety.

Topping the list is trauma of almost any kind. People who have experienced traumatic events, such as an accident, physical or emotional abuse, violence, or threats to their safety clearly understand the source of their anxiety. Chronic stress and worry over an unsettling event or an uncontrollable situation that’s not easily resolved can also lead to anxiety.

Anxiety also tends to run in families. I have found that many people who have sought out acupuncture for their symptoms have a parent or other family member who also struggles with anxiety.

Perhaps one of the worst aspects of anxiety is the unpredictable nature of the symptoms. Being exposed to a trigger may bring on a full-blown panic attack one day and no symptoms the next. Some patients describe the fear of their anxiety as worse than the actual symptoms. Simply not knowing when or why it will show up can cause some sufferers to think they’re going crazy.

It’s important to understand that while anxiety is viewed as an emotional condition, it is often caused by physical problems. Hormonal imbalances (e.g. thyroid, adrenal), digestive issues, heart problems, and drug side effects all can be an underlying cause of anxiety.

Anxiety and Chinese Medicine

In understanding anxiety through the lens of the Five Elements in Chinese medicine, practitioners look toward the function of three internal organs—the Heart (Fire), Spleen (Earth), and Kidneys (Water). In this medicine, the internal organs have a physical presence, but are also considered to be symbolic and emotional systems of functioning. Each of your organ systems has a specific emotion tied to it that plays a role in the health and balance of the organ, as well as your overall health.

Heart (Fire)

We intuitively know that the Heart is an organ of feeling and emotion. You can have a broken heart, thank someone from the bottom of your heart, or dislike someone who is heartless. In Chinese medicine, your Heart system is the keeper of Shen, which is closest to the Western idea of Spirit. With similar functions to your brain, your Chinese Heart is responsible for emotions, memory, thought, and consciousness. Whenever there is emotional upset or imbalance, your Heart is always involved to some extent.

The specific emotion related to a balanced Heart is joy. However, when your heart is out of balance, this fire element tends to speed up to the point where joyfulness can become mania or depletion can cause anxiety.

Spleen (Earth)

While your Chinese Heart is the organ system of feelings, your Spleen is considered the system of digestion. And while we think of digestion as the processing of foods, we also digest ideas in a similar way. The emotion related to your Spleen is worry—considered to be a kind of rumination, or “chewing” on the same idea over and over, until that worry blossoms into anxiety.

Kidney (Water)

A third organ system, your Chinese Kidney is also related to anxiety in a couple of ways. Most notably is that the emotion associated with your Kidneys is deep-seated fear, which is the embodiment of anxiety. Secondly, your Kidney system is considered to be the most nourishing overall. It’s responsible for your body constitution, how healthfully you grow and age, and is the foundation of your body’s essential substances, such as Yin, Yang, Essence, Qi, and Blood. As such, your Kidneys are the organ system that can be the most damaged by unrelenting stress, worry, and anxiety.

From a Western perspective, your adrenal glands are located above your Kidneys, and conditions such as adrenal fatigue, overworking, and stress all negatively affect your body’s stress hormones and adrenal glands.

Acupuncture can help

The good news is that many people suffering from anxiety have been helped by acupuncture and Chinese medicine. Depending on your symptoms and overall health, your practitioner would develop a treatment plan that is specific to your unique situation. Important strategies involve calming your Shen, most likely using acupuncture, which has been documented to affect brain chemistry in a calming way.

Your practitioner would also assess the health of your Spleen and overall digestion, as well as determine the condition of your Kidney. In my clinic, I use the essential oil treatment in conjunction with needles to affect deeper relaxation and allow deeper healing. Beyond acupuncture, you may be prescribed an herbal formula specific to your case, as well as dietary recommendations, and other lifestyle changes to help calm your anxiety.

Many people struggle with anxiety, suffering with symptoms that run the gamut from mild and intermittent to chronic full-blown panic attacks. If you are experiencing anxiety, check out acupuncture—it may be the solution that you have been looking for.

Vickery Health & Wellness

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