Combat Colds and Flu with Chinese Herbs

WHAT ARE COLD AND FLU?
The common cold is an acute viral infection that generally causes inflammation of the upper respiratory tract. It is the most common infectious disease in humans and accounts for more time lost from work or school than any other disease. Flu is an acute and contagious infection of the respiratory tract caused by various strains of the influenza virus. Cold and Flu symptoms include runny nose, cough, chills, headache, fever, and severe aching in the muscles and joints. Although flu affects all age groups, schoolchildren have the highest incidence. Although colds and flu are generally of brief duration, they can lead to complications in the very young, the elderly, and those with chronic diseases or compromised immune systems.

ARE YOU TREATING SYMPTOMS OR THE CAUSE?
Because both cold and flu are viral infections, conventional medicine has no cure for them. Antibiotics do NOT cure colds or flu. Aspirin, decongestants and other medications are prescribed to make patients more comfortable and vaccinations are manufactured to prevent some strains of flu.

“In years when the vaccine strains are not well matched to circulating strains, vaccine effectiveness is generally lower.” If your immune system is already compromised, vaccine effectiveness is generally lower. If you have an influenza-like-illness, vaccine effectiveness is generally lower.[1]

Whether you use any of the above remedies or not, bed rest and increased fluid intake are necessary for your body to recover.

Use of herbal formulas to prevent and treat colds and flu is the most successful aspect of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). Chinese herbs boost immune response to eliminate viruses faster. Some herbs inhibit viral reproduction and/or relieve symptoms, making a serious infection less debilitating and less disruptive to your lifestyle.

At my clinic, Point-A Place Of Wellness, I see demand for cold and flu formulas, especially among school teachers and parents of young children because of constant exposure to viruses and risk of infection. My patients are pleased by the effectiveness of Chinese herbal formulas and referring their friends.

NOT ONE-SIZE FITS ALL
In TCM, patterns are differentiated according to the imbalances of the body and the causes and stages of the disease. The same virus can manifest differently depending on the patient’s general health. Herbal formulas are recommended by practitioners based on not only the illness type but patient type. This article lists some basic formulas to keep on hand for a well-stocked medicine cabinet but if your symptoms change or increase in severity, contact your local Chinese medicine practitioner.

Wind-Cold Pattern symptoms include: aversion to cold; mild fever; absence of sweat; chest congestion; sneezing; runny nose (clear mucus); itching throat or cough (clear mucus); thin, white tongue coating; and a tight pulse.

• Dispel Invasion is for cold or flu manifested as Wind-Cold Pattern. It can also benefit air-conditioning induced cold symptoms.
  
• Blue Green Lung Clearing Formula also known as Xiao Qing Long Tang is for when the mucus is more excessive and there is tightness in the chest. It can relieve asthma, pneumonia and allergy symptoms.

Wind-Heat Pattern symptoms include: fever; headache; sweating; runny nose (yellow mucus); dry mouth; thirst; sore throat; productive cough (thick yellowish phlegm); thin, yellow tongue coating; and a floating and rapid pulse. Swine flu is a Wind-Heat condition.

• Initial Defense is the most popular herbal formula to treat the Wind-Heat pattern. It combines two traditional formulas: Yin Qiao San and Sang Ju Yin.
  
• Gan Mao Ling and Zhong Gan Ling are similar in function to Initial Defense but are indicated for more severe conditions such as sudden high fever, swollen lymph nodes, and aching limbs.
  

According to Beijing health authorities, TCM has been more effective (and less expensive) than the antiviral drug Tamiflu in curing human infections of swine flu.

“Wang Yuguang , Deputy Dean of the Centre of Integrated Traditional and Western Medicine at Beijing's Ditan Hospital, which specializes in the treatment of infectious diseases, said swine flu patients treated with traditional Chinese medicine improved faster and tended to stay in hospital for a shorter time than patients using Tamiflu… Traditional medicine considers such factors as the level of virus infection, the condition of the body, age, season and climate. Treatment can be adjusted in the dose and types of herbs. Such personalised treatment seldom caused drug resistance, as Tamiflu could, Dr Wang said.”[2]

PREVENTION IS THE KEY
While there are many ways to reduce risk of infection[3] like washing your hands and getting plenty of rest and taking nutritional supplements like Vitamin D[4], here are three additional formulas that can be used as preventatives or treatment if you are concerned about high susceptibility to influenza because of past experience or other risk factors.

Immunity refers to the harmonic interaction of the body's processes, substances, and structural components to create strength, stamina, and adaptability. To bolster immunity is ultimately to strengthen your body as a whole.

• If you are prone to “head colds” or congestion, Head Clear formula supports immune function to efficiently eliminate congestion from the head, sinus, eyes and ears. Chronic congestion can escalate infection of the respiratory system.
  
• If you have a compromised immune system because of chemo, radiation, or an autoimmune disorder (Lupus, MS, HIV), Resilience has different Fungi which contain polysaccharides that exert an activating, corrective influence upon both cellular (macrophages and T-cells) and humoral (antibodies) aspects of the immune system.
  
• Another formula for compromised immune systems, Jade Windscreen, functions much the way Resilience does except it is formulated with herbs instead of mushrooms.

Acupuncture and Chinese herbs restore and maintain optimal health. If you have any imbalance in the body, the various systems will not function properly. Chinese herbs are used to correct the imbalance and restore energy, promote digestion, heal injuries, and enhance general wellness. Consult your local Chinese medicine practitioner to determine the best formulas for your lifestyle.

----
Resources:

1. http://www.cdc.gov/FLU/PROFESSIONALS/VACCINATION/effectivenessqa.htm. “Flu Vaccine Effectiveness: Questions and Answers for Health Professionals” Centers for Disease Control
2. http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-05/03/content_11302597.htm “Beijing Ditan Hospital on service to treat influenza A/H1NI” China View (Xinhua News Agency)
3. http://aplaceofwellness.blogspot.com/2009/04/flu-prevention-treatment-swine-or.html
4. http://www.achs.edu/news/news-detail.aspx?nid=189 “American College of Healthcare Sciences “News and Events” Scott Stuart, ACHS Faculty

Flu Prevention & Treatment (Swine or Otherwise)

With the rapid spread of swine flu in news, this is a good time to remember simple and effective ways to prevent infection:

Wash hands routinely with soap and warm water.

Wipe down phones, keyboards, and shared office equipment with anti-viral/anti-bacterial cleaner.

Boost your immune system with proper rest, nutrition and Chinese herbs.

Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread that way.

Swine flu symptoms are those of the influenza virus. Most people who become infected will not have any long term complications. Those who are immune compromised, elderly or pregnant may be at higher risk of complications or serious respiratory illness.

The most common swine flu symptoms include: Cough, Congestion, Body Aches, Headaches, Joint Pains, Fevers (high or low), Sore Throat, and Fatigue. Viral transmission can occur with casual contact or airborne transmission, like when one sneezes or coughs. Eating pork products will not cause one to develop the swine flu.

Cold and Flu and Traditional Chinese Medicine

Herbal formulas can treat influenza. Some treat flu and colds manifested as body aches, chills, dull headache, neck stiffness, and low fever. Some herbs treat infections that manifest as sore throat, high fever (above 101), coughing, and itching red eyes. Formulas are prescribed based on reported symptoms and tongue and pulse diagnosis. They improve the overall adaptability of the body's regulatory mechanisms and reduce the severity and duration of the infection.

Pharmacological evaluation has shown some root and fungi based formulas contain polysaccharides that exert an activating, corrective influence upon both the cellular (macrophages and T-cells) and humoral (antibodies) aspects of the immune system.

Immunity refers to the harmonic interaction of the body's processes, substances, and structural components to create strength, stamina, and adaptability. To bolster immunity is ultimately to strengthen your body as a whole.

Acupuncture and Chinese herbs restore and maintain optimal health and prevent contraction of infections.

Case Study: Curing Ear Infections

A mother brought her toddler (16-month boy) to my office after a visit to the pediatrician and pharmacist. The pediatrician diagnosed the boy with a virus infection and fluid in his ears and prescribed an antibiotic. The mother didn’t want to give it to her son and asked if there is “anything he can do instead.” She specifically inquired if he was too young to take Chinese herbs.

Would his body respond well? Would it reduce his fever? Could he handle the taste?

The boy had red-rimmed, glassy eyes and a 5-mm canker sore centered on his inner bottom lip. He had a fever of 103(F) the night before, a runny nose with slight yellow discharge and swollen glands behind his ears. He also didn’t defecate for the previous two days.

I prescribed an herbal formula designed to treat common colds and ear infections in children by expelling Pathogenic Factors. I showed the mother how to administer the formula in a tincture that evaporates the alcohol in the formula (mix with a dropper or two of hot water).

When she gave him one dropper of the tincture, he couldn’t get enough. He grabbed her hand asking for more and tried to reach the bottle when she put it in her bag. Evidently, the taste of the formula was not a problem.

In a few minutes his eyes become clear, he started playing and he pooped. By the time she left the office (they were here 15 minutes) her boy looked much more alert and happy and healthy. His body responded well to the formula. Two hours later, she called me to let me know his canker sore had completely cleared and he was “happy and playing.”

This formula has an immediate affect on the body. Administrating it every 2-3 hours will allow the child to get over his cold without the need to take antibiotics. Because it works by enhancing the body’s natural immune response, this can also be used to prevent colds and infections.

Case Study: Swollen Glands

OBSERVATION:

A mother brought her son (3 yrs. 8 mos.) to my office because his glands were swollen. Six weeks prior to the visit, he had a cold that developed into an ear infection and she gave him oral antibiotics. The ear ache went away but his glands stayed swollen.

She said he tires easily and has temper tantrums when he’s tired. In my office he was responsive, curious, and very articulate, with good fine and gross motor skills.

DIAGNOSIS:

The glands are still swollen because not all virus or bacteria left the body, a condition known as Lingering Pathogenic Factor. It was caused in this case by the use of antibiotics thereby (in terms of Chinese medicine) weakening Qi and/or creating phlegm. Phlegm isn’t just the accumulated solidified mucus or sputum found in the respiratory system (lungs & sinus) as described in Western medicine. In TCM, “the concept of Phlegm is very wide-ranging and important…[and] extremely frequent in clinical practice. [It] is at the same time a pathological condition and an aetiological factor.”[1]

One way to understand how Phlegm manifests in the body is to think of the different states of water (gas, liquid, solid). Some common manifestations of phlegm are in the head (foggy feeling, clouded thinking), in the digestive tract (“damp”, bloating) and the lungs (expectorant). In this case, the manifestation of the Phlegm is his swollen glands.

Part of the problem with using antibiotics to treat infections is that bacteria become drug resistant very quickly, and infections tend to easily reoccur.[2] Besides creating drug resistant bacteria, some antibiotics directly injure the immune system by blocking protein synthesis within mitochondria reducing production of White Blood Cells (WBC).[3] When antibiotics inhibit WBC production, the body is slow to return to normalcy (i.e. the glands remain swollen, he’s still tired) and there are lingering symptoms.

TREATMENT:

I used massage to stimulate points along his arms, hands, neck and upper back and chest in order to enhance the Lung function of expelling pathogenic factors and reduce phlegm. The points I focused on were LI4, GB20 to Clear pathogenic wind, Lu5 to clear phlegm from the Lungs, Lu9 to Tonifies the lungs and St36/Ren12 to Tonifies the spleen. His tiredness was the result of Spleen Qi Deficiency caused by the antibiotics.

I taught him how to stimulate his chest points by tapping with his fists like Tarzan. I taught his mother how to massage the other points. I also prescribed Chinese herbs to take at home. Empowering the patient and caregiver increases healing. Illness is no longer something that happens to them but is a process they can manage.

OUTCOME:

I talked with the mother the week after his visit. She said he took the formula (as drops in his drinks) for 3 days and the swelling in his glands went down. His normal color returned and he is easier to handle (because he is not as tired as before). This was I expected.

GOING FORWARD:

To prevent this from becoming a chronic condition, I highly recommend using Chinese herbs instead of antibiotics. Antibiotics are designed to kill bacteria. Chinese herbs are available in antibacterial AND antiviral formulas. Chinese herbs are prescribed to enhance normal function of the body and improve your health.

Though antibiotics can occasionally improve some symptoms, especially those caused by inflammation, they possess no direct action to do anything other than kill the bacteria. If the cause is viral, you’re taking a drug you don’t need.

q Antibiotics can’t relieve distress or pain.

q Antibiotics can’t promote drainage.

q Antibiotics can’t repair damage.

q Antibiotics can’t prevent recurrence or any of the other issues commonly encountered in a case of Acute Otitis Media (AOM) – ear infection.

Children who take antibiotics have repeat infections, often causing a prolonged merry-go-round cycle. All common epithelial infections of the nose, throat, ear, lungs, skin, urethra and bladder can successfully be treated with Chinese formulas. In terms of ear infection, antibiotics are not only unnecessary; they are harmful. [4]

---

[1] Maciocia, Giovanni. The Foundations of Chinese Medicine. Edinburgh: Churchill Livingston, 1989 (ISBN 0-443-03980-1)

[2] “The authors believe the frequent use of antibiotics for common ear infections raises risks that children will harbor drug resistant bacteria during subsequent illness. They point out that children whose previous ear infections were treated with antibiotics have a rate of Apicillin (amoxocillan)-resistant bacteria that is three times higher during subsequent otitis media.” JAMA November 26, 1997; 278(20):1643-1645

[3] “A number of antibiotics (e.g., streptomycin) that act by blocking protein synthesis in bacteria also block protein synthesis within mitochondria and chlorplasts.” http://users.rcn.com/jkimball.ma.ultranet/BiologyPages/E/Endosymbiosis.html

[4] “Pediatric Ear Infections” Fratkin, Jake Paul, OMD L.Ac., NEWS FROM GOLDEN FLOWER, Fall 2004