Heidi Most, M.Ac., Dipl. Ac. (NCCAOM) provides a case study involving the treatment of a 78 year old patient who, as a result of Lyme Disease, experienced severe recurring pain episodes over the course of 16 months.



Symptom Details
Now J was experience level 12 pain (on a 1-10 point scale) in his right knee, ankle and foot. Using the traditional Chinese diagnostic tools of Inspection, Listening and Smelling, Palpation and Inquiry, I diagnosed bi syndrome (Painful Obstruction Syndrome) with Kidney and Spleen Qi Deficiency


Treatment Description
From a Chinese perspective, J’s wei qi (defensive qi or immune system) had been weakened, allowing a pathogen (bacteria) to enter into the interior of the body. The body, in trying to protect the organs, moved this pathogen to the joints, considered the deepest part of the wei (exterior) level. Moving and holding the pathogen further weakened the fluids of the body, including the blood. In J’s weakened state, the body was not able to hold the pathogen in check, and he was experiencing extreme pain. At the same time, the blood was also being taxed, as shown by the nature of his pain (sharp and stabbing).

I chose to use the Luo meridians to treat the pathogens that were in his blood, and the Divergent Meridians to treat the pathogens lurking in his joints. The Divergent Meridians, because they connect the outermost (wei) level of the body with the innermost (yuan) level, have the capacity to reach deep into the body to take pathogens out of latency and release them, or to put them back into latency if the body is to weak to release them. The course of treatment consists of 3 days of acupuncture, then a 3 day break, repeated 3 times for a full course of 18 days.

The Luo Meridians treat pathogens held in the blood. Treatment involves bleeding, by pricking the Luo point on the affected meridian to get a drop of blood, and then protecting the meridian by treating the Source point, so the pathogen cannot go deeper in to the body. Treatment is traditionally done every other day for 28 days.

I combined these two treatments, seeing J a total of 11 days in one month. (I charge only one fee per week, as I strongly believe that treatment must be intensive, and most people would be deterred by having to make 9 - 14 payments in one month.) As treatment progressed, J continued to take antibiotics and prednisone, as prescribed by his doctor. His doctor was also fully supportive of him trying acupuncture. By day 18, the pain was gone, with only stiffness remaining. His doctor took him off the antibiotics but kept him on the prednisone for another 5 days. Where Western medicine might leave off, I will continue to work with Jim to strengthen his constitution and his body’s ability to fight off pathogens.

As we age, our yin substances (blood, body fluids) decline, and our bodies are less capable of holding latent the pathogens that have entered over the years. In addition, according to Chinese thinking, blood holds our experiences. Over time, these experiences also can enter deeper into the body, creating disease within us. This is the reason that aging can bring a host of problems. In understanding these mechanisms, Chinese medicine is in a unique position to help resolve the problems that result.

When people are in extreme pain, they will seek any type of treatment that is available, often combining therapies in a desperate attempt to ease their suffering. It is impossible to tease out which treatments eliminated J’s pain: after weeks of treatment with antibiotics, perhaps they finally became effective, or perhaps the prednisone reduced the inflammation significantly enough to reduce the pain. Or perhaps the acupuncture was able to open the energy pathways enough to allow the pain to recede and the medicine to do its job.



Case Question
The end result is three happy people: J is without pain for the first time in months, and he says he feels both the drugs and the acupuncture were useful. J’s doctor and I are satisfied that our therapies contributed to his recovery. Here is a wonderful example of Chinese and Western medicine working synergistically to create wellness.

Question:
With recurring Lyme symptoms after treatment, what other immune support have you found to help?

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