Acupuncture Treatment for Malaria

Malaria

Caused by the protozoa Plasmodium. Characterized by fever initiated by severe rigor. Infections or attacks are recurrent and intermittent characterized by alternating chills and high fever (1/2 internal ½ external – shaoyang) then break sweat and fever breaks. May be in cycles of 1 day to months.

TCM – accumulation of pathogen in Shaoyang meridian, the pathogen hides in Ying level, when Zheng Qi is strong it pushes the pathogen out to Wei level causing the above symptoms, patient then breaks sweat and weakens the Zheng Qi but the pathogen goes into remission.



Shaoyang

headache, dizziness, bitter taste, alternation of chills and fever, nausea, hypochondriac fullness

P/T – harmonize and regulate Shaoyang to prevent attack and expel pathogen

Rx – Du, shaoyang, *Du 14 (all Yang meet, prevent attack), SI 3, SJ 3, *PC 5 (Luo relationship)

Summer Heat

more fever, may be no chills at all, sticky sweat that does not break fever, headache, thirst,

achy joints, T- red with yellow coat, P- wiry rapid

P/T – clear Heat, expel pathogen

Rx – Du, hand yangming and shaoyang, *Du 14 & Du 13, LI 11, SJ 5, SI 3, BL 40 (clear Heat)

- excess fever then feel cold – SP 4 (Chong, chest abdomen heart)

Summer Damp (more Damp/Cold)

more cold and less fever, may be cold with no fever, headache, heavy aching, no thirst, hypochondriac/chest fullness, fatigue, T- white slippery coat

P/T – warm to expel Cold

Rx – Du, foot yangming, Du 14, 9 (invigorate Yang Qi), Ren 6, 12, ST 36, BL 20, *PC 5 (internal/external relationship with shaoyang), SP 4, PC 6 (Spleen and Stomach Qi deficiency)

Zheng Qi deficiency with residual pathogen

chronic Malaria, when fatigued get attacks, not as severe alternating chills and fever, hypochondriac lump/enlargement (Liver/Spleen are the mothers of Malaria), yellow dull complexion, emaciated, short of breath, palpitations, spontaneous sweat,

T- pale with scanty coat, P- thin weak

P/T – regulate and tonify Qi and Blood, remove stagnation, dissolve hardness

Rx – Du, foot taiyang and yangming, BL 20, LR 3, ST 36, SP 6 (Qi and blood), Pigen (3.5 cun bilateral to L1) and LR 13 (Spleen/Liver enlargement) electro stimulation, Du 13 (expel pathogen and tonify deficiency)

- poor sleep – HT 7

- hypochondriac pain – SJ 6, GB 34





Alternative treatment methods

auricular – adrenal, subcortex, endocrine, SP, LR