The TCM Treatment of Lyme Disease

Chief-complaint: Recurring fatigue and joint pain for eight years
Western-diagnosis: Lyme disease
Medical-history: A 46 year old Caucasian male with a history of recurring fatigue and joint pain that would leave him bedridden. He received steroids for the initial bouts which relieved his symptoms temporarily. Many years later, he was diagnosed with Lyme disease and given approximately 8 weeks of antibiotic treatment. Patient reported little improvement with the antibiotic therapy.
He came into my office after being unable to work for several months. He reported extreme fatigue, brain fog, and severe pain in his right ankle.
Symptoms: Extreme fatigue, brain fog, ankle pain.
Pulse: Pulses were thready, sinking, and slippery.
Tongue: Tongue was purple-red with a white-yellow moist coat.
CM-diagnosis: Qi and blood deficiency with damp-heat toxins / Gu Syndrome
Treatment-principle: disperse gu toxins, kill pathogens, calm spirit, tonify and move qi and blood
Point-prescription: Tonify KI10, LIV8. Moxa on KI3, SP6, ST36. Wet cupping on left ankle, shoulders, and base of the neck.
Herb-prescriptions:
Formula 1: Chuan Xin Lian, Hu Zhang, Lian Qiao, Qing Hao, Ren Dong Teng, Tu Fu Ling, Yu Xing Cao, He Zi, Gou Qi Zi, Xu Duan, Niu Xi, Cao Wu, Shi Chang Pu, Yuan Zhi, Di Long, Mu Li, Long Gu

• 6 grams of powdered herbs taken in water three times a day for 10 weeks.

Formula 2: Bai Hua She She Cao, Bai Shao, Da Qing Ye, Dan Shen, Dong Chong Xia Cao, Huang Bo, Huang Lian, Jin Yin Hua, Kun Bu, Ling Zhi, Rou Gui, Hua Jiao, Zhi Zi

• 4 grams of powdered herbs taken in water two times a day for 10 weeks.

Formula 3: Lian Qiao, Huang Qin, Ren Dong Teng, Ban Lan Gen, Da Huang, Pu Gong Ying, Zi Hua Di Ding, Chuan Xin Lian

• 4 grams of powdered herbs taken as needed for herxheimer reactions.

Lifestyle-prescription: Eliminate cow dairy, wheat, refined sugar. Add more lean animal protein, seaweeds, raw and cooked greens, no alcohol or caffeine. Burned Ru Xiang every evening before bed.
Results: Patient received weekly treatments of: acupuncture, detoxification, craniosacral technique, wet cupping, and Sufi healing.
First treatment: the patient reported that their ankle pain was gone completely.
Second treatment: the patient reported feeling much less fatigue and returned to work.
Third treatment: patient reported being able to work 60 hours and had some bouts of fatigue.
After 10 weeks: the patient reported being symptom free.
Follow up after one year post treatment: patient still reports being symptom free.
Synopsis: Lyme disease is a chronic infection which requires a multi-pronged strategy for detoxification, eliminating the pathogen, rebuilding the immune system, and resolving pain, fatigue, and neurological symptoms.
Using a Gu Syndrome herbal approach as outlined by Dr. Heiner Fruehauf was a critical component to successfully eliminating the patient’s symptoms.
Sufi healing methods were used to expel “bad spirits”. This methods produced dramatic reductions in pain, fatigue, and brain fog.
Wet cupping was also used to quickly drain toxins and resulted in rapid increases in energy and mental clarity.