Chinese Medicine has many treatment options for all stages of swine flu H1N1 and other types of influenza.

Ideally, treatment may be sought prior to exposure to Swine Flu.  This preventative treatment helps to strengthen your body’s immune system and protective energy (wei qi).  By strengthening your protective energy, the influenza pathogen is less able to penetrate your system and make you sick. Continue common sense precautions:

• Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hands cleaners are also effective.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread that way.
• Avoid close contact with sick people.

Once you have been exposed to the virus, the aim of treatment is to kill the virus before it reaches its full strength and symptoms.  Most influenza viruses take 1-4 days from exposure to onset of symptoms.  This period of initial exposure is vitaly important, and treatment is primarily aimed at killing the virus.

According to “The Swine Flu and Chinese Herbal Medicine” by John Heuertz, OMD, ” Once the virus reaches the lung tissue, however, or symptoms do not abate within the first 24 hours…viral replication has reached peak production, and the body’s immune response is now occupying or even consuming all available qi.” At this stage, the aim of treatment is to disperse heat and regulate the body’s immune response.  This helps the body deal with the most common symptoms such as racing pulse, headache, body aches, low appetite, fatigue and weakness, fever, and chest symptoms. Use common sense precautions to limit the spread of the virus:

• Wash your hands often, especially after coughing, sneezing, and wiping or blowing the nose.
• Cover your mouth when coughing or sneezing.
• Use paper tissues when wiping or blowing your nose; throw tissues away after use.
• Stay away from crowded living and sleeping spaces, if possible.
• Stay home and avoid contact with other people to protect them from catching your illness.

One of the beauties of Chinese Medicine is that it works on its own or in conjunction with oseltamivir and zanamivir, the two antiviral drugs useful against H1N1.  (Remember that aspirin is not recommended due to the risk of Reye syndrome.)  As this is a novel strain of influenza, it is likely to spread especially in the Autumn and Winter months.  Luckily, the CDC expects that most people will recover from H1N1 without needing medical care.

Take Care and Stay Healthy!

I did points to help her dilate and efface, strengthen the uterus, make contractions more efficient, and build her stamina for the task ahead.  As she left, her contractions were coming closer together and lasting longer and she was in great spirits.  I love this work!

I love that there are different ways to nourish our bodies and spirits.  I often recommend foods to my clients to nourish a particular energy.  For example, I just saw a client the other day who injured his foot while running a 10k race.  He has several other symptoms that point to a kidney deficiency, like sore back and knees, fatigue, hair loss and urinary problems.  His chronic underlying deficiency laid the groundwork for this acute injury to occur.  During his appointment, I treated points to strengthen his kidney energy, as well as points to nourish his spirit so he could be more resilient and healthy in general.  I also recommended kidney strengthening foods such as miso, kelp, barley, kale, horseradish, parsnips, and sweet potatoes.  That way he’s giving himself mini-treatments whenever he eats!

POINTS TOWARD HEALTH
For symptomatic relief, use your thumb or forefinger to press on these acupoints for 30-60 seconds. Stimulate points on both sides of your face, several times per day to ease your symptoms.

B2 Collect Bamboo: In the depression at the inner end of the eyebrows, directly above the inner corner of the eye. Relieves colds, sinus congestion, frontal headaches, and tired eyes.

LI 20 Welcome Fragrance: On either cheek, just outside each nostril. Relieves nasal congestion, sinus pain, facial paralysis, and facial swelling.

ST3 Great Cheekbone: Located at the bottom of the cheekbone, directly below the pupil. Relieves stuffy nose, head congestion, burning eyes, eye fatigue, and eye pressure.

Emotional Symptoms of Imbalanced Spring Energy:
Aggressive behavior
Anger and angry outbursts
Bitterness/Depression
Emotional repression
Frustration
Impatience
Inability to plan or organize
Indecision
Irritability
Jealousy
Moodiness
Negative outlook
Nervous tension
Over-fastidious planning
Resentment
Rigid and inflexible attitude
Shouting
Timidity

Try venting your anger in a constructive way: punch a pillow, chop wood, shout, jump up and down, sprint, write a letter to your congressman…whatever it takes to get it out of your body without destroying anything.

Starting in September 2007, we will be offering individually tailored acupuncture in a group setting at Crossings Community Acupuncture Clinic in downtown Silver Spring, Md. We offer a sliding scale of $15-35 per treatment so cost doesn’t get in the way of you receiving the care you need. No insurance hassles, no referrals necessary – just affordable care to help you feel better in body, mind, and spirit.

Check out our Community Acupuncture page for more information.