poison ivy and oak

[Guest guest]

I'm allergic to poison ivy and oak myself- I've

tried a number of things and haven't been satisfied

with the Chinese herbal approach. I have noticed

that it feels like I'm getting a wind-heat attack right

before the rash shows up. So yin qiao san might

be indicated... but that's not going to get the pathogen

away from the skin.

 

There's a great product called

Tecnu that is like soap for oak and ivy- it actually

binds to the oils and pulls them off- it's best to use

all over your body if you suspect yuo've gotten into

some- and you can keep using it throughout the sore-

weeping stage to pull the oils out of the sores and keep

them from spreading. The worst thing about this

allergic reaction is that the weeping can move the oils

to new parts of the skin and keep spreading...

 

The first time that happened to me here in California

with poison oak (I missed the forests of Ohio and thought

I'd just roll around and through the bushes of a San Diego

canyon), I ended up in the ER, surrounded by medical

students and interns privileged to witness what the

attending called " the most advanced case he'd seen. "

That was after nearly a week of being isolated at home

while the sores weeped... they gave me a prednisone

taper, which worked wonders.

 

I know all the downsides of steroids, but when you're

this allergic, it's the only humane solution. You can

take an herbal formula of gan cao, zhi mu, and shu di

to moderate the side effects. But given the problems

with steroids, the best solution is to avoid the oak

and ivy in the first place at all costs. When someone

is so allergic they don't even have to touch it, I would

tell them to consider moving somewhere where it

doesn't exist.

 

Personally, I think they should destroy it all, but I guess

it's the only refuge of a certain species of bird. I don't

like birds too much either, but I'll let it go. ;-)

 

All the best,

B

 

 

Brian Benjamin Carter, M.Sci., L.Ac.

http://www.pulsemed.org/briancarterbio.htm

Acupuncturist & Herbalist

Editor, The Pulse of Oriental Medicine

Columnist, Acupuncture Today

(619) 208-1432 San Diego

(866) 206-9069 x 5284 Tollfree Voicemail

 

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-

<acupuncture >

<acupuncture >

Wednesday, May 21, 2003 1:45 AM

acupuncture Digest Number 548

 

 

>

> There are 3 messages in this issue.

>

> Topics in this digest:

>

> 1. new one here

> " Snapes Long Thing " <metatron_namaste

> 2. Re: 3am

> Rob Jansen <JetteS

> 3. Re: 3am

> Hoang Ho <twomtns2002

>

>

> ______________________

> ______________________

>

> Message: 1

> Mon, 19 May 2003 08:07:24 -0000

> " Snapes Long Thing " <metatron_namaste

> new one here

>

> Hi everyone, i'm new here. I'm starting a BA Acupuncture course in

> september at Derby University. Could you recommend to me any

> books/advice that will help me through the 3 year course.

> Thankyou

> xxx Gina xxx

>

>

>

> ______________________

> ______________________

>

> Message: 2

> Sun, 18 May 2003 04:31:23 -0700 (PDT)

> Rob Jansen <JetteS

> Re: 3am

>

> Hi there,

>

> many years ago I had a similar patient or exactly the

> same really. I tried many different appraoches and

> finally someone told me: but that when the yang energy

> starts flowing thruogh the bladdermeridian.

> I couldn't find the theory but just tried it with

> succes. Of course there's maybe more points needed to

> treat the rest of your patients condition but with

> mine the waking up at 3am stopped when I needled bl 1

> jingming on both sides.

>

> greetings Rob Jansen

>

>

>

> The New Search - Faster. Easier. Bingo.

> http://search.

>

>

> ______________________

> ______________________

>

> Message: 3

> Mon, 19 May 2003 11:57:59 -0700 (PDT)

> Hoang Ho <twomtns2002

> Re: 3am

>

> 3am is the beginning of the tiger hour. Horse and dog year people could

benefit from treatments in this hour. Monkey and rat,dragon year

births..beware?

>

> jdicanio wrote:All,

> I have a client who wakes up at around 3am in the morning every day. Any

> thoughts on which meridian would cause this or what would be behind it?

>

> Looking forward to your response.

> Judy

>

>

>