Acupuncture in the Treatment of Blood Diseases

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The following (as well as the chapter title) are taken from A

Handbook of Chinese Hematology by Simon Becker:

 

" In China today, acupuncture is not considered the standard of care

for the treatment of Western hematological diseases. " (p. 53)

" Having said all this, I believe it needs to be pointed out once

again in an unequivocal fashion that Chinese herbal medicine should

be the predominate method of treatment of hematological diseases.

This is the standard of care for the diseases discussed in this book

in the People's Republic of China where Chinese4 medicine originated

and has been the most extensively documented. If one also chooses

to do acupuncture as well as prescribe Chinese medicinals for the

diseases discussed in this book, the practitioner should keep in

mind that this is nonstandard, experimental treatment which is

primarily being used as an adjunctive modality. " (p. 57.)

 

Additional info: According to Becker, the serious blood disorders -

like the leukemias - respond best to a combination of Western

allopathic treatment and TCM. Chemotherapy is especially important

in the treatment of the acute leukemnias.

 

Two of the common side effects of chemo are Toxic Evils with Blood

Heat and Damp Heat. Damage to the digestive system is also common.

Becker lists 5 patterns commonly seen after chemotherapy and gives

some reccomended treatments. The 5 are 1. Spleen vacuity

(deficiency) with smoldering and stagnant damp heat pattern, 2. Yin

vacuity (deficiency) with accompanying damp heat pattern, 3. Heat

accumulation with yin depletion and fluid exhaustion pattern, 4. Qi

and yin (blood) dual vacuity (deficiency) pattern, and spleen-kidney

dual vacuity pattern.

 

" According to research published in 1998 and conducted from 1992-

1997 by Ma Rou et al. from the Department of Hematology at the Xi

Yuan Hospital in Beijing, clinical remission can be drastically

prolonged by the continuous taking of Chinese medicinals. The main

form of treatment for acute leukemia is chemotherapy. Chemotherapy

dispels evils. However, it also attacks the righteous qi and leaves

the body weak and the qi vacuous. According to the statement in the

Su Wen (Simple Questions) that, " If the qi recovers and returns,

there is life; if qi does not return, there is death, " treatment

during the remission period should focus on supporting the righteous

and banking the root. The formula below can be used for patients in

clinical remission. It needs to be administered long-term. One

treatment course needs to last approximately three months and

anywhere from 2-12 courses should be administered. " (p. 173.)