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Thread: Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

  1. #1

    Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

    I'm curious if anyone has ever successfully treated a case of CFS using TCM.

  2. #2
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    CFS is a "Syndrome" which to me means it's a label that Western Medical puts on it because they don't know what it is or what causes it. It's the same with IBS. Drives me nuts.

    TCM thinks differently and will approach it differently. Although I'm not a doctor of TCM I would be willing to bet that CFS is related to stomach and spleen and perhaps kidneys.

    I'd like to hear some experienced TCM folks weigh in on this.
    Last edited by woliveri; 01-20-2004 at 09:25 AM.

  3. #3
    CFS is probably caused by a number of things, I'm thinking it may have something to do with severe jing/qi depletion.

  4. #4
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    looking up,

    you should try some tcm!! you have nothing to lose and everything and more to gain.

    I dont have chronic fatigue but I did used to have this thing where i had some short breath, if i walked up big stairs.

    I had some herbs for it in HK and i can breath freely now, mcuh longer and better.

  5. #5
    Hello Cha Kuen,

    Actually I don't suffer from CFS. I did have some problems in the past with low energy levels, but I took some chinese herbs and that helped a lot. I also do qigong/taiji and that helps too. I was reading about CFS and I am also considering a career in TCM. I started to wonder how TCM diagnosed CFS so I decided to ask the wonderful people of the kung fu magazine message boards.

    Thanks,
    David

  6. #6
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    David,
    '
    A career in TCM sounds great! I once too thought a lot about a career in TCm but right now, it looks like Ill porbalby practice it as a hobby just to help some people.

    Still gotta learn it though! hehe

    where are you located? CA?

  7. #7
    I'm in Illinois. I'll probably move to California to go to school...and to get away from from this paradise they call the Midwest.

    I know it'll be a challenge making a living at TCM, but I know that I don't want to sit in front of a computer for the rest of my life just to make $$$.

  8. #8

    Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

    CFS is usually started from an external invasion of some type of pathogen like Wind Cold, Heat and/or Damp (commonly known as flu or some other pathogen that creates fever)... which hasn't been expelled from the body properly.

    Gradually it starts to work deeper into the various division of the body usually affecting the Tai Yin level (Lungs & Spleen).

    The Lungs and Spleen in TCM are responsible for creating after heaven Qi from the food & drink as well as the air that we breathe.

    As the body's defenses try to fight the trapped pathogen, and as the body's energy begins to weaken you get this never ending circle of exhausting it's resources.

    Generally the diagnosis is something like Lung Qi Xu / Spleen Qi Xu. Depending the persons constitution there maybe some Kidney involvement as well. As the Kidneys are the root to the whole of the body's energy.
    Dave Stevens

  9. #9
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    looking_up

    California is a high cost state. Let me say that again, California is a high cost state. Make sure you have a place to stay and funds to carry you. Depending on where you land, 2 bedroom appts are 1250 and up. Taxes are high. Gas. Food. Car Registration and licensing. Etc, etc, etc.

    You might want to take a look at Arizona schools. There's a few there and the cost of living is much more reasonable.

    Also, Phoenix is a High Technology area. Not as much as California but it's there so there should be computer jobs.

    What kind of computer work do you do?

  10. #10
    Hey woliveri man, I just saw your post.

    I am a lowly technical support engineer for a technical software company - math software.

    I am aware that California is ridiculously expensive - at this point I am willing to take the risk. It may sound naive, but i'd rather be poor and happy with what I am doing. I will think it over carefully, but I really like Five Branches in Santa Cruz. I may be able to get some help from my parents, but that's a long shot...

    Are you studying TCM?

    --------

    Pakmei,

    Thanks for the knowledgable response. Are you actively practicing TCM?

  11. #11
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    looking_up,

    No, I am not currently studying TCM. I have, in the past, studied on my own in relation to Qi Gong Theory and in relation to my own condition. I have been for a long time with what you might call CFS but with TCM and Qi Gong am getting the better of it. I was so bad at one time that if I exercised one day I would feel sore two to three weeks later. Much better now. Also, I am facinated with TCM and hopefully, in the future I might be able to study for sure.

    I currently am programming software and doing networking in a financial environment in Orange County Ca and am thinking about moving to Arizona. Az has a different atmosphere than Ca. Although hot in the summer there are many open spaces and things to do. Also, it is affordable in Az and there looks like there are some good schools there too. In the end, I have learned it will be up to the student to know their success in TCM. I have heard many stories of students who even though they graduated they did not "have it" in TCM. That is, it's an art as well as theoretical. The art of pulse diagnosis, needle placement, etc. Also, I had a Chinese Doctor of TCM tell me that even though he was Chinese he still had problems with Teachers teaching only what they were required and nothing more. It's still very much a protected art/practice just like Kung Fu. This doctor had to go back to Taiwan after he graduated to really learn as he had a couple of friends who were open with him regarding learning the art. I'm not trying to discourage you, just that you should be aware of this. After graduation the learning really starts.

    Perhaps others can chime in on this and give you direction. I now have very many friends all who are very good doctors so if I were to go into this practice I know I would have a source for learning after graduation.


    Hope this helps,

  12. #12
    Woliveri,

    I'm glad you were able to find some help for your problem. How did you stumble across TCM and qigong? Did someone suggest it to you? What kind of qigong do you practice?

    Hmm...I'd be interested to know what schools your friends are talking about. I'm sure TCM is gongfu just like taijiquan. No effort, no results. You need a good teacher, however.

    Good luck to both of us I guess.

    Cheers,
    David

  13. #13
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    systematic review and meta-analysis

    Acupuncture and moxibustion for chronic fatigue syndrome in traditional Chinese medicine: a systematic review and meta-analysis
    [ 2 votes ] [ Discuss This Article ]
    By T. Wang et al. • www.ProHealth.com • April 3, 2017

    By T. Wang et al.

    Abstract

    BACKGROUND: As the etiology of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is unclear and the treatment is still a big issue. There exists a wide range of literature about acupuncture and moxibustion (AM) for CFS in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). But there are certain doubts as well in the effectiveness of its treatment due to the lack of a comprehensive and evidence-based medical proof to dispel the misgivings. Current study evaluated systematically the effectiveness of acupuncture and moxibustion treatments on CFS, and clarified the difference among them and Chinese herbal medicine, western medicine and sham-acupuncture.

    METHODS: We comprehensively reviewed literature including PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane library, CBM (Chinese Biomedical Literature Database) and CNKI (China National Knowledge Infrastructure) up to May 2016, for RCT clinical research on CFS treated by acupuncture and moxibustion. Traditional direct meta-analysis was adopted to analyze the difference between AM and other treatments. Analysis was performed based on the treatment in experiment and control groups. Network meta-analysis was adopted to make comprehensive comparisons between any two kinds of treatments. The primary outcome was total effective rate, while relative risks (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were used as the final pooled statistics.

    RESULTS: A total of 31 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were enrolled in analyses. In traditional direct meta-analysis, we found that in comparison to Chinese herbal medicine, CbAM (combined acupuncture and moxibustion, which meant two or more types of acupuncture and moxibustion were adopted) had a higher total effective rate (RR (95% CI), 1.17 (1.09?~?1.25)). Compared with Chinese herbal medicine, western medicine and sham-acupuncture, SAM (single acupuncture or single moxibustion) had a higher total effective rate, with RR (95% CI) of 1.22 (1.14?~?1.30), 1.51 (1.31-1.74), 5.90 (3.64-9.56). In addition, compared with SAM, CbAM had a higher total effective rate (RR (95% CI), 1.23 (1.12?~?1.36)). In network meta-analyses, similar results were recorded. Subsequently, we ranked all treatments from high to low effective rate and the order was CbAM, SAM, Chinese herbal medicine, western medicine and sham-acupuncture.

    CONCLUSIONS: In the treatment of CFS, CbAM and SAM may have better effect than other treatments. However, the included trials have relatively poor quality, hence high quality studies are needed to confirm our finding.

    Source: Wang T, Xu C, Pan K, Xiong H.Acupuncture and moxibustion for chronic fatigue syndrome in traditional Chinese medicine: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2017 Mar 23;17(1):163. doi: 10.1186/s12906-017-1647-x.
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