The Use of Chinese Herbs for Lyme Disease
By Farah Khan
A number of Chinese herbs can be useful for the many different facets of
Lyme Disease. Lyme Disease is a bacterial infectious disease caused by the
spirochetal organism, Borrelia Burgdorferi. It is usually caused by a tick
bite. The prevalence of the disease is greatest in the northeastern
but there have been cases of the illness in all lower 48 states. The disease is
easy to treat with antibiotics in its initial stages, but it is often not
detected at that point. There is a bull’s eye rash that is characteristic of
the disease, but many people never get the rash. The rash looks different in
people with darker pigmentation, making it easy to mistake it for other skin
conditions, including bruising or eczema. The wide variety of symptoms that a
person can have in its later stages makes it hard to obtain a proper diagnosis,
and the medical testing for the illness is still not very accurate in many
cases.
People with later stages of Lyme need treatment on a number of different
levels. At the very basic level, herbs that are anti-bacterial, specifically
against spirochetal bacteria, are an important component of treatment. Herbs
that have been shown to have activity against spirochetal bacteria include
coptis (huang lian), andrographis paniculata (chuan xin lian), isatis (ban lan
gen/qing dai), phellodendron (huang bai), scute (huang qin), forsythia (lian
qiao), smilax (tu fu ling), and gardenia (zhi zi). Garlic is also a useful
antibacterial supplement for those with Lyme Disease.
Lyme disease can lower body temperature and create poor blood circulation. A
person is also likely to feel cysts, lumps, and swellings in different areas of
their body that often change and move. The bacteria walls itself off, and
creates an environment in which it can grow and thrive and the person with the
disease ends up in severe pain, with horribly low energy, and neurological
problems. The disease thrives in a low temperature, low oxygen environment, and
that is the environment it creates within the body. People with the disease
often have signs and symptoms similar to someone with severe altitude sickness
(also caused by a low oxygen environment). Chinese herbs that clear blood
stasis and break blood stagnation can be very useful for this aspect of the
disease. The herb, pseudoginseng (san qi), can be extremely beneficial for
people with Lyme Disease. It promotes blood circulation and oxygenation in the body,
and can force open the cysts that protect the bacteria from being killed off.
It also can help clear some of the brain fog that people with this disease have
by improving blood circulation and oxygenation to the brain. Frankincense (ru
xiang), and myrrh (mo
can also help by improving blood circulation, especially to the joints, where
the bacteria often hides in cartilaginous tissue where blood circulation tends
to be poorer. An herb that is frequently used by people with Lyme Disease,
teasel root, is beneficial because it improves circulation in the body and also
has a warming affect. All of these herbs can help significantly with the
intense and chronic pain that those with later stages of Lyme disease
experience.
Certain Chinese herbs can be used to reduce the person’s sensitivity to cold
and improve microcirculation in the body. Herbs such as clove, cinnamon,
ginger, and siegesbeckia can be useful for this purpose.
The lymphatic system and the metabolism are often compromised in people with
Lyme Disease. The bacteria frequently hides inside the walls of white blood
cells, and results in swollen and congested lymph glands. People with the
disease often have symptoms of hypothyroidism and a slowed metabolic rate even
if all of their thyroid tests are normal. In Chinese Medicine, herbs that treat
phlegm are frequently used for conditions related to a slow metabolism and a
congested lymphatic system. The Chinese herb, prunella vulgaris (xia ku cao),
and scrophularia (xuan shen) are very useful for inflammation, congestion, and
infection of the lymphatic system. Herbs such as citrus aurantium, kelp,
epimedium, and Siberian ginseng, can be beneficial for improving a sluggish
metabolism in people with Lyme Disease who have signs or symptoms of an
underactive thyroid.
Another aspect of Lyme Disease is severe and debilitating fatigue and a
total lack of energy. This can be due to a host of different factors. Poor
oxygenation and blood circulation and lowered metabolism and body temperature
are part of the picture. The person’s adrenal glands may not be functioning
properly either. Someone with Lyme Disease may also have a host of digestive
problems that result in a lack of adequate nutrition. The disease itself can
trigger chemical changes in the brain that create severe depression and an
inability to concentrate, which is debilitating as well.
In Chinese medicine, herbs that nourish the qi and blood can help this lack
of energy. The herbs can improve the person’s digestive functioning, support
the functioning of the brain, support proper functioning of the adrenal glands,
and improve the person’s ability to handle stress. They can also help the
proper functioning of the mitochondria in their production of ATP in the cells,
which helps a person’s energy at a very fundamental level. Siberian ginseng,
schizandra, licorice, and astragalus are all good herbs for improving a
person’s energy level, digestive functioning, and their ability to handle
stress. White peony, dong quai, and wolfberry nourish the blood and reduce
fatigue. Polygonum and eucommia can help improve a person’s adrenal response
and can improve brain functioning. Bupleurum, longan fruit, zyzyphus seed,
dragon bone, oyster shell, and magnolia bark can be beneficial for the
depression, anxiety, lack of concentration, and sleep problems that people with
Lyme Disease experience.
As you can see, Lyme Disease is a complex illness with many facets. Chinese
herbal medicine has numerous herbs in its pharmacopia that can treat the many
different aspects of this disease in a comprehensive and holistic manner.
Farah Khan is a licensed acupuncturist and Doctor of Oriental Medicine. She
developed an interest in Lyme Disease after contracting the illness in October
of 2001, and developing late stage Lyme Disese by June of 2002. She has used
numerous methods to recover from this insidious illness, including her own
training and expertise in Chinese herbal medicine. She offers herbal and
essential oil formulas related to this condition on the web at http://www.yinessence.com.
She can be reached at farah@yinessence.com.
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