Greetings Dear Readers,
If you or someone you know is living with Lupus there is hope. Oriental medicine has had a lot of success with many types of auto-immune diseases such as Lupus.
Systemic Lupus Erythmatosus (SLE) is an auto-immune disorder in which the immune system attacks its’ own tissues leading to chronic inflammation. Several organ systems may be affected such as kidneys, heart, skin, blood cells, joints, brain and skin. Western medicine explains the cause of lupus as essentially unknown but beyond that is believed to be a combination of genetics and environment where some people have a genetic predisposition to developing lupus and then various environmental factors such as sunlight, medications (anti-biotics, anti-seizure meds, blood pressure medications) can be the triggers that set off the lupus symptoms. Commonly used Western drugs such as NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), corticosteroids, anti-malarial drugs and immuno-suppressants are used to manage symptoms. Although these drugs may be able to control flare-ups to some extent, there are often side-effects with long-term use.
Natural therapies such as acupuncture that can achieve suppression of flare-ups as well as get to the root of the disease itself.
Oriental medicine describes Lupus as a situation of too much Yang (heat) and not enough Yin (yin=coolness, moisture) which also creates “Empty Heat” or Heat resulting from Deficient Yin. I will publish a post about Yin Deficiency soon.
With Excess Heat, often the person has Heat signs such as the red butterfly rash on their face (red=heat), constipation, excess thirst, a feeling of heat in the body or fever, and dark-coloured urine that may be scanty. The tongue is often red with a yellow coat, and the pulse is often rapid, and full. Heat symptoms tend to show up in the upper part of the body such as the face because heat rises. Lupus also shows up more often in younger people between the ages of 15 – 40 because young people are relatively more Yang than older people.
When the Heat is intense it becomes Fire. Fire rises upwards towards the heart and brain which can result in mental-emotional symptoms such as irritability or anxiety. Fire also dries up the body fluids which is why there can be constipation and scanty urine.
With Yin Deficiency, there is a lack of the moistening, cooling body fluids in the body which result in dryness as well as Blood Deficiency symptoms such as fatigue, insomnia and hair loss.. With prolonged Yin Deficiency there can be “Empty Heat” which means a relative increase in Heat caused by a lack of Yin which shows up as low-grade fever and night sweats. Yin involves all the body fluids including blood and sinovial fluids. A Yin deficient tongue may be peeled (geographic, or cracked) and the pulse may be superficial, thin and fast. Since women are considered more Yin, and require a greater amount of blood and body fluids for healthy body functions (think of how women’s bodies must replace menstrual blood lost each month) , this helps explain why SLE tends to affect women more than men.
Photophobia often stems from Yin deficiency of the Liver system (the Liver “opens” to the eyes) causing a lack of moistening fluids (Liver Blood) to the eyes resulting in light sensitivity and dry eyes. Hair loss is also indicated because in TCM hair is considered a surplus of Liver Blood. Discoid (small round) rashes are another symptom of Blood Deficiency as it is the function of Blood to moisten the skin so the lack of Blood causes red flaky rashes.
The joint pain in lupus may be the result of the lack of body fluids (Yin) resulting in less sinovial fluids in the joints. It can also be from Liver Blood Deficiency as the Liver Blood’s role is to moisten the tendons and resulting in arthritic pain.
Without treatment Lupus can progress into kidney damage and failure. This can be a life-threatening illness so it’s important to chose your treatment strategy wisely. Where there are more severe and acute symptoms such as breathing difficulty and acute kidney issues it’s important to see a Western doctor quickly to prevent serious complications. Once things have stabilized, TCM acupuncture can focus on the other symptoms as well as addressing the root of the disorder.
The goals of acupuncture treatment with Lupus will depend on how the individual presents. In general, points will be used to clear the Heat/Fire and strengthen Yin and Blood of the affected channels and organ systems. This is achieved by selecting the correct acupuncture points that will do those jobs. Each acupuncture point has its own functions and indications so the treatment will be tailored to the patient’s unique presentation. The treatment for Lupus tends to be longer than other conditions because Yin Deficiency takes a long time to develop and so a longer time to remove. With persistent treatment as well as the guidance I offer in self-care including diet there should be a lessening of flare-ups as well as better energy and quality of life.
Yours in health,
Cynthia McGilvray, R.Ac.
1.Weil, Andrew, M.D., (August 2016). Lupus. Retrieved from: http://www.drweil.com/health-wellness/body-mind-spirit/autoimmune-disorders/lupus/
2. Mayo Clinic Staff, (November 2014). Lupus. Retrieved from: http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/lupus/basics/definition/con-20019676
3. Maciocia, Giovanni. ( 2005). The Foundations of Chinese Medicine. 2nd Ed. Churchill & Livingstone.