Treating Cold's and Flu's by Masakazu Ikeda
By Masakazu Ikeda
Translated by Takashi Furue
In Classical Medicine the cause of cold and flu can be expressed as the wind pathogen or the cold pathogen.
It is also thought that these pathogens affect the body and generate various symptoms such as fever, chills and coughing.
Modern medicine focuses on analysing the cause of infection such as the types of virus and bacteria.
However, in Classical Medicine it is not very important to specify the cause of infection.
It is more important to observe how the Zang, Fu and meridians are affected and harmonising the imbalanced Zang, Fu and meridians to resolve the condition.
The same theory can be applied for the C virus infection which is currently causing a pandemic in our world.
Even when the body is infected by the C virus, regulating the affected Zang, Fu and meridians will resolve the problem and prevent the development of post viral symptoms.
The basic pathology of the C virus infection is Kidney deficiency with Lung heat.
It is said that young children do not tend to develop severe symptoms.
On the other hand, the elderly, obese people and people with pre-existing conditions such as diabetes tend to develop a severe state.
This is because the pathology involves Kidney deficiency.
Dysosmia and dysgeusia are commonly reported symptoms of the C virus infection.
Put simply when the Tai Yin Lung meridian is affected by heat it leads to loss of smell and when the Tai Yin Spleen meridian is affected by heat it causes loss of taste.
It is also reported that some cases involve diarrhoea.
This type of diarrhoea can occur when the Yang Ming meridian heat starts invading towards the Fu organ but the body tries to eliminate this heat via defecation.
This type of diarrhoea can be seen in Ge Gen Tang pattern.
Diarrhoea caused by the C virus can also be associated with Kidney deficiency which can be seen in the Xiao Qing Long Tang pattern.
People who usually consume alcohol normally have a vast amount of heat in the Liver.
If the heat generated by the C virus infection combines with this Liver heat, they tend to develop Lung deficiency Liver excess heat pattern.
At the same time, because the Pericardium meridian is classified as the Jue Yin meridian, this Liver meridian heat can easily conduct into the Pericardium meridian.
As a result, Heart heat develops.
This is why when people who consume alcohol catch the C virus infection, they tend to develop severe symptoms.
CASE STUDY
Patient: About 60 years old male.
Infected by the C virus a few days ago, fever of around 40 ?.
He took antipyretic medication that decreased his body temperature down to about 38?.
However, the effects of medication didn't last long.
He also had poor appetite and once he started coughing, the cough would become very severe and of course he had a sore throat.
Even though he had these symptoms the city council in charge of infected patients told him that he couldn't stay at the hospital and told him to call back when he started to develop breathing difficulties that involved the shoulders moving up and down to breath.
I had met him before he developed the C virus infection.
He had a robust body shape so I thought that if the condition was still at the initial stage, Ge Gen Tang might have been suitable for him.
However, his condition also involved poor appetite so I thought a Chai Hu formula might be better.
He had a strong constitution where he would be able to take Da Chai Hu Tang but as he had a poor appetite, I decided to prescribe Chai Hu Gui Zhi Tang.
I also added Di Long 5g and Shi Gao 3g.
The patient started taking the formula on the morning of 23rd November and his body temperature decreased down to 36? by the following day.
When the patient's wife called me and reported his condition, he was sunbathing and recovering very well.
In this case my theory was that since it had already been a few days since the onset of the illness Shao Yang disease had developed.
Because he didn't have a good appetite, I chose Chai Hu Gui Zhi and added Di Long to decrease the fever and Shi Gao to treat the coughing and the sore throat.
Shi Gao can also prevent the development of pneumonia.
In this case my theory on pathophysiology was spot on.
I also think Di Long worked very well, which I had expected.
The key ingredient to treat a fever caused by the C virus is Di Long.
Di Long is also suitable as it is said that the C virus infection can cause blood clotting and Di Long assists in dissolving blood clotting.
At the initial stage of the condition if there are sensations of chills Ge Gen Tang is suitable.
If there are no sensations of chills, Yin Qiao San is suitable.
If the condition has developed into Kidney deficiency with Lung heat Xiao Qing Long Tang with Shi Gao is good.
If the heat enters the Liver and Liver excess heat pattern develops a Chai Hu formula should be considered.
It is also important to add Shi Gao, Jie Geng, and Di Long to these formulas.
In conclusion, we don't have to worry or be fearful about treating the C virus.
Written by Masakazu Ikeda sensei
Translated by Takashi Furue
Published by World Acupuncture
January 2021