Chinese medicine prevents nocosomial fungal infections
Chinese medicine prevents nocosomial fungal infections
Published on February 3rd, 2009 @ 10:02:07 am , using 406 words, 812 views
by Bob Flaws
Yesterday I translated an article on the prevention of nocosomial fungal infections with Bu Zhong Yi Qu Tang (with one or two added ingredients). Nocosomial infections are infections contracted or developed in hospitals which are not the reason for the person being hospitalized in the first place. Such nocosomial infections have been on the rise in U.S. hospitals since the 80s. They especially attack those with compromised immune systems (due to cancer, chemo, diabetes, AIDS, etc.) and those who have taken antibiotics and corticosteroids, and Candida albicans is a major culprit (along with several other, lesser known fungi, such as Aspergillus) involved in fungal nocosomial infections.
In any case, I translated this article from China comparing a bunch of patients in ICU who were treated either with supportive therapy alone (IV saline and electrolytes, balancing pH) or supportive therapy plus Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang. Those patients who also got the Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang preventively had 1/3 less positive fungal cultures in their mucus, blood, and urine at one, two, and three weeks of hospitalization and 1/3 less actual nocosomial fungal infections. (I should hasten to add that all patients in both groups did meet the criteria for a qi vacuity pattern.)
Just think about this: What if every patient admitted to ICU were screened for a CM qi vacuity pattern? Of course, the overwhelming patients in ICU will meet this criterion. Lack of strength, fatigue, disinclination to speak due to fatigue, possible shortness of breath, qi vacuity fever. Then, what if every such qi vacuous patient in ICU were prophylactically administered Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang? This would be huge! It would be a huge benefit to patients and practitioners alike and a huge savings in money spent on treating such nocosomial infections. It could even be hugely life-saving. Fifty percent of patients with candidemia, a Candida infection of the bloodstream, die. This would really put CM on the map in the world of Western health care. Just this one protocol could change forever how Chinese medicine is seen in the U.S., and along with this would, undoubtedly, come increased usage of CM for other things as well.
This translation will be posted a our Blue Poppy Free Articles section/TCMinfoline. If you know any hospital administrators or ICU docs, see if you can get them interested in doing an American trial.
Copyright Blue Poppy Ent. Inc., 2009. All rights reserved.
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Dear Bob (and others listening in),I myself am 'at risk' right now, needing to take Augmentin for awhile, post-surgery. I also am not very ambulatory and have some digestive issues from other medications for pain. All of these are mitigated by my overall excellent health, good self-care and diet. My Chinese diagnostic skills are not super after 20 years of mostly Japanese acupuncture practice and thinking, so won't bore you with what I might offer there. From my constitutional pattern and my own reading of my pulses and tongue now: I am Yin Deficient, Kidney Yin primarily and slightly Spleen Qi deficient, and maybe Kidney Qi as well. My occasional Liver deficiency with the compromise from medication strains on my physiological liver are very much exacerbated and maybe are over the edge from emotional stresses, both long-term and acute.
My Qi is good, though slightly rebellious at times with the mix of narcotic pain medication and eating so much fiber.... I have cut down on the pain meds a lot in the last 2 days, so that is helping everything.
I am not clear on what would be a good preventive strategy for yeast, since I am now in the 6th day of antibiotics, and will take them at least 4 more days. Given that I have some problems with local infections (long-term) and may have a pin in my toe for at least 9 more days, I may need to be on Ab long enough to risk a yeast infection. I will start with unsweetened cranberry juice today, and any other ideas for Chinese formulas (that I might have on hand, first - a limited pharmacy at home) or dietary therapy??
Living in the desert SW and considering the many non-hospitalized patients that I advise, my situation could be more common than the one you outlined. I am very glad to see your blog and will read the article as well. I am thinking that the conversation could be expanded to the questions I have raised above. I would very much like your feedback, further questions about what I have ignored, and suggestions for references, etc. I hope I have at least presented a coherent picture or framework for the beginning of a discussion.
Thank you for your insight on Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang and all your proactive writings that spur us all to think and act with more finesse.
Do you mean nosocomial infections??? Dear Bob (and others listening in),I myself am 'at risk' right now, needing to take Augmentin for awhile, post-surgery. I also am not very ambulatory and have some digestive issues from other medications for pain. All of these are mitigated by my overall excellent health, good self-care and diet. My Chinese diagnostic skills are not super after 20 years of mostly Japanese acupuncture practice and thinking, so won't bore you with what I might offer there. From my constitutional pattern and my own reading of my pulses and tongue now: I am Yin Deficient, Kidney Yin primarily and slightly Spleen Qi deficient, and maybe Kidney Qi as well. My occasional Liver deficiency with the compromise from medication strains on my physiological liver are very much exacerbated and maybe are over the edge from emotional stresses, both long-term and acute.
My Qi is good, though slightly rebellious at times with the mix of narcotic pain medication and eating so much fiber.... I have cut down on the pain meds a lot in the last 2 days, so that is helping everything.
I am not clear on what would be a good preventive strategy for yeast, since I am now in the 6th day of antibiotics, and will take them at least 4 more days. Given that I have some problems with local infections (long-term) and may have a pin in my toe for at least 9 more days, I may need to be on Ab long enough to risk a yeast infection. I will start with unsweetened cranberry juice today, and any other ideas for Chinese formulas (that I might have on hand, first - a limited pharmacy at home) or dietary therapy??
Living in the desert SW and considering the many non-hospitalized patients that I advise, my situation could be more common than the one you outlined. I am very glad to see your blog and will read the article as well. I am thinking that the conversation could be expanded to the questions I have raised above. I would very much like your feedback, further questions about what I have ignored, and suggestions for references, etc. I hope I have at least presented a coherent picture or framework for the beginning of a discussion.
Thank you for your insight on Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang and all your proactive writings that spur us all to think and act with more finesse.
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