Autoimmune Disorders & Chinese Medicine

[Guest guest]

I've been musing on the following questions and thought I'd post them to the

group at large to see what your thoughts are on the subject of autoimmune

disorders and Chinese medicine:

 

1. How does the knowledge that you are treating a patient with an autoimmune

disorder affect your pattern diagnosis? or how you arrive at your pattern

diagnosis?

2. How does the presence of the autoimmune component affect your treatment

plan?

3. How does the nature of an autoimmune disorder affect your

expectations/prognosis?

4. What do you as the clinician consider a good outcome vs. coming

face-to-face with the current limitations of medicine, be it east or west?

 

I've only treated a handful of patients with autoimmune disorders (of

various types), so really haven't enough clinical experience to formulate

any specific thoughts/ideas about it yet. I'm curious what others with more

experience have learned/observed?

 

I realize the subject of autoimmune disorders is vast/varied and my

questions are general, but I'm hoping for some discussion on the topic

nonetheless as it relates to Chinese medicine, determining pathomechanisms

leading to ddx, tx plans and prognosis.

 

The most recent case coming my way is an adult patient with Alopecia Areata

(I've already disclosed to her my clinical experience or lack thereof in

treating that specific disorder and she wants to come see me anyway), so in

addition to my general questions above, if you have specific experience with

(or a reference source for) that condition both from a clinic experience as

well as your observations on pathomechanisms leading to most likely

differential pattern diagnosis - I'd be interested in that as well.

 

Thank you for considering my queries and looking forward to what develops...

 

Joy

________

Joy Keller, LAc, Dipl.OM

Board Certified in Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine

Ramona Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine Clinic

Phone: (760) 654-1040 Fax: (760) 654-4019

www.RamonaAcupuncture.com

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

On Tue, Jun 3, 2008 at 12:35 PM, Joy Keller <JKellerLAc wrote:

 

> I've been musing on the following questions and thought I'd post them to

> the

> group at large to see what your thoughts are on the subject of autoimmune

> disorders and Chinese medicine:

>

> 1. How does the knowledge that you are treating a patient with an

> autoimmune

> disorder affect your pattern diagnosis? or how you arrive at your pattern

> diagnosis?

>

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In general, I diagnose based on the same information that is provided from a

non-autoimmune patient. Treat what you see. That being said, the only

consideration that I've given to treating lupus differently for instance, is

that there is an herb that is said to modulate the (Western) immune system.

This herb is Lei Gong Teng. However, its side effects or risk profile is

such that it isn't wise to use this herb.

 

I recently edited one of those Chinese clinical medicine books on lupus.

Across the board, the therapeutic principles were straight ahead TCM

choices, diagnosis, etc... except perhaps for the Lei Gong Teng, used for

its effect on the immune system.

 

 

> 2. How does the presence of the autoimmune component affect your treatment

> plan?

>

 

 

 

 

 

 

Not much at all, really. If I were working in an integrated context, I might

look at addressing the side effects of steroids when necessary, but other

than that, I still just treat what I see.

 

 

 

> 3. How does the nature of an autoimmune disorder affect your

> expectations/prognosis?

>

 

 

 

 

 

Well, lupus is something of a life-long issue as far as I can tell, so the

goal is not to make the problem go away per se, but to manage the chronic

problem.

 

>

> 4. What do you as the clinician consider a good outcome vs. coming

> face-to-face with the current limitations of medicine, be it east or west?

>

 

 

 

 

 

A good outcome depends on the patient baseline. If they're on their death

bed and they want to live, a good outcome would be a few more weeks, months,

or years. If they're asymptomatic, a good outcome would be less frequent

flare-ups.

 

-Al.

 

--

, DAOM

Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional.