Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chapter 2. Acupuncture-Moxibustion Therapies help in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a group of syndromes whose etiology is unknown, without any organic change checked by various modern technique means and lasting for more than half a year. It is characterized by chronic and recurrent episodes of extremely tired sensation. It usually manifests as "headache" (头痛) "insomnia" (失眠) "palpitation" (心悸) "melancholy" (郁证) "vertigo" (眩晕) and "fatigue" (疲劳) in Chinese Medicine, and related to pathological changes of the liver, spleen and kidney.

Clinical Presentations

Patient's clinical manifestations are fatigues of nervous system, cardiovascular system, skeletal muscular system (exclusion of tumor, autoimmune disease, local infection, chronic mental disorder, neuromuscular disorder and endocrine disease) for more than half a year. It may be marked by slight fever, dizziness and vertigo, muscular debility or pain, pharyngalgia, aching of lymph glands of neck or isthmus of fauces, insomnia, amnesia, mental depress, anxiety, emotional instability, impaired concentration. Bed rest cannot relieve the symptoms, which may affect normal life and work.

Therapeutic Methods

1. Body acupuncture

Recipe:
Baihui (GV 20) 百会, Yintang (EX-HN 3) 印堂, Shenmen (HT 7) 神门, Taixi (KI 3) 太溪, Taichong (LR 3) 太冲, Sanyinjiao (SP 6) 三阴交 and Zusanli (ST 36) 足三里. {See Fig.2-1, Fig.2-2, Fig.2-3, Fig.2-4, Fig.2-5 and Fig.2-6}













Subsidiary acupoints according to the syndrome:
For insomnia, dreamful and disturbed sleep, add Anmian (EX. ) 安眠, Neiguan (PC 6) 内关;

For palpitation and anxiety, add Neiguan (PC 6) 内关, Xinshu (BL 15) 心俞;

For dizziness and impaired concentration, add Sishencong (EX-HN 1) 四神聪 and Xuanzhong (GB 39) 悬钟.

Manipulations:
Routine method is conducted for each points, 2-3 times a week, ten times make up one course of treatment.

2. Ear acupuncture

Recipe:
Xin (CO 15) 心, Shen (CO 10) 肾, Gan (CO 12) 肝, Pi (CO 13) 脾, Naogan (AT 3) 脑干, Pizhixia (AT 4) 皮质下, Shenmen (TF 4) 神门 and Jiaogan (AH 6a) 交感. {See Fig.2-7}



Manipulations:
Select 3-5 acupoints for Wangbuliuxingzi 王不留行籽 (Semen Vaccariae) plaster-therapy. The two ears are treated in alternation. Advice patients to press by themselves 3-4 times a day, each point for 2-3 minutes. Change once every 2-3 days.

3. Skin needling therapy

Tapping Du meridian 督脉, Jiaji (EX-B 2) 夹脊穴 and Back Shu points 背俞穴, 15-20 minutes each time, once a day.

[Notes Appended]

1. The acupuncture and moxibustion may relieve subjective symptom of physical fatigue for this disease, adjust patient's emotion and fatigue, and improve the patients' constitutional weakness.

2. Dietary therapy, vitamin and minerals supplements should be taken as an adjuvant.

3. Maintain emotional optimism, avoid spiritual stimulation; keep regular daily life, avoid excessive exertion; appropriate physical exercise and recreational activities contribute to the rehabilitation of the disease.

Clinical Presentations on Ageing and Tiredness

1. Ageing

Dizziness, tinnitus and deafness, odontoseisis or odontoptosis, amnesia, poor appetite, listlessness, lassitude, soreness and weakness in the lower back and knees, frequent urination with dysuria, nocturia, insomnia, etc.


2. Tiredness

Continuous fatigue, physical weakness, if complicated by pharyngitis there may appear lymphadenectasis of neck or armpit, lower fever, headache, insomnia, migratory pain of joints and muscles, etc.


Therapeutic Methods

1. Body acupuncture

Recipe:
For delaying ageing, add Zusanli(ST 36), Guanyuan(CV 4), Dazhui(CV 14), Gaohuang(BL 43) and Mingmen(GV 4); {See Fig.1-1, Fig.1-2, Fig.1-3 and Fig.1-4}










For resisting tiredness, add Fengchi(GB 20), Dazhui(GV 14), Shenshu(BL 23), Zusanli(ST 36) and Yinlingquan(SP 9). {See Fig.1-5, Fig.1-6 and Fig.1-7}







Subsidiary acupoints according to the syndrome:
For hyperlipemia, add Quchi(LI 11), Fengchi(GB 20), Neiguan(PC 6) and Sanyinjiao(SP 6);

for strengthening immune function, add Fengmen(BL 12), Zhongwan(CV 12) and Qihai(CV 6);

for frequent sore waist, add Shenshu (BL 23), Guanyuan(CV 4) and Zhongji(CV 3).


2. Ear acupuncture

Recipe:
Fei(CO 14), Neibi(TG 4), Qiguan(CO 16) Yanhou(TG 3), E(AT 1) and Shenshangxian(TG 2p).

Manipulations:
Select 2-3 acupoints each time, use filiform needles and moderate stimulation. The needles are retained for 20-30 minutes and manipulated once every 10-15 minutes. The treatment is given once every other day. Or use Wangbuliuxingzi (Semen Vaccariae) for plaster-therapy on auricular points once every other day. Two ears are treated in alternation. Ten times make up one course of treatment.

[Notes Appended]
1. The acupuncture(针) and moxibustion(灸) are really effective for delaying ageing, and elevating the resistance against diseases, which are characterized by general adjustment.

2. It is advised to pay attention to adjustment of diet, daily life, emotion, work and rest in order to enhance the health care effect of acupuncture and moxibustion.

Health Care

The health care(保健), in a broad sense, is maintaining healthy state, preventing diseases, such as stroke(中风), protecting function of viscera(脏腑) and organ(器官) to make sufficient kidney qi and delay ageing.

Ageing is a spontaneously inevitable process of all kinds of multicellular organisms as time goes on. The main presentations are a certain change of tissues, retrogressions of organ functions, adaptability of the body, stability, power of resistance, resulting in many senile diseases with complicated clinical signs, which threaten health of mankind.

The effect of health care lies in resisting tiredness. Tiredness(疲劳) is a kind of subjective discomfort with fatigue and weakness, and also a non-specific symptom of many diseases.

Chronic fatigue syndrome(慢性疲劳综合征) is a kind of disease, which has been paid closed attention in recent years. It many be considered after exclusion of other organic diseases.

The acupuncture(针) and moxibustion(灸) are of a long history in health care. They can effect in both resisting pathogenic factors and strengthening immune function.