| Editor's
Note: This series on the various aspects of Traditional Chinese Medicine
(TCM) helps the clinician to effectively counsel HIV-positive people who
visit TCM practitioners or use herbs.
Richard
A. Freiberg, D.O.M., D.Ac., A.P.,(Board Certified Diplomate in Oriental
Medicine Family Practice - AAOMFP) began his study of Chinese medicine
in 1971 and began to study acupuncture in 1985. In 1994, he attended school
for formal licensure finishing what is now referred to as a Bachelor in
Science and a Masters in Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine. Richard is
credentialed and recognized by Alternativa Medicina in Sri Lanka as a Doctor
of Oriental Medicine. He is credentialed and recognized by Alternativa
Medicina in Sri Lanka as a Doctor of Oriental Medicine. He is a senior
graduate doctor apprentice with the world famous AIDS expert Professor
Dr. Wu, Boping M.D., Ph.D. of China. His clinic is in Pompano Beach, Florida.
In this and subsequent
articles we will be addressing commonly used Chinese material medica formulas
in the treatment of HIV/AIDS. Bear in mind that the majority of these formulas
exist in their basic templates. They are commonly used for the diagnosed
patterns and symptoms and then are modified for the specific imbalances
within the HIV/AIDS individual patient. For those modifications one needs
to see a well-trained Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Herbal practitioner.
There are five basic categories
(Table 1) of herbs that are used in formulas, which
‘support the righteous’ and ‘secure the root’ (review the Sept/Oct 2001
issue for background information). The ‘root’ primarily relates to the
Kidney organo-system, Yang Qi and Yin/Blood, and the other aspect of the
‘righteous’ from the perspective of ‘immune or defense system(s)’.
Since the HIV/AIDS virus
has often been referred to as ‘latent heat’ and the side effects of such
an evil pathogenic attack result in internal accumulations of heat and
toxins, a category of formulas exists to address these patterns and symptoms.
These herbal formulas are referred to as those that resolve heat and toxins.
Heat and toxins build
up in the body and stagnate, Qi, Blood and other body substances coagulate
and therefore formulas were also designed to ‘invigorate the Blood and
break-up stasis’.
When stasis has accumulated
to the level of nodules or masses, TCM practitioners use formulas designed
to break down or soften those accumulations and disperse those pathological
constituents. |
