Chinese Medicine and Lyme Disease


Lyme Disease (LD) affects people in many parts of the world including Europe, Asia and North America (9). In the US alone, a positive diagnosis is now more common than previously thought (1). Infections can be both acute and chronic. The existence of Chronic Lyme Disease (CLD) remains a topic of controversy (10).


If you think you might be suffering from acute symptoms of flu-like illness or arthritic type after a recent tick bite, please consult immediately with your GP or you can contact me to point you towards one my Integrative GP colleagues.


Disclosure:

Currently, the Australian Government does not accept the existence of Borrellia within the endemic tick population, neither does the existence of CLD (2). There is some evidence that might support the existence of CLD due to the atypical and cystic forms of Borrelia burgdorferi and local inflammation in Lyme neuroborreliosis (7,8). However, the purpose of this blog is not to defend the existence of CLD. Rather, it aims at reaching and offering support for those who might suffer Lyme-like illness chronically or have been properly diagnosed with Lyme disease.




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Lyme Disease.


LD or Lyme-like illness can have very detrimental effects on a person's physical, mental and emotional well being (6). Chronic fatigue, severe depression, exhausting unresponsive pain, auto-immune type illnesses, affected relationships, strong mental fogginess, amongst many other insidious symptoms can be present in Lyme disease (3,6,10); and are some of the most common presentations that I have seen over 7 years working with Lyme disease and Lyme-like illness.


From my experience, two aspects need to be addressed with someone with suspected LD or Lyme-like Illness: One is to target the pathogens that can cause Lyme (Borrelia and Co-infections). The other involves the resolution of the chronic immune and inflammatory dysfunctions caused by the illness, which can be shared with other illnesses such as auto-immune diseases and other chronic infections.



Value of Chinese Medicine.


Currently, many patients worldwide take Chinese herbal medicine and acupuncture to manage their symptoms (6). Not every patient that shows these symptoms will have Lyme but they might not be well regardless. Chinese medicine can still provide support in these circumstances as the diagnostic and treatment framework of the practice can identify other possible circumstances within a Chinese medicine theoretical framework. Numerous similar presentations have been identified for at least 2000 years with the presentations and treatments recorded over time (4, 5).


The severe symptoms such as CFS, general debility and significant unresponsive pain can occur when an infection/s occur at different systems/organs and as such, they can be termed Multiple Systemic Infectious Disease Syndrome (MSIDS) (3). In essence, it means that different parts of ourselves may carry a chronic infection, and the variety of multiple affected locations can make it very hard to manage as different approaches need to be delivered simultaneously.


Chinese medicine is a completely holistic system (possibly the oldest one in existence) and it's designed to delivered multiple approaches for different organs/systems at the same time. Additionally, it can also aim towards direct targets such as delivering a substance to destroy a microorganism. In modern times, it is widely used for many ailments worldwide and forms part of the main health system in China, including the Infectious Diseases Area.


Please contact me through the Contact section if you would like more information about my work with Lyme disease.




References:

1. Skerrett, P. J. (2013). Lyme disease 10 times more common than thought. Harvard Health Publishing, Harvard Medical School. Accessed February the 20th, 2020 from: https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/lyme-disease-10-times-more-common-than-thought-201308206621
2. Commonwealth of Australia. (2019). Lyme Disease. Australian Government, Department of Health. Accessed February the 20th, 2020 from: https://www1.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/ohp-lyme-disease.htm
3. Horowitz, I. R., Citera, M., Freeman, P. R. (2017). Empirical validation of the Horowitz Multiple Systemic Infectious Disease Syndrome Questionnaire for suspected Lyme disease. International Journal of General Medicine 2017:10 249–273
4. Freuhauf, H. (1998). Driving out Demons and Snakes, Gu Syndrome: A Forgotten Clinical Approach. Journal of Chinese Medicine, Number 57, 1998, pp. 10-17.
5. Liu, G. (2005). Warm Pathogen Diseases, a Clinical Guide. Revised Edition, Eastland Press, USA.
6. Ali, A., et. al. (2014). Experiences of patients identifying with chronic Lyme disease in the healthcare system: a qualitative study. BMC Family Practice 2014, 15:79 
7. Lacout, A. et. al. (2018). The Persistent Lyme Disease: “True Chronic Lyme Disease” rather than “Post-treatment Lyme Disease Syndrome”. Journal of Global Infectious Diseases; Mumbai Vol. 10, Iss. 3, (Jul/Sep 2018): 170-171.
8. Miklossy, J. (2008). Persisting atypical and cystic forms of Borrelia burgdorferi and local inflammation in Lyme neuroborreliosis. J Neuroinflammation. 2008 Sep 25;5:40. 
9. Tilli, K., et. al. (2008). Biology of Infection with Borrelia burgdorferi. Infect Dis Clin North Am. 2008 June ; 22(2): 217–234.
10. Bamm, V. V., et. al. (2019). Lyme Disease Frontiers: Reconciling Borrelia Biology and Clinical Conundrums. Pathogens 2019, 8, 299; doi:10.3390/pathogens8040299

Image Credit: Predi from Flickr

Hello everyone,

The practice of Integrative Chinese Medicine seems to be emerging in the Western world. This has been practiced in China since at least the middle of last century and now it seems to be gaining a new momentum with the advent of modern Integrative Medicine.


What is Integrative Chinese Medicine?

Integrative Chinese Medicine is a response to our modern health problems that mixes concepts of both the east and west. It’s aim is to provide the best approaches of both medical paradigms particularly into chronic and complex problems. In essence, it mixes aspects of both ancient Eastern medicine and modern Western medicine together. This system started in China since around half way last century and its the system used there as part of their main health system, including Integrative Eastern Western hospitals like the one I trained at in Shanghai.





















What are the possible benefits?

One of its biggest advantages is that it gives two different views from a particular problem. On the one hand, we have the big picture of eastern medicine that allows us to see the integration of different parts of the body into a problem or a solution; and on the other hand, we have the western medicine view that gives us the minute important details into what is going within each system or organ.

The application of both systems might create a new treatment scenario that can cover the gaps that each medical system cannot cover on its own, which could provide a new more extensive and deeper health framework.​


Why do we do it?

This is a response to the very chronic and highly complex cases that we see within the scopes of CFS, chronic infections and chronic inflammation; which render a multitude of other issues. My personal experience is that in modern times we might be seeing an increase in these areas due to our lifestyles and environmental changes, which require a new health paradigm.


How is this done and why?

Oscar works alongside other integrative medicine practitioners from other modalities which include western medicine (Integrative GP's); naturopaths; nutritionist's and dieticians; pathologists; physical therapy practitioners; mindfulness practitioners; and mental health support.

He also applies modern functional and integrative medicine approaches for which he is under constant training and learning. He integrates this methods together with the ancient schools that deal with infectious diseases, immune and gut health within Chinese medicine. This schools (Classical Chinese Medicine) incorporate the theories and treatment methods in these mentioned areas since at least 2000 years ago, which are also continually evolving.


About Dr Oscar Moreno, Reg. Chinese Medicine Practitioner and Integrative Chinese Medicine Practitioner.

Oscar has been practicing within Integrative Medicine for the past 8 years since he was a TCM Dr in Vitality Hub working alongside Dr Tania Ash amongst other Integrative GP's and naturopaths. He continues to do so at well stablished Integrative Medicine Centres.

One of his main goals is to promote and expand the practice of Integrative Chinese Medicine for our modern time needs.



More info:

If you want more info or would like to make a booking, please contact me through the Contacts section in this website, or through the clinic phone numbers within the same section

Hello everyone,

I would like to inform you all that private health insurance is still available for Chinese medicine and acupuncture, including my practice.







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​​There was a massive cut at the beginning of the year for a large number of natural medicine practices. However, there were no changes for Chinese medicine and acupuncture and they remain available for most of our current private health insurance companies.

Please send me an email if you would like more information about this.

Hello everyone,

This video is about helping you to combat hay fever (allergic rhinitis) with self help tips and how acupuncture can be an effective treatment for hay fever symptoms.

Hello everyone,

This is an interview that my Integrative GP colleague Dr Wes Ang made for me. It's about myself and my path into Chinese medicine. Please enjoy and thank you very much Dr Wes for your help and support.

Hi everyone,

I would like to introduce you to a new modern scientific approach into how acupuncture and Chinese Medicine work: "The Spark in the Machine, How the Science of Acupuncture Explain the Mysteries of Western Medicine" by Dr Daniel Keown.

















​Dr Daniel Keown is an English medical doctor who has dedicated his time into revealing how all this abstract and hard to understand Chinese medicine and acupuncture work, from a modern framework.

His work and research are invaluable for both present and future times. Not only does he delivers an extreme clarity into the deep intricacies and complex conceptuality of Chinese medicine; but he gives it a new view in terms of its possible future application for mainstream health.

This book is written for all members of the public and you can find it in both hard copy and ebook. This is a MUST read for anyone interested in this great ancient medicine and for any Chinese medicine doctor.

Finally, a lot of the answers are here. Please enjoy!













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Hello everyone,

This is an introductory video for a series of CFS video blogs uncovering how Chinese medicine views and works with CFS and Adrenal Fatigue.

Please enjoy and pass around d to those who you think might benefit from this work. 

Thanks for watching!



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Hello everyone, 

This is a quick introductory video for my YouTube page Oscar Moreno TCM Dr. I hope that you guys like it and please pass it on to those who you think that might need help.

Thank you so much!
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Hello everyone,

This is a quick video about quick 15 minute consults for herbal medicine prescriptions during this cold and flu season at Merge Health. I hope you enjoy it!


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