I’m wondering how you’re feeling when reading, listening and watching each day about this novel coronavirus. Some of us are panic-stricken, some are making light of this, most are in between from what I see. I have received an impressive amount of information from various sources, mostly everyone saying the same thing to help us prepare for this. It makes sense to me for us to stay put for a while, to not travel too far if we don’t have to. I plan to avoid crowded places with a group of people that may have traveled from some distance, though I feel safe this week to go grocery shopping (this was written a couple of weeks before publishing).
Coronavirus and Chinese Medicine
As a medical provider who values historical experience in addition to modern understanding, I have looked to China (where this virus has originated) as an example of dealing with illness over time. From around 200 BC to the more recent 1900s, China has a record of at least 320 large scale epidemics that have occurred amongst its people. There is an evidential history of time-tested medicine used to deal with the variety of these epidemics. As compared to statistics from other global plagues such as the Spanish flu or the Black Death in Europe, China has been relatively successful at containing the spread in a limited area and time.
When Wuhan, China was recently on lockdown for more than ten days, the Chinese government announced the strategy of augmenting the treatment of all people with confirmed infections using Traditional Chinese Medicine herbal formulations. At the end of January, the newly created isolation ward for pneumonia patients infected by this virus at Hubei Provincial Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine was supervised by the Chinese Medicine Treatment team. I have recently read the translated reports of cases in this hospital, with presenting symptoms, treatments used, and resulting recovery from pneumonia. All designated medical institutions in Wuhan were given a notice to ensure that all infected patients take Chinese medicine, advising herbal formulas particular to their status given in decoction or granules. I’ve been inspired to see the collaborative approach to the treatment of this new strand of the virus using both Western and Eastern medicine. Such reports have helped many of the practitioners of Chinese Medicine in Vermont to prepare for supporting our communities based on the strategies used in China, from historical and recent experience.
There is guidance using acupuncture, moxibustion (which is a form of heat stimulation over the acupuncture points), and herbal medicine. We have learned over a long period of time that certain herbs have immune-stimulating and antiviral effects. Stimulating certain points on the body, both with needles and heat can also result in enhanced immune function. There is international research happening to understand more precisely why this is so. The advice from the experience of the hospital in Hubei province is to use an integrated, comprehensive treatment plan of both Western and Eastern approaches in striving for the best outcomes for patients with this coronavirus. They have seen that Chinese herbal formulas particularly play a unique role to help reduce fever and cough and improve both lung and immune function to help mount a stronger response to the virus and reduce susceptibility to the morbidity it may induce.
Address the Phase and the Individual
What I’m sharing is mostly coming from a translated report from the Medical Treatment Unit in Wuhan from a couple of weeks ago. They have shared their specific Chinese Medicine recommendations for what they are classifying as the prevention phase, the influenza phase, the pneumonia phase, and the recovery phase. What is also important to Chinese Medicine, aside from treating the progression of any illness, is addressing the specific symptom picture of the individual. There is not one specific herbal formula being used for this virus. There are many, and modifications are made based on the phase of illness and the individual’s age and condition. This is true for approaching any patient throughout Chinese medical history.
We are all receiving lots of information that seems pretty consistent, so please take the time to educate yourself. Remember as we may face this that we are looking out for our individual selves, our families, and the community as a whole. It is a fearful time, but I’m confident we can work together as officials, providers, and neighbors to minimize the impact.