Malaria Treatment with Chinese Medicine

Malaria is caused by the protozoa Plasmodium. Characterized by fever initiated by severe rigor. Infections or attacks are recurrent and intermittent characterized by alternating chills and high fever (1/2 internal ½ external – shaoyang) then break sweat and fever breaks. May be in cycles of 1 day to months. 

Chinese Medicine – accumulation of pathogen in Shaoyang meridian, the pathogen hides in Ying level, when Zheng Qi is strong it pushes the pathogen out to Wei level causing the above symptoms, patient then breaks sweat and weakens the Zheng Qi but the pathogen goes into remission.

Chinese Medicine Differentiation and Treatment of Malaria 

Shaoyang headache, dizziness, bitter taste, alternation of chills and fever, nausea, hypochondriac fullness

Principle of Treatment – harmonize and regulate Shaoyang to prevent attack and expel pathogen

Acupuncture - Du, shaoyang, *Du 14 (all Yang meet, prevent attack), Small Intestine 3, SJ 3, *PC 5 (Luo relationship)

Summer Heat more fever, may be no chills at all, sticky sweat that does not break fever, headache, thirst, achy joints, T- red with yellow coat, P- wiry rapid

Principle of Treatment – clear Heat, expel pathogen

-Acupuncture -  Du, hand yangming and shaoyang, *Du 14 and Du 13, Large Intestine 11, SJ 5, Small Intestine 3, Bladder 40 (clear Heat) - excess fever then feel cold – Spleen 4 (Chong, chest abdomen heart)

Summer Damp (more Damp/Cold) more cold and less fever, may be cold with no fever, headache, heavy aching, no thirst, hypochondriac/chest fullness, fatigue, T- white slippery coat  

Principle of Treatment – warm to expel Cold

Acupuncture- Du, foot yangming, Du 14, 9 (invigorate Yang Qi), Ren 6, 12, Stomach 36, Bladder 20, *PC 5 (internal/external relationship with shaoyang), Spleen 4, Pericardium 6 (Spleen and Stomach Qi deficiency)  

Zheng Qi deficiency with residual pathogen

- chronic Malaria, when fatigued get attacks, not as severe alternating chills and fever, hypochondriac lump/enlargement (Liver/Spleen are the mothers of Malaria), yellow dull complexion, emaciated, short of breath, palpitations, spontaneous sweat, T- pale with scanty coat, P- thin weak

Principle of Treatment – regulate and tonify Qi and Blood, remove stagnation, dissolve hardness

-Acupunctgure - Du, foot taiyang and yangming, Bladder 20, Liver 3, Stomach 36, Spleen 6 (Qi and blood), Pigen (3.5 cun bilateral to L1) and Liver 13 (Spleen/Liver enlargement)

Alternative Treatment Methods for Malaria 

Ear Acupuncture – adrenal, subcortex, endocrine, SP, LR

electro stimulation, Du 13 (expel pathogen and tonify deficiency) - poor sleePulse - Heart 7 - hypochondriac pain – SJ 6, Gall bladder 34