Acupuncture Chinese Herb Medicine Treat for Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID)
Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID)
What Pelvic Inflammatory Disease Is and How It Affects Fertility
More than one million women in the United States are diagnosed with acute PID every year and most of them are between the ages of 15 to 39 years. The term pelvic inflammatory diseases (PID) comprises all sorts of inflammatory processes occurring within the upper female genital tract, including the uterus, cervix, fallopian tubes, surrounding pelvic tissue, and the ovaries. These tissues become inflamed, swollen, irritated and can lead to scarring and infertility. The most common causes for PID are from bacteria which can cause Chlamydia and Gonorrhea. These bacteria are usually transmitted through sexual intercourse with a partner that has the infection already. Also, women who douche may have a higher risk of developing PID compared with women who don’t douche. Research has shown that douching can change the internal flora of the vagina that can lead to increased bacterial growth. PID can also occur after certain surgical procedures involving the female organs, D & C, or after the insertion of an intrauterine device (IUD).
The most common symptoms of PID are fever, chills, lower abdominal or pelvic pain, vaginal discharge, irregular menstrual bleeding or pain, nausea, vomiting, and pain upon urination. However, some patients report no symptoms or intermittent symptoms. Unfortunately, patients are sometimes misdiagnosed as having a twisted ovary or appendicitis based upon their symptoms. Usually a blood test will confirm an elevation of white blood cells and bacterial culture of the vaginal discharge will come back positive. Normal course of Western treatment would be antibiotics for 7 to 10 days.
How Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture Treat Pelvic Inflamatory Disease
PID is a condition of damp heat (infection), blood stasis, and stagnation of energy in the liver channel and the belt vessel. The practitioner will start by looking at symptoms and ask questions related to the discharge and location and type of pain the patient is experiencing. A treatment protocol would be developed after an accurate diagnosis is made.
A study published in the Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine in March 1989, showed that out of 95 patients with chronic PID that used acupuncture and moxibustion as a course of treatment had an 88.4% reduction in symptoms and felt cured. This effective rate was superior to the control group using antibiotics. Research has also shown that acupuncture can affect changes in serum concentrations of IgG, IgA and IgM which are immune system markers (Wozniak et al., 1994). Other studies noted the decrease in ESR value, a strong marker of inflammation.
Acupuncture will increase the immune system’s ability to fight the infection and decrease inflammation in the reproductive tract and reduce pain. It will also help prevent adhesions and scarring in the pelvic cavity.
Chinese herbs would be individualized and tailored to increasing the function of the immune system and to remove the bacteria that is present in the reproductive tract. The use of moxa would be applied for chronic cases. Moxa is either a single herb or a mix of herbs that is burned over the skin at certain acupoints to affect a change in the body. It warms and heals the area, and points that the areas affect. Herbs will also be prescribed to resolve the dampness, clear the heat, moderate the immune system, and encourage blood flow.
Research and Related Articles on Pelvic Inflamatory Disease
Yang et al. (1989) noted the fast increase (after 30 minutes) in IgA and IgG titers in blood serum during acupuncture. Studies carried out in Beijing Medical School showed the stimulating action of acupuncture procedures on the phagocytic function of white blood cells. The maximum phagocytic activity was obtained 12 to 24 hours after treatment (Zhou et al., 1988).
Wozniak et al. (1994) applying acupuncture in the therapy of salpingoophoritis, obtained a rise in IgA and IgG titers in blood serum. Their results were correlated with positive clinical effects (Wozniak et al., 1994). Also, the present study revealed a positive correlation between the discussed changes of immune and inflammatory parameters and a reduction in pain complaints.
J Tradit Chin Med. 1989 Mar;9(1):21-4.
Wang XM.
This article presents the joint use of electric acupuncture and moxibustion in the treatment of 95 cases of chronic PID. Clinical cure in 42 cases, marked improvement in 22 cases, some improvement in 17 cases, and no effect in 12 cases. the overall effective rate was 88.4%, which was superior to that of the control group (P less than 0.05) using antibiotics.
PMID: 2788236 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
J Tradit Chin Med. 2004 Dec;24(4):256-8.
Jin Y.
Hospital of Integrated Traditional and Western Medicine Affiliated to Zhejiang College of TCM, Hangzhou 31000, China.
OBJECTIVE: To observe the therapeutic effect of acupuncture and moxibustion on chronic pelvic inflammation. METHOD: Thirty-six cases of chronic pelvic inflammation were treated with acupuncture, the ancient recipe of Long Dan Xie Gan Tang ([symbol: see text] Decoction of Radix Gentianae for Purging the Pathogenic Fire of the Liver) and medicinal cake moxibustion. RESULT: The treatment resulted in cure in 9 cases, obvious effect in 16 cases, effect in 7 cases and no effect in 4 cases. CONCLUSION: Acupuncture, moxibustion and the ancient recipe Long Dan Xie Gan Tang used together can enhance the therapeutic effects on chronic pelvic inflammation.
PMID: 15688689 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
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