H1N1

Acupuncture & TCM's (traditional Chinese medicine) view on H1N1

TCM sees H1N1 as a severe pathogenic invasion into 4 levels of your body.
These four levels are wei, qi, ying and blood.

Click here for a detailed TCM description of H1N1

Wei level- major symptoms will be muscle aches, headaches, fever and chills.

Qi level- fever rises, increased signs of heat such as sore throat, mouth sores, dry lips, red eyes and cough.

Ying level-agitated state, insomnia, night sweats.

Blood level-bleeding signs such as bloody cough.

TCM can treat symptoms at each level using strong herbs and Acupuncture.

TCM pre Vaccine

washing your hands constantly
salt rinse mouth and nasal (flu virus enters through mouth and nose)
an extra hour of sleep

Vitamin D!

Vitamin C

Reishi

monitoring any symptoms

TCM post Vaccine

Sesame Milk
Grind ½ cup of sesame seeds (black is best), then cook for 15 minutes in 1 cup water and drink the liquid. Do this two times the day of the vaccination and two times the next day. For children, reduce the dosage to one half-cup two times a day for the two days.

Sesame seeds are high in Omega 3 & 6 oils, which clear heat from the body.

Acupuncture Care: Gwa Sha
After receiving your flu shot, see your Acupuncturist. They will do Gwa Sha on your back to release any latent heat created by the vaccine.

Gwa Sha is a therapy that uses a special tool to scrape the skin on either side of the spine, beginning at the base of the occiput to the bottom of the shoulder blade area.

Demographic Characteristics of H1N1 Critically Ill Patients
(JAMA-Journal of American Medical Assoc)

70% are adults over 18 yrs of age

67.3% are female

32.3 years old-mean age group

98.2% had other health issues

41.1% had a chronic lung issue

22.6% had asthma

33.3% were obese

24.4% had hypertension

22.6% had ever been smokers

20.8% had diabetes (I or II)

For further information on KEY H1N1 Facts please click here.

Key facts you need to know about H1N1 Flu

Difference between a cold and flu

Symptom	Cold	Flu
Fever	Fever is rare with a cold.	Fever is usually present with the flu in up to 80% of all flu cases. A temperature of 100°F or higher for 3 to 4 days is associated with the flu.
Coughing	A hacking, productive (mucus- producing) cough is often present with a cold.	A non-productive (non-mucus producing) cough is usually present with the flu (sometimes referred to as dry cough).
Aches	Slight body aches and pains can be part of a cold.	Severe aches and pains are common with the flu.
Stuffy Nose	Stuffy nose is commonly present with a cold and typically resolves spontaneously within a week.	Stuffy nose is not commonly present with the flu.
Chills	Chills are uncommon with a cold.	60% of people who have the flu experience chills.
Tiredness	Tiredness is fairly mild with a cold.	Tiredness is moderate to severe with the flu.
Sneezing	Sneezing is commonly present with a cold.	Sneezing is not common with the flu.
Sudden Symptoms	Cold symptoms tend to develop over a few days.	The flu has a rapid onset within 3-6 hours. The flu hits hard and includes sudden symptoms like high fever, aches and pains.
Headache	A headache is fairly uncommon with a cold.	A headache is very common with the flu, present in 80% of flu cases.
Sore Throat	Sore throat is commonly present with a cold.	Sore throat is not commonly present with the flu.
Chest Discomfort	Chest discomfort is mild to moderate with a cold.	Chest discomfort is often severe with the flu.

How can I tell if I have H1N1?
- Most people who contract H1N1 will recover after a few weeks of proper health care and bed rest. So far, reports indicate that H1N1 symptoms will include typical flu manifestations plus shortness of breath, gastrointestinal issues and continued high fever.
How does H1N1 attack the body?

This virus, much more so than seasonal influenza virus, tends to attach to the cells within the lower respiratory tract where it can cause severe infection, experts say. This infection of the lungs can trigger a cascade of inflammatory responses. Once the virus attaches itself to the deep respiratory cells, it starts to damage the lungs, which start to fill with fluid, and the person can't get enough oxygen.

H1N1 Vaccine information
- There are 2 types available; adjuvanted and non-adjuvanted
  - adjuvanted-contains deactivated virus + a booster mix of H2O, Vitamin E and squalene oil. The booster mix is meant to increase a person's immune response to the deactivated virus.
  - non-adjuvanated-only contains the deactivated virus which is given to pregnant women.
Who should NOT get the Vaccine

For further information on KEY H1N1 Facts please click here.