AMYOTROPHIC LATERAL SCLEROSIS (ALS) (LOU GEHRIG'S DISEASE)

Clinical Manifestations
  • It most often occurs in persons over 50 years of age (rarely before age 40), with more men than women affected. It is a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system that leads to weakening and wasting of the muscles. Depending upon which neurons are first affected, the disease will manifest differently among individuals, but eventually all four limbs become involved and there may be considerable cramping and stiffness that develops with the partial loss of nervous control over the muscles. A normal course of disease progression is to reach the point that respiration is affected within 5 years after the initial symptoms and diagnosis, causing death. There is about a 5% rate of survival past 12 years, and some people live more than 20 years, while others have rapid disease progression within just 2 years.
  • 75 percent of people with classic ALS will also develop weakness and wasting of the bulbar muscles (muscles that control speech, swallowing, and chewing). Symptoms are usually noticed first in the arms and hands, legs, or swallowing muscles. Muscle weakness and atrophy occur disproportionately on both sides of the body. Affected individuals lose strength and the ability to move their arms, legs, and body. Other symptoms include spasticity, exaggerated reflexes, muscle cramps, fasciculations, and increased problems with swallowing and forming words. Speech can become slurred or nasal. When muscles of the diaphragm and chest wall fail to function properly, individuals lose the ability to breathe without mechanical support.
Treatment Principle
Herb Formulas
Points
  • Reducing method for heat patterns, reinforcing for deficient patterns, puncture on the affected side
    Upper limbs: Huatuojiaji, LI-4, LI-11, LI-15, SJ-5, ST-31 to ST-41
    Lower limbs: Huatuojiaji, GB-30, GB-34, GB-39, SP-10, ST-31 to ST-41
  • Needle the major points along the Du Mai and Ren Mai alternating between the two channels from treatment to treatment (DU-3, DU-4, DU-14, DU-16, DU-20, DU-26; REN-3, REN-4, REN-6, REN-12, REN-17, REN-23, REN-24)
  • Wang Letting's method: DU-3, DU-4, DU-5, DU-6, DU-8, DU-9, DU-11, DU-12, DU-13, DU-14, DU-16 This group of 13 points constitutes one treatment, which can be treated along with and alternated with other point sets that are deemed necessary, especially the Huatuojiaji points. Administering acupuncture each day, alternating treatment between two sets of points so that the treatment on two consecutive days is not a repetition.
  • Korean Sa-Am protocol - Lung tonification: Tonify LU-9, SP-3, Reduce LU-10, HT-8
  • Superficial threading along the Du Mai and Ren Mai with long needles, alternating between the two channels from treatment to treatment
  • Plum Blossom: needling along the Du Mai and Ren Mai , alternating between the two channels from treatment to treatment
  • Moxa: along the Du Mai and Ren Mai , alternating between the two channels from treatment to treatment
Clinical Manifestations
  • Muscle and flesh wilting
  • Limpness and lack of strength in the four limbs
  • Shortness of breath
  • Disinclination to speak
  • Aversion to Cold
  • Anorexia
  • Body cold
  • Limbs icy
  • Complexion white and shiny
  • Maybe sweating
  • Low back, knees and abdomen feel cold and painful
  • Lower abdomen feels cold and painful
  • Loose stools containing undigested food
  • Seminal emission
  • Urinary incontinence
  • “Cock-crow” diarrhea (occurs at about 5 am)
  • Edema of face and limbs
  • Long, clear urination
  • Lower limbs are puffy and swollen
  • Severe:
    Abdominal ascites
  • T: Pale-red, moist and swollen with teeth marks
  • C: White
  • P: Deep, thready, weak and maybe slow
Treatment Principle
  • Warm and Reinforce the Spleen and Kidneys
  • Tonify Yang
Herb Formulas
Points
Clinical Manifestations
  • Aphasia
  • Leg paralysis
  • A stiff tongue
  • A dry mouth with no desire to drink
  • Loss of speech
  • T: Pink or Pale
  • C: Moist or Greasy
  • P: Deep, thready and weak or Deep slow, thready and weak
Treatment Principle
  • Enrich Kidney Yin
  • TonifY Kidney Yang
  • Resolve Phlegm
  • Open the Orifices
Herb Formulas
Points
Clinical Manifestations
  • Late-stage disease
  • Muscle and flesh falling and dropping
  • Inability to function due to paralysis
  • Aversion to Cold
  • Cold limbs
  • Puffy face
  • Swollen limbs
  • Low, weak voice
  • Dizziness
  • Tinnitus
  • Dry mouth and throat
  • Tidal malar flush
  • A somber, white facial complexion
  • Spontaneous perspiration and/or
  • Night sweats
  • Seminal emission
  • Urinary incontinence
  • Five Sole Heat
  • T: Pale red and either fat with teethmarks or small and emaciated
  • C: Little or None
  • P: Deep, thready and forceless
Treatment Principle
  • Supplement Yin and Yang
Herb Formulas
Points
Clinical Manifestations
  • Wilting limpness
  • Lack of strength in the four limbs
  • A dry mouth with no desire to drink
  • Anorexia
  • Loose stools or
  • Dry stools
  • Shortness of breath
  • Speech disturbance
  • Dizziness
  • Disinclination to speak
  • Tinnitus
  • Insomnia
  • Memory loss
  • Low back and lower leg pain and limpness
  • T: Red
  • C: Little
  • P: Soft and thready or Thready and rapid
Treatment Principle
  • Tonify Qi
  • Nourish Yin
  • Strengthen the Spleen and Kidneys
Herb Formulas
Points
Clinical Manifestations
  • Enduring, wilting atrophy
  • Lack of strength in the muscles, flesh and four limbs
  • Non-pitting superficial edema of the four limbs
  • The affected area is greenish-purple
  • Dry skin
  • Joint spasms
  • Contractures
  • T: Dark pale or Dark red, emaciated and small with possible maculae or spots
  • C: White
  • P: Thready, choppy and forceless
Treatment Principle
  • Invigorate the Blood
  • free the network vessels
Herb Formulas
Points
Clinical Manifestations
  • Lower limb wilting, limpness and lack of strength
  • Slight swelling of the ankles
  • Numbness of the feet
  • A preference fo Cold things
  • Aversion to Heat
  • Body heaviness
  • A yellow facial complexion
  • Chest and ductal glomus and fullness
  • Sticky, stagnant stools
  • Red, astringent urination
  • T: Dark red
  • C: Yellow and slimy
  • P: Soggy and rapid or Slippery and rapid
Treatment Principle
  • Clear Heat
  • Resolve Dampness
Herb Formulas
Points
Clinical Manifestations
  • Unclear speech
  • The sound of Phlegm in the throat
  • Coughing and vomiting of white, sticky Phlegm
  • Chest and ductal glomus and fullness
  • Nausea
  • A sticky, slimy feeling in the mouth
  • A dry mouth with no desire to drink
  • Loose stools
  • T: Pale red
  • C: Slimy and white
  • P: Soggy and moderate
Treatment Principle
  • Dry Dampness
  • Transform Phlegm
Herb Formulas
Points
Clinical Manifestations
  • Slow and gradual onset
  • Weak and flaccid lower limbs
  • Muscle twitching
  • Soreness and weakness of the lower back and spine
  • Emaciation of the muscles and flesh
  • Inability to stand for a long time
  • Total loss of mobility and severe loss of muscle mass can result with exacerbation
  • Dizziness
  • Vertigo
  • Hair loss
  • Dry throat
  • Tinnitus
  • Fatigue
  • Heart vexation
  • Five-Sole-Heat
  • Nocturnal emissions
  • Enuresis
  • Fecal and urinary incontinence
  • Irregular menstruation
  • Dysmenorrhea
  • Maybe night sweats
  • With Liver Wind:
    Pronounced muscle spasms
    Spasms and contractures of the four limbs
  • T: Red
  • C: Little or None
  • P: Thready and rapid or Wiry, thready and rapid
Treatment Principle
  • Tonify the Liver and Kidneys
  • Nourish Yin
  • Nourish Jing
  • Clear Heat
  • Nourish the Blood
  • Boost the marrow
  • Settle and extinguish Liver Wind
  • Nourish the sinews and bones
Herb Formulas
Points