Other Options in the Treatment of Tumors, Fibroids, Endometriosis
By Shihan Mary Bolz
Licensed Acupuncturist
Master of Science Oriental Medicine
Doctoral Fellow, FBU
Master Martial Arts Instructor
Traditional Oriental Medicine acupuncture is a stand-alone therapy for many diseases. After all, before allopathic medicine was ever heard of, it has been successfully treating every disease that allopathic (Western) medicine runs across. It still does, treating patients by the millions throughout the world with results as good as, and many times, better than, allopathic medicine. In Oriental medicine, the goal is not to mask the pain, but to open the blocked channels, eliminate the pathogenic influence or supplement a deficiency in the body. Acute conditions are resolved more quickly when acupuncture and traditional Chinese herbs are used simultaneously. Some diseases or conditions can be treated and cured quickly, such as a cold, influenza, acute pain, etc. Some very chronic cases of pain or diseases take longer; a few weeks, or months, maybe some years, in extreme cases.
Let’s take a look at how Traditional Oriental Medicine (TCM) views and treats pain associated with women’s uterine tumors, uterine fibroids, endometriosis, and similar conditions in women. Endometriosis is a nonmalignant disorder in which functioning endometrial tissue is present outside the uterine cavity. Tumors are basically a growth of abnormal cells collecting together in one location. Allopathic medicine pathology textbooks describe tumors or neoplasm as “essentially parasites.” Uterine fibroids are benign uterine tumors of smooth muscle origin.
What are these things and where do they come from? In Eastern medicine, all of these are viewed as excess growths of phlegm, toxin, or blood stagnation. The body tries to isolate these excesses in one location in order to keep the entire organism functioning. The weaker areas of the body will tend to get these collections more than the stronger parts. These excess conditions will manifest in the signs of the body that an Oriental Medicine doctor can read. The tongue and the pulses will show blood stagnation, excess dampness and/or phlegm in the body, a dysfunction in the water metabolism, or deficiency of certain organs in the body. Pulse diagnosis in Oriental Medicine is a sophisticated and accurate, although complicated, method of understanding the basic condition of the body in general and in understanding the condition of specific internal organs of the body. The human body and all other bodies in nature are truly “fearfully and wonderfully made,” as stated in the Bible. Nature has its own innate ability to heal, cleanse, and adjust so it can function normally.
The plants are made the same way, so is the earth. Look at how the earth is adapting to the damage we are doing to it. It is absolutely amazing! One of the main principles, as stated, is to get rid of the blood stagnation. If a tumor is very hard on palpation, (to the touch), stagnate blood is more the cause. Especially in the cases of women’s uterine disorders, this being an organ which deals greatly with blood, blood stagnation can be one of the main causes. So, if you can get the blood to flow and get rid of the blockage, the tumor will shrink. The blood and fluids can flow freely and the body will heal itself. The macrophages (cells in the body that act as scavengers) will come in to clean up the excess. The body has its own built-in garbage and waste disposal mechanisms, even at the tiniest cellular level. It is known in allopathic medical studies of pathology that there are tumor antigens in the body.
The cytotoxic T lymphocytes play a protective role against virus-associated neoplasm. Natural killer cells are lymphocytes that are capable of destroying tumor cells without prior sensitization. After activation with IL-2, natural killer cells can lyses a wide range of human tumors, including many that appear to be nonimunogenic for T cells. Macrophages exhibit somewhat selective cytotoxicity against tumor cells in vitro (test tube) T cells. The cytokine is lytic for several tumor cells.
The body fluids and natural chemical (humoral) mechanisms activate complement and ADCC substances by natural killer cells. Indeed, science recognizes the body’s own power to cure and clean up its system. Acupuncture is very good at moving blood in the body and breaking up stagnation. Just the insertion of the needles in the correct places can do wonders for opening up the channel blockages and getting the blood to flow. When the blood and lymph flow freely, the body can clean up the problem. So, literally, in the case of tumors, the tumors must be must be broken up.
This is done naturally in acupuncture and none of the good cells have to be sacrificed to get the tumor to go away or at least shrink. In fact, it will be just the opposite. While the blockages will be opened and the tumors and hardened areas be gradually broken down, the rest of the cells will be supported to become even stronger and more healthy. This enables them to do their job better and they can attack the tumor or blocked area without the normal cellular sacrifice that strong allopathic medication will cause. Why kill the invading attackers (abnormal cells) by killing your own troops (healthy body cells)? Nature would not do so. That is why acupuncture can do it without any negative side effects. It relies on nature. Nature was made so beautifully.
There is sound scientific research that shows acupuncture improves the immune system of the body. In experiments performed by the Shenxi Province Traditional Medicine Research Institute, it was found that after needing a rabbit’s Zu San Li (St 36) point and Da Zhui (Du 14) point, there was an increase in the opsonin present in the blood, a substantial increase in phagocytosis by the leukocytes and consequently an increase in the body’s resistance to disease. This is only one of thousands of research studies on these acupoints. Hormones secreted by the endocrine glands may also play an important role in the body’s healing mechanism.
Experiments have shown that acupuncture exerts varying degrees of influence on the endocrine glands and thereby indirectly influence other organs. Acupuncture can affect the pituitary-adrenal cortex system. This comes under the Kidney system in TCM. A blood test taken twenty minutes after needling the Zusanli point and Hegu point on healthy human subjects showed that the 17-hydroxycorticosterone steroids content in the blood rose significantly, sometimes by as much as a factor of two or three, and was maintained at these levels for a considerable length of time. It has also been shown that acupuncture can regulate the thyroid gland. It is generally believed that acupuncture, by using a method suitable to the stimulation of the nerve receptors in the area of a point, transmits a signal to a particular level of the central nervous system, which in turn influences the target organ.
When the local tissue is stimulated by acupuncture, it gives rise to some of the same biochemical changes that accompany inflammation, thereby prolonging the stimulation around the points which, mediated through the nerves or a combination of nerves and body fluids, prevents and cures the problem. These are only a few examples that show how acupuncture can help heal, not only by improving the blood flow, but by supporting the body’s own healing mechanisms.
If a person would take the time to delve into all the scientific research available in China and Japan, they would find so much information available on what acupuncture’s mechanisms may be.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine herbology, like acupuncture, in treating the tumors or fibroids themselves, and the pain, the goal is not to mask the pain, or kill off the tumors, but to open channel blockages, improve the strength and function of the body’s own defense forces ( cells in the body that have this job), in order to break up the tumor, clean up the necrotic (dead) cells, and clear the way for normal function. In fact, TCM herbal medicine is one of the major treatments for masses, especially the blood stasis masses.
Acupuncture alone can be extremely beneficial in the energy stasis masses, while a combination of both Traditional Chinese Medicine herbs and acupuncture is always the optimal treatment. Ovarian cysts and uterine myomas can be dispersed also. Myomas do not usually cause pain. However, if there is torsion, they may cause dysmenorrheal (menstrual pain).
There are three types of myomas: subserus (on the outside wall of uterine wall), interstitial (within the wall of the uterus), and submucous (on the inside of the uterus). The interstitial myomas are the least difficult to disperse. TCM formulas should include herbs such as e zhu (Rhizoma Curcumae Zedorriae), ze lan (Herba Lycopi Lucidi) and san leng (Rhizoma Sparganii).
There are numerous herbs in the TCM pharmacy that have a propensity to clear tumors and masses out of particular body organs and tissue. Yi Mu Cao is particularly good for uterine tumors. Its functions include 1) invigorate blood circulation and remove blood stasis 2) diuretic 3) detoxicant. It is indicated for abnormal menstruation, dysmenorrheal, postpartum abdominal bleeding, uterine tumors, and uterine bleeding. nephritic edema and general edema, and eczema with purulent abscess. It has an affinity for the liver, heart, and kidneys. Its pharmaceutical actions include: 1) Antibacterial and anti-fungal 2) contraction of the uterus 3) diuretic 4) antihypertensive 5) excitatory action on the respiratory center.
These herbs are stated here for informational purposes only. No one should try to buy these herbs on their own for self treatment or for self-diagnosis. Most herbs in TCM are used in formulas, not singly, and the person’s TCM diagnosis is of utmost importance before using these herbs. It is also important not to combine certain allopathic pharmaceuticals with certain herbs.
Since tumors are basically collections of excess material in the body and according to allpathic medicine, parasites, you can help prevent and get rid of these excesses by how you eat, drink and live. Eliminate or greatly reduce that junk food out there and learn to buy fresh, organic whole vegetables and grains and to cook them yourself.
Foods which you can eat that are antitumor include the Japanese shiitake mushrooms, unpasteurized miso, kombu, wakame, and arame sea vegetables, Corscican seaweed (especially for fibroid tumors), Job’s tears, and whole greens such as kale and collard greens, and chlorella.
The purpose of this article is to let you know that there is another option before surgery and the powerful drugs with serious side effects. Another very amazing fact is that there are many herbs in the TCM herbal pharmacopoeia that support the normal cells while having the effect of choking off the abnormal cells.
Why is so much research being done to find a wonder drug that will do that? Nature has that available here and now. TCM can be a very powerful treatment method on its own or in conjunction with conventional allopathic medicine. Leave open your options, investigate, and find out what nature has already provided for you. The best preventive measures are not expensive: exercise, pure food, and good thoughts.
