eLOTUS UPDATE

January 2011

eLOTUS UPDATE January 2011

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Inflammation and Infection Part I
LIVE SEMINARS by Jimmy Chang, L.Ac., O.M.D.
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Introduction
W E B I N A R W E E K D AY S Inflammation and infection are two terms that are sometimes mistaken for each other.
To distinguish them in Western Medicine, inflammation is part of the complex biological
TCM WISDOM TUBE
response of vascular tissues to harmful stimuli. Infection, on the other hand, is the
ONLINE VIDEOS invasion by and multiplication of microorganisms within the body. Another way to view
this is that infection is the invasion of exogenous pathogens in an organism, whereas
R E G I S T R AT I O N
inflammation is the response of the organism to the pathogens.
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In TCM, however, both inflammation and infection, regardless of the etiology (bacterial,
viral, fungal, etc.), are considered as being Fire. The causative factors of Fire can be
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External factors include the different external pathogenic factors: wind, cold, summer-
SUBSCRIBE heat, dampness, dryness, and fire. Internal factors include the 7 emotions. Factors that
are neither internal nor external may include traumas and injuries, such as dog bites.
Upcoming Events All of these pathogenic factors can result in hot conditions, or fire, which can be further
divided into inflammation and infection.
Pulsynergy Made
Easy Part I Inflammation
by Jimmy Chang
Inflammation translates to solid heat in patients. Solid heat refers to symptoms
manifested when the patient experiences a very strong reaction to infection. Solid heat
Location & Time: is also known as excess fire, and its etiological factors can be either biological, such as
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1/22/11 9 am to 6 pm PT micro-organisms and animal bites, or non-biological, such as trauma, physical injuries,
and chemical exposures, etc. Solid heat can be acute or chronic. The acute form of solid
Recognition and
Prevention of Herb-Drug heat may include purulent inflammations. Tissue damage, vascular change, and tissue
Interactions proliferation may also be seen with many cases of solid heat, as well as abscesses,
by John Chen cellulitis, and ulcers.
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The pulse for solid heat is forceful and strong on all levels, and with such a pulse, the patient should not be tonified. It
is always prudent to take the pulse before determining the method of treatment, because patients may at times manifest
only signs and symptoms of solid heat, but they may have an underlying mixed condition, such as a combination of solid
fire mixed with damp heat, or solid fire in the upper jiao and cold in the lower jiao.

Infection
Infection can manifest as deficient fire, yin deficiency, yang deficiency, or damp-heat. When the source of infection is
bacterial or viral, the manifesting diagnosis is usually deficient fire, yin deficiency, or yang deficiency. When the source of
infection is fungal, it usually manifests as damp-heat.

Infection that manifests with deficiency is caused by invasion of pathogenic micro-organisms in the bodybacterial in-
fections (leading to furuncles, carbuncles, food poisoning, etc.), and viral infections (influenza, herpes simplex, shingles,
etc.). In these cases, yin deficiency usually presents with more severe symptoms than yang deficiency.

Herbal pastes or pills should be used when treating long-term deficient conditions. In cases of yin deficiency, the blood
pressure is low and the heart rate is fast. When examining the pulse, the yin deficient pulse will be thin, floating, and
weak, and will disappear upon pressure. The right guan position, also known as the Spleen position, is the origin of
energy, the earth; whereas, the left guan, the Liver position, is the assistant. If both the right and left guan are weak
and empty, the body is truly deficient, and may indicate an autoimmune disorder. In this case, the patient should tonify
the body through nutritional adjustments. In cases of yang deficiency, the pulse will be weak, but will have a jump at a
slightly deeper level than a yin deficiency pulse. The blood pressure in yang deficient cases should be low, and the heart
rate slow.

Infections that manifest as damp-heat usually are fungal in origin, including tinea, candidiasis, fungus, and yeast
infections. The pulse in a patient manifesting with damp-heat is usually deep, scattered, and forceful upon pressure.
Besides fungal infections, three other possibilities may also cause this type of pulse.

1. Phlegm in the respiratory system

2. Injuries: dead blood from previous traumatic injuries, or drinking very cold water immediately after exercising
3. Polyps in the large intestine

If this type of pulse appears in the left chi position, it may translate to uterine polyps.

Detailed pulse diagnosis and herbal treatment for the various etiologies of inflammation and infection will be covered in
part II of this article.

Copyright 2011 Lotus Institute of Integrative Medicine. All Rights Reserved.

eLOTUS UPDATE January 2011

About the Author

Master Jimmy Wei-Yen Chang is a Doctor of Oriental Medicine trained in Taiwan and a licensed acupuncturist in
California and New York. He has over 30 years of concentrated clinical experience, applying his expertise in differential
diagnosis and herbal prescription. Master Chang is the author of the pulse diagnosis manual, Pulsynergy, and he cur-
rently pursues his specialties in private practice in Hacienda Heights, California. He is widely recognized for his skills in
correlating definitive pulse diagnoses with herbal prescription.

To learn more about pulses and herbs, Jimmy Chang is speaking on the following topics for Lotus Institute. All classes
are 8 units.

Courses by Jimmy Chang in 2011

LotusCEUWEBINARS
1/22/11 Pulsynergy Made Easy Part I
3/27/11 Pulsynergy Made Easy Part II
5/07/11 Pulsynergy Made Easy Part III
6/19/11 Principles of Herbal Efficacy: A Complete Comparison of Commonly Used Herbal Medicines and Their
Clinical Efficacy Part I
7/17/11 Principles of Herbal Efficacy: A Complete Comparison of Commonly Used
Herbal Medicines and Their Clinical Efficacy Part II
8/21/11 Allergy, Stress, and Depression: Pulse Dx & Herbal Tx
9/10/11 Gastrointestinal and Hepatic Disorders: Pulse Dx and Herbal Tx
12/4/11 Case Studies: Clinical Discussion on Pulse Diagnosis and Herbal Prescriptions

LotusCEUSEMINARS

9/25/11 Hands-On Pulse Taking Workshop (30 people max) @ Rowland Heights, CA
11/21/1 Hands-On Pulse Taking Workshop (30 people max) @ Rowland Heights, CA

Watch Jimmys FREE 1-hour webinars on TCM Wisdom Tube

View the Complete 2011 Seminar and Webinar Schedule

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