The tongue presentation appropriate to this remedy is a tongue-body which is Red only in the
front part (Lung area).
Case History 25.7
Myalgic Encephalomyelitis: Heart-Heat-Female, Age 47
A 47-year-old woman had been feeling extremely exhausted for the previous 10 years. She had
had acupuncture for a long time but this did not help her consistently. Her other symptoms
included: a feeling of heaviness, a feeling of heat, hot feet in bed at night, thirst, slight ache in
the muscles, insomnia and scanty-dark urine. Her pulse was Full, Slippery, Rapid (88) and
slightly Moving (the Moving pulse is short, rapid, vibrating, and shaped like a bean). Her tongue
was Red and redder on the tip.
Diagnosis I considered this to be a type of ME due to residual Heat, concentrated
mostly in the Heart. Over the years, Heat injures the body fluids and
condenses them into Dampness. For this reason this patient also had
some Damp-Heat although not pronounced (there was only a slight ache
of the muscles indicating Dampness). Most of the other symptoms
indicated Heart-Heat (insomnia, Red tongue with redder tip, thirst,
feeling of heat). The Rapid pulse clearly shows Heat. Its Moving quality
indicates shock and fear. On interrogation it emerged that she had had a
very troubled childhood having been abused by her father. In this case
there were obviously deep emotional reasons underlying her condition
besides the viral infections that are usually the cause of ME. She had
sought psychotherapeutic help over the years and was dealing with her
past.
Treatment principle In spite of the long duration of the problem, on the basis of her pulse, I
felt that the condition was still one of Excess. The main principle of
treatment adopted was therefore to clear Heart-Heat and calm the Mind.
Only herbs were used.
Herbal treatment The prescription selected was a variation of the combination of Dao Chi
San Eliminating Redness Powder and Zhi Shi Zhi Zi Tang Citrus
aurantium-Gardenia Decoction:
Sheng Di Huang Radix Rehmanniae glutinosae 9 g
Zhu Ye Herba Lophatheri gracilis 3 g
Mu Tong Caulis Akebiae 2 g
Sheng Gan Cao Radix Glycyrrhizae uralensis 3 g
Zhi Zi Fructus Gardeniae jasminoidis 4 g
Zhi Shi Fructus Citri aurantii immaturus 4 g
Dan Dou Chi Seme Sojae praeparatum 6 g
Mu Xiang Radix Saussureae 3 g