{"id":247,"date":"2019-10-28T12:25:00","date_gmt":"2019-10-28T12:25:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ancientcurrent.com\/?p=247"},"modified":"2023-02-28T13:29:35","modified_gmt":"2023-02-28T13:29:35","slug":"immune-support","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ancientcurrent.com\/?p=247","title":{"rendered":"Immune Support"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Fatigue\u2026Lowered Immunity, Swollen Glands\u2026? How to Identify and Treat a Lingering Pathogenic Factor.<\/h1>\n\n\n
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\"Virus\"<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Many people seek Traditional Chinese Medicine for immune support because they have a tendency to catch colds easily and take longer than average to kick it. They also often say that \u201cthey need their sleep\u201d preferring 9-10 hours of sleep per night and often more on the weekends.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another recurring symptom is inflammation manifesting as either chronic sinusitis, enlarged tonsils, swollen lymph nodes and\/ or recurring respiratory conditions like strep throat and bronchitis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ancients discussed a pattern called \u201cLurking Pathogen\u201d in the Nei Jing. The name, lurking pathogen, principally comes from the Inner Classic (Nei Jing), where it says \u201cif there is damage by cold in the winter, there will be a warm pathogen disease in the spring\u201d, and \u201cif there is sufficient essence, there will be no warm disease in the spring.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Western medicine recognizes a similar situation known as \u201cPost-Viral Fatigue Syndrome\u201d, \u201cChronic Fatigue Syndrome\u201d or \u201cMyalgic encephalomyelitis\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A typical history includes the revelation of past experience with a viral or bacterial illness such as Mononucleosis, Lyme\u2019s Disease, Meningitis, Coxsackie virus. The list does not end there these are just the most frequent in my clinical experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most people are able to clear the pathogen on their own but for others it isn\u2019t fully expressed and pops up later in life. It\u2019s as if an imprint of the virus lurks in the body and when people are under stress or run down, it pops up and resurfaces. It\u2019s also taxing on the body to have low-lying inflammation and phlegm. These require constant energy to keep it at bay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Phlegm is a major component of a Lingering Pathogenic Factor. Additionally, the tongue presentation is red, which runs contrary to the pattern of fatigue and weakness. In Traditional Chinese Medicine we consider this to be the result of a \u201cLingering Pathogenic Factor\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Typical response to a pathogen:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Typically the body is hit with a pathogen and responds with fever, shivering, sweating and phlegm. As the pathogen meets the exterior of the body the \u201cWei Qi\u201d or \u201cDefensive Qi\u201d puts up a fight. The battle between \u201cEvil Qi\u201d and \u201cRight Qi\u201d is observed between fever and chills. The body\u2019s temperature elevates to make the host un-hospitable to the infection. Many people feel the higher the fever the more intensely your body is fighting the pathogen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Because the pathogen invades the skin at the surface of the body, Qi and Fluids are impeded and phlegm is produced. Most people fully clear the pathogen in time. In many it can take a week or so, others a month and some just never fully express the pathogen. Children are extremely susceptible to Lingering Pathogenic factor because their immune systems are developing and they are more fragile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are also other reasons that can contribute to a lingering pathogen not being completely expressed and expelled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Compounding factors:<\/p>\n\n\n\n