General
considerations for Infection
Acute infections embody the physiology’s most active or Yang
expression: the attempt to increase temperature, inflammation and
metabolic rate in order to contain or destroy an invading pathogen.
As such they share many general characteristics with fevers, and
should be supported in similar ways -- with caution that infections
are often more persistent and difficult to eradicate, especially
if the pathogen has spread to the lymphatic and circulatory systems
of the body.
Infections usually present with signs of heat, and this is almost
guaranteed if it is an acute infection. Some of the signs can include
faster, more superficial pulse, areas of increased redness on the
tongue or yellow in the moss, or small, elevated, red papillae in
certain specific areas. If the infection is topical, you will also
see signs of inflammation around the affected area: so, for example,
uninfected wounds would begin to swell, show signs of redness and
heat, and pain will increase. These of course our also symptoms
associated with inflammation from contusions or sprains, and similar
processes are at work inside the physiology: in both cases tissues
respond to damage, temporarily flooding the area with immune cells
and inflammatory chemicals that remove anything that is not healthy,
living tissue. In the case of infection, however, this damage is
not time-limited, but rather results partially from the invasion
of an offending pathogen, and remains ongoing until the pathogen
is eradicated.
In treating infection, the idea is not to act allopathically and
attempt to cool the heat that is being expressed; rather, we should
work to speed the resolution of the acute symptoms by increasing
circulation and support the process by aiding in elimination. This
is not to say that antibacterial herbs do not have a role to play:
use botanicals that have an affinity to the specific system involved,
as a supportive therapy.
Treatment Goal(s):
· Strengthen immunity, remove or inhibit pathogen(s), stimulate
elimination and circulation
Primary Treatment:
· in any case of viral or bacterial infection, whether topical
or internal, use tincture of Echinacea, 2-3 ml every 1-2 hours until
symptoms subside.
· stimulate circulation by heating the affected area, using
warm compresses of Zingiber officinalis (Ginger), and include a
circulatory stimulant in your internal formulation.
· ensure plenty of rest to avoid driving the infection deeper
into the physiology.
Supportive Treatment:
· Antibacterial herbs appropriate to the system(s) involved,
applied both internally and externally.
· Eliminate all sugars from the diet (and low-glycemic carbohydrates
as well).
· Stimulate the systems involved using expectorants, diaphoretics,
diuretics, or lymphatics.
· Somatic techniques such as manual lymph drainage and therapeutic
massage can be helpful.
· Soothe tissues with demulcents and/or antiinflammatories
if necessary.
· Rebuild immunity after the infection has passed using tonic
and adaptogenic herbs.
Differential diagnoses, cautions, and other considerations:
· If at any time in the course of treating a topical infection
you notice red or pink streaks proceeding from the affected area,
increase the aggressiveness of your treatment and especially use
of the lymphatics such as Echinacea and Baptisia. If the streaking
does not recede noticeably within 12 to 24 hours, antibiotics may
be necessary.
· if the infection recurs after waning, especially on a regular
schedule, consider the use of more potent internal antibacterial
herbs such as Cryptolepsis, Artemisia (Wormwood, Sweet Annie), and
Origanum (Oregano).
· if a fever is present, rest and good hydration become even
more essential. Manage the fever while encouraging elimination through
the use of diaphoretics.
· in some gastrointestinal and enteric infections, such as
dysentery and giardia, diarrhea can become an issue. This is especially
true in infants and young children. In this case, you may wish to
temporarily reduce elimination through the colon by using astringent
herbs such as Achillea (Yarrow) or Filipendula (Meadowsweet).
· fungal infections can be notoriously subtle, insinuating
themselves into the physiology in ways that may not be apparent
at first. For this reason, it can be helpful to treat fungal infections
for a week or two after the acute flareup has subsided.
· in cases of extremely debilitated or weak constitutions,
using heating and eliminative strategies may be too intense at first.
Work up slowly, relying on external treatments such as warm compresses,
and bitters internally to aid in digestion and metabolic rate.
· kidney infections can be life-threatening. They usually
began as a dull pain in the lower back just above the pelvis. If
the bacteria enter the tissue of the kidney, the organ can be severely
damaged by the resulting inflammation and can compromise quality
of life long-term. For this reason, kidney infections must be treated
very aggressively and monitored very closely: if there are no signs
of improvement in 48 hours of beginning treatments, antibiotics
may be necessary. Fortunately, kidney infections are usually preceded
by urinary tract and bladder infections, which are much easier and
safer to treat. Progression to the kidneys is usually a result of
improper or incomplete treatment, or extreme stress, debility, or
compromised immunity.
· if in any event the infection proceeds for more than two
to four weeks without showing any sign of improvement, seek additional
help.
