Myasthenia Gravis (MG)

1. The General
Patients with myasthenia gravis (MG), neuromuscular disease, typically show up with symptoms of variable ocular fatigue and weakness all over the body. This disease is caused by defunction of the certain nerve receptors to function properly. A reduction in the number of acetylcholine (ACh) receptors results in a special situation of progressively reduced muscle strength with repeated use of the muscle and recovery of muscle strength following a period of rest.

The common ocular syndrome includes ptosis, orbicularis weakness, droopy eyelids that appear worse at the end of the day, paradoxical lid retraction, limitation of ocular motility, Cogan’s lid twitch, exposure keratitis and intermittent diplopia.

Some percentage of patients possess a form of the disease known as ocular myasthenia. Here, the symptoms remain strictly confined to the extraocular muscles.

Systemic symptoms include intermittent fatigue of the limbs, weakness of the facial muscles and difficulty talking, breathing, swallowing and chewing. In a small percentage of patients, dysthyroidism may also be present, resulting in the mixture of ptosis and exophthalmos. Thymic thymoma is an associated finding signs in patients over 65. Associated disorders such as diabetes mellitus, lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis occur in 1/5 percent of MG patients.

2. The Mechanism 
Autoantibodies develop against ACh acetylcholine (ACh) receptors for unknown reasons. Cholinergic nerve conduction to striated muscle is impaired by a mechanical blockage of the binding site by antibodies and, ultimately, by destruction of the binding site.

Patients become symptomatic once the number of ACh receptors is reduced to approximately 30% of normal. The cholinergic receptors of smooth and cardiac muscle have a different antigenicity than skeletal muscle does.

The role of the thymus in the pathogenesis of MG is not entirely clear, but three quarter of patients with MG have some degree of thymus abnormality. Given the immunologic function of the thymus and the improvement in the clinical condition of patients following thymectomy, the thymus is considered to be the site of autoantibody formation. However, the stimulus that initiates the autoimmune process has not been identified.

3. Clinical Attention

4. The Symptoms of Myasthenia Gravis

The onset of MG may be sudden, with generalised and severe muscle weakness, but more often the symptoms in the early stages are variable and subtle, making it difficult to diagnose correctly.

The noticeable symptom frequently is weakness of the eye muscles. The disease may remain localised there, or progress to muscles involved in swallowing, chewing, talking, or in moving the limbs. Symptoms vary from patient, but can include a drooping of one or both the eyelids (ptosis), blurred or double vision, weakness of the muscles that move the eyeballs, and unstable or waddling gait, weakness in arms, hands, and fingers, difficulty in swallowing, and difficulty in breathing. These last two represent a significant danger to the patient.

Muscle weakness may develop over a few days or weeks, or remain at the same level for long periods of time. The severity of weakness varies from patient to patient, and even in the same patient at different times of the day. Weakness tends to worsen with exercise and at the end of the day, and is usually particularly alleviated by rest.

5. Effective Chinese Herbal Medicine
The following are main diagnosis points summed up by TCM

5-1. Modified Central-Burner Nourishment and Qi Refilling Formula
	Indication:  Myasthenia Gravis Composition:  Radix Codonopsis Pilosulae 12g, Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae 10g, Radix Angelicae Sinensis 10g, Radix Astragali 30g, Rhizoma Dioscorea Batatis 30g, Caulis Spatholobi 30g, Rhizoma Cimicifugae 8g, Radix Bupleuri 8g, Zaocys dhumnades 12g, Poria Cocos 15g Variation: A. For Yin vacuity with heat in blood: Radix Astragali preparata 24g, Rhizoma Dioscorea Batatis 30g, Caulis Spatholobi 30g, Radix Rehmanniae preparata 10g, Radix Angelicae Sinensis 10g, Rhizoma Cnidii 8g, Carapax Et Plastrum Testudinis Preparata 12g, Ramulus Mori 10g, Radix Paeoniae Alba 15g, Fructus Tribuli 12g, Jiang Huang 10g, Radix Codonopsis Pilosulae 12g, Zaocys dhumnades 12g. B. For Insufficiency of Both Liver and Kidney: Radix Astragali 24g, Rhizoma Dioscorea Batatis 30g, Radix Rehmanniae preparata 10g, Fructus Corni 12g, Cortex Moutan Radicis 10g, Radix Pseudostellariae 12g, Zaocys dhumnades 12g, Caulis Spatholobi 30g, Radix Achyranthis 10g Administration:  Decocted with water. On time daily. Clinical Fact Sheet 31 received the treatment. Among them 28 gained recovery, 2 gained improvement and one gained nothing. Formula Source:  Guangxi Chinese Medicine, Jan. 1991
5-2. Decoction for Fortifying Spleen and Refilling Qi and Strengthening Muscle
	Indication:  Myasthenia Gravis Composition:  Radix Astragali preparata 50g, Rhizoma Homalomenae 30g, Radix Codonopsis Pilosulae 30g, Niu Da Li 30g, Rhizoma Atractylodis 20g, Herba Epimedii 20g, Rhizoma Cimicifugae 8g, Radix Bupleuri 8g, Radix Glycyrrhizae 5g, Prepared Ma Qian Zi 0.5g Administration:  Decocted with water. On time daily. Formula Source:  Combination Between Western and Eastern Medicine, Jul. 1992
5-3. Formula for Activating Paralysis
	Indication:  Myasthenia Gravis Composition:  Radix Rehmanniae preparata 20g, Semen Cuscutae 30g, Hydrocotyle sibthorpioides 40g, Herba Epimedii 15g, Radix Angelicae Sinensis 15g, Radix Codonopsis Pilosulae 15g, Radix Aconiti Lateralis Preparata 20g, Radix Astragali 50g, Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae 12g, Rhizoma Gastrodiae 10g. Administration:  Decocted with water. On time daily. Clinical Fact Sheet 12 received the treatment. Among them 9 gained recovery, 2 gained improvement and one gained nothing. Formula Source:  Shandong TCM Medicine, Jul. 1996
5-4. Formula for Myasthenia Gravis
	Indication:  Infantile Myasthenia Gravis, ocular type Composition:  1. For Central Qi downfall: Poria Cocos 10g, Radix Paeoniae Alba 10g, Radix Puerariae 10g, Ma Qian Zi 0.5g, Rhizoma Zingiberis 2 slips, Fructus Zizyphi 2 pieces. 2. For Spleen Vacuity and Swampness Prevailing: Radix Ginseng 10g, Poria Cocos 10g, Rhizoma Atractylodis 10g, Radix Glycyrrhizae 6g, Pericarpium Citri Reticulatae preparata 6g, Rhizoma Pinelliae Preparata 10g, Radix Puerariae 10g, Radix Bupleuri 10g, Radix Saussureae 3g, Rhizoma Cimicifugae 5g, Ma Qian Zi 0.5g. 3. For Cases with Liver and Kidney Involved: Fructus Lycii 10g, Flos Chrysanthemi 10g, Radix Rehmanniae preparata 10g, Rhizoma Dioscorea Batatis 10g, Fructus Corni 10g, Poria Cocos 10g, Bai Fu Zi 10g, Bombyx Cum Batryte 10g, Ramulus Uncariae Cum Uncis 10g, Scorpio 2g, Ma Qian Zi 0.5g. Administration:  Decocted with water. On time daily. Clinical Fact Sheet 21 received the treatment. Among them 7 gained recovery, 12 gained improvement and 2 gained nothing. Formula Source:  TCM Medicine, Oct. 1985

6. Chinese Herbal Medicine Treatment
Till now the out-patients with myasthenia gravis (MG) amounted to 238 and among them 125 are male and 113 female. The oldest patient aged 64, the youngest is 5 years old. The effective rate (improvement rate) is 89%. Amyotrophy Convalescence Pill Series have been verified to be very effective in treating MG. Almost 89% of patients can gain an improvement within 35 days to five months. Patients with MG are welcome to contact Dr, Lee at info@tcmherbaltherapy.com for the treatment. Because the effective rate is so high the successful cases are too much and here we do not list any cases.

7. Combination Treatment: Qigong Practice7-1. Mechanism
Qigong, an ancient science and art of health, is a traditional form of Chinese energy excise and healing art for the body, mind, and spirit. Qigong is for establishing balance in and for helping to heal people who are struggling with chronic degenerative conditions such as paralysis, cancer, asthma, cardiovascular and so on.

People will ask us what the mechanism of qigong is. Generally speaking, like in a rice field, western medicine always have the trend of using all their means to kill the weeds. But in the meantime the rice shoots incur damage, more or less. Most patients know what the results is when they receive radiotherapy and chemotherapy. But for qigong practice, at beginning it will directly strengthen patients immune system as well as activate inner energy system. In a word, it seeks to harmonize the relationship of all internal organs rahter than distinguish which is friend and which is enemy. How to achieve such aim, you may ask? For a tree, at the very beginning there is no division of which is normal and which is abnormal for it stays at initiative stage of the very root. But later different branches develop into various forms, and good, bad, long, short, etc. come into being. By adopting special means we can reverse the process of growth and take the course of sailing against the life current to return back to the very beginning. Once we reach that state there should be no any “branches” possibly existing to wield effects upon our physical existence. Qigong is just the method of how to take the reversing course for the health well being, physically and mentally.

As like to let the rice shoots get stronger and stronger, the weeds will have less and less effects upon the rice shoots. As the process continues, it is sure someday the weeds will no longer have effect upon the rice shoots. Later the time will come of the rice shoots overpowering weeds. If patients can properly proceed with the practice, qigong can bring them much more than they could expect, especially the serene happiness common people could never have chance to experience throughout their life time. Qigong is the study of practice rather than just a theory. Here we like to offer free Qigong course to all patients.

7-2. Qigong Course in DVD Format
We’d like to offer free DVD training course to patients who buy our medicine and have interest in practicing the art. Also, people should know before hand that such practice is for the patients who cannot sit cross-legged and cannot stretch their arms. Such materials can be sent by emails and is easy to get. We’d like to offer suggestion to practitoners when they encounter any problem with such self practice. They are advised to practice the art every day, together with the Amyotrophy Convalescence Pill Series medicine prescribed by doctors. For more information regarding I-Chi Qigong practice please click here

7-3. Correspondence Course
For patients who are able to move their arms and sit cross-legged please try DaMo Qigong Correspondence Course. Such correspondence course contains 4 DVDs (MPEG format, can play at most DVD Player and computers with Windows system or OS), the book The Way To Eternity and Correspondence Course. The video discs contain qigong master’s teaching for 49 postures which is the first step of Laying Foundation and it is a very complicated series practice. Follow the practical teaching practitioners can personally know how to proceed with the practice, step by step.

By mastering the essentials of Qigong practice, many people with chronic diseases such as ALS, MG, SM, diabetes, general weakness, colitis, etc. can us such internal healing arts to heal themselves with assistance from some herbal medicine. For more information please click here.

7-4. WudangTaoist Alchemy, Qigong & Tai Chi Workshops
Wudang Taoist Internal Alchemy, Qigong & Taichi Workshops will be held everyyear during September 9-25, at Mount Wudang, one birth place for Chinese Taoism and Taoist inner alchemy practice.

Such workshop offers the classes teaching from Qigong, Daoyin, I-Ching, Chinese astrology (Big Liu Ren), meditation, Taoist yoga, Taoist inner alchemy, Buddhism and the essence of consciousness. So, people can learn not only the practical health preservation approaches, but also the Taoist and Buddhist philosophy. It can tremendously open people’s mind to reach a very high level while help people master the most valuable self-healing arts for treat many chronic diseases. For more details please Click Here

Yes, we also teach medical Qigong, including external Qi, diagnosis, and self-healing arts. As to the details of the teaching coverage please read the simplified workbook at HERE