Rheumatic+Heart+Disease

IBIS:

Definition/Etiology:
An immune-mediated febrile illness following Group A streptococcal infections, characterized mainly by arthritis, chorea, or in this case, carditis appearing alone or in combination. Residual heart disease is a possible sequela. It may be accompanied by subcutaneous nodules or erythema marginatum. The valves of the heart can be permanently damaged, as well as the chordae tendinae. This can cause regurgitation, stenosis and other effects on the heart.

Nutrition:
specific foods: • foods that tonify the Heart • flax seed oil, okra, hawthorn berries, millet, buckwheat, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, bananas, potatoes, asparagus, apples, honey in small amounts (Airola, p.101)

avoid: • meat, alcohol, hot sauces, spicy foods, fried foods, fatty foods, rich foods, salty foods, coffee, caffeine, sweet foods and sugar, alcohol, cow's milk and other dairy products, white bread, refined foods, processed foods

Botanicals
• Aconitum napellus (toxic): rheumatic fever; according to indications (Felter and Lloyd, p. 104 • Avena sativa: to prevent relapsing cardiac rheumatism (Felter and Lloyd, p. 316) • Bryonia alba (toxic): rheumatic fever, inflammation of heart (Ellingwood, p. 91) • Cimicifuga racemosa: endocarditis with frontal or vertex headache; rheumatism; pain under left nipple extending down left arm (Harper-Shove, pp. 133, 134) • Colchicum autumnale (toxic): rheumatic carditis (Ellingwood, p. 383) • Convallaria majalis (toxic): rheumatic carditis (Ellingwood, p. 223) • Kalmia latifolia (toxic): allays febrile and inflammatory action, lessens the action of the heart (Felter and Lloyd, p. 1094)

Chinese Formulae
• Tian Wang Bu Xin Dan (Tien Wang Pu Hsin Tan) (patent): Heart Yin Xu (Deficiency) and Kidney Yin Xu (Deficiency) (acute stage) (Zhu, p. 321) • Vitality C. (Zhen Wu Tang): Heart/Kidney Yang Xu (Deficiency) (chronic stage): abdominal pain, aching heavy extremities, edema, loose stools, dizziness. (Hsu, 1980, p. 278; Yeung, p. 287; Dharmananda, 1986, p. 207; Bensky and Barolet, p. 197) • Baked Licorice C. (Zhi Gan Cao Tang): Heart Xue Xu (Blood Deficiency) and Heart Qi Xu (Deficiency): palpitations with anxiety, insomnia, shortness of breath, constipation (Hsu, 1980, p. 529; Yeung, p. 291; Bensky and Barolet, p. 257; Dharmananda, 1986, p. 247) • Sheng Mai San (Generate the Pulse Powder): Lung Qi Xu (Deficiency) and Lung Yin Xu (Deficiency): chronic cough with little sputum, shortness of breath, spontaneous sweating (Yeung, p. 207; Bensky and Barolet, p. 245) • Stephania and Astragalus C. (Fang Ji Huang Qi Tang): Spleen Qi Xu (Deficiency), Edema: sweating, heavy sensation in body (Hsu, 1980, p. 477; Yeung, p. 94; Dharmananda, 1986, p. 343; Bensky and Barolet, p. 179) • Shi Pi Yin: Spleen Yang Xu (Deficiency): edema worse below the waist, cold extremities, anorexia, no thirst (Bensky and Barolet, p. 199) • Ginseng and Longan C. (Gui Pi Tang): Qi Xu (Deficiency) and Xue Xu (Blood Deficiency) (Hsu, 1980, p. 425; Yeung, p. 112; Dharmananda, 1986, p. 244; Bensky and Barolet, p. 255) • Xue Fu Zhu Yu Tang; Tao Hong Si Wu Tang: Xue Yu (Blood Stasis): chest pain, chronic headache, insomnia, irritability. (Xue Fu: Yeung, p. 269; Bensky and Barolet, p. 314; Tao Hong: Yeung, p. 220; Bensky and Barolet, p. 250)

Acupuncture
after assessing the person and palpating, consider these patterns: acute: Heart Yin Xu (Deficiency) and Kidney Yin Xu (Deficiency); chronic stage: Heart/Kidney Yang Xu (Deficiency); Heart Xue Xu (Blood Deficiency) and Heart Qi Xu (Deficiency); Lung Qi Xu (Deficiency) and Lung Yin Xu (Deficiency); Spleen Qi Xu (Deficiency); Spleen Yang Xu (Deficiency); Qi Xu (Deficiency) and Xue (Blood) Deficiency; Xue Yu (Blood Stasis)

» illustrative combinations: • PC-6, PC-5, PC-3 and Ht-8 for rheumatic heart disease (Shanghai, p. 246) • Ht-8, PC-3, PC-4, PC-5 for rheumatic heart disease (Shanghai, p. 254) • UB-14, UB-15 and Sp-6 for rheumatic heart disease (Shanghai, p. 200) • CV-3 -> CV-2: assist transforming functions of Qi; dispel Damp-Heat • CV-2, CV-3, Kd-5, CV-9, Sp-6; GB-39 joined to Kd-7 for ascites due to rheumatic heart disease (Shanghai, p. 188) • CV-22, Kd-27, CV-17 and Lu-1 for coughing and wheezing induced by rheumatic heart disease (Shanghai, p. 174) • CV-2 joined to CV-3; CV-9, UB-28, Kd-7, Kd-5, Sp-9 and UB-58: "facilitate urination and eliminate edema (i.e., to circulate the Yang so as to benefit the water)" while treating chronic heart failure (Shanghai, p. 595) • UB-15, Ht-7 and St-40 for pulmonary heart disease (Shanghai, p. 202) • Ht-7, UB-15, UB-23, Ht-9, Kd-8, St-36, St-43, GB-30, LI-4, Sp-6, TW-7 and CV-5 for cardiac edema (Mann, p. 111) • LI-4 and LI-11 (-): reduce fever • St-36 and GB-9: clear channels to facilitate Qi flow

Homeopathy
• Aconitum napellus: pulse frequent and small; early and acute stage; palpitation with anxiety; dyspnea; great agitation of heart; anxiety • Adonis vernalis: mitral and aortic regurgitation; precordial pain and palpitation and dyspnea; myocarditis • Anacardium: sharp stitching pain; 2 stitches succeeding each other, followed by a long interval; pain may radiate to small of back; rheumatic affections of pericardium; pulse generally accelerates with beating in blood vessels • Bryonia: pulse weak and irregular when the heart muscle becomes coaffected; frequent, sharp, stitching pain in cardiac region • Colchicine: main remedy with spig.; fever with increased thirst; confusion of mind; very rapid pulse; uneasiness and sleeplessness; convulsive jerkings of right hand • Crataegus: extreme dyspnea on least exertion without much increase of pulse; pain in region of heart and under left clavicle; heart dilated; first sound weak; pulse accelerated, irregular, feeble, intermittent; valvular murmurs • Kalmia: pain > sitting erect, < motion; fluttering of heart; quickened but weak pulse; hypertrophy and valvular insufficiency or thickening; after rheumatism; paroxysms of anguish about heart; with dyspnea and febrile excitement • Lachesis: most adapted to cases where fibrin is deposited on surfaces of heart, valves or investing membrane; restless, trembling, anxiety about heart; suffocation on lying down; weight on chest; heart feels constricted; > when lying on right side with head high • Lithium carbonicum: valvular insufficiency; trembling and fluttering in heart extending to back; rheumatic soreness in cardiac region; throbbing, dull stitch in cardiac region • Rhus toxicodendron: trembling and palpitation when sitting still; pulse quick, weak, irregular, intermittent; with numbness of left arm • Spigelia: rheumatic or helminthic affection; stitching pain or vice-like sensation; stabbing pain through heart on deep inspiration; pain synchronous with heart beat; > lying on right side with head high; systolic blowing at apex; mitral insufficiency; pulse very feeble; extremely sensitive to cold; whole left side is sore • Spongia tosta: valvular insufficiency (usually mitral); systolic murmur; awakening at night with fear and terror; attacks of oppression and cardiac pain; worse lying with head low • Sumbul: pulse very irregular, compressible; rheumatic carditis; heart beats softly, as if in water; with sinking of heart and sickliness and faintness all over; bellows murmur; loses breath on any exertion; aching in left arm; heavy, numb and weary • Veratrum viride: constant dull burning pain in region of heart; valvular diseases; pulse slow, weak, soft, irregular, intermittent

Subtle Support
• notes: A, A#, B, C, C#, D, D#, E, F#, G, G#

• chords: dominant 7th, diminished 7th, A Major, A# Major, C Major, G Major, G# Major (Gimbel, p. 116)

cardiovascular: • The Barcarole • The Blue Danube • Chopin's A minor Waltz • Tango music • Humoresque • Cui's Orientale • Song of India • Donna e Mobile • Oley Speak's Sylvia (Heline, p. 18)

Mind/Body
• Heart represents center of love and security. (Hay, 1984, p. 168) • Rheumatic heart disease patients were passive, nonhostile persons whose oral needs seemed adequately fulfilled. (Locke, 1985, p. 101)

Chinese psychophysiology: • Liver ~ Gan is the home of the Hun (Ethereal Soul); it relates to decisiveness, control, and the principle of emergence; stores and cleanses the Xue (Blood); maintains smooth flow of Qi and Xue (Blood); controls the muscles, ligaments, and tendons, especially the contractility of the muscles and moistening of the sinews; and reflects emotional harmony and movement. » Healthy expressions are kindness, spontaneity, and ease of movement. » Liver Xu (Deficiency) signs include impotence; frigidity; pain in thighs, pelvic region, and throat; ready tendency to "the blahs" (Seem, p. 28); timidity; depression; irritability; vertigo; pruritus; dry eyes, skin, and/or tendons; asthma; aching at the waist; hernia; and difficulty raising head up and down. Liver Xue Xu (Blood Deficiency) predisposes to Xue Yu (Blood Stasis). » Liver Qi Stagnation reflects and accentuates emotional constraint as the Liver's function of facilitating smooth flow in the body is constricted. Stagnation is associated with frustration, irritability, tension, and feeling stuck. With time this pattern tends to produce a gloomy emotional state of constant resentment, repressed anger or depression, along with tightness in the chest, frequent sighing, abdominal tension or distension, and/or a feeling of a lump in the throat with difficulty in swallowing. (Maciocia, p. 216) Xue Yu (Blood Stasis) often begins with Qi Stagnation.

• Heart ~ Xin houses the Shen (Spirit) and reveals itself through the brightness in the eyes; governs Fire and Heat; rules the Xue (Blood) and its vessels and directs the circulation; opens into the tongue and controls speech; and relates to the integration of the organs and the personality. » Healthy expressions are warmth, vitality, excitement, inner peace, love, and joy. » Heart Xu (Deficiency) signs include sadness; absence of laughter; depression; fear; anxiety; shortness of breath (Seem, p. 28); cold feeling in the chest and limbs; palpitations; cold sweat; inability to speak; memory failure; nocturnal emissions; and restless sleep. Chronic Yin Xu (Deficiency) predisposes to Empty Fire, acute and chronic. » The Heart is the Emperor of the bodily realm so that when the Heart is disturbed all the other organs will be disrupted.