Acupuncture: A natural cure for Myasthenia Gravis

My name is Zoya Bilgrami. I was diagnosed with myasthenia gravis in June 2007. The test results for my blood test and CT scan showed a high level of acetylcholine receptor antibodies and an expanded thymus gland.

Myasthenia gravis is an auto immune neuromuscular disease leading to muscle weakness and fatigue. The immune system produces antibodies that attack/alter the acetylcholine receptors at the neuromuscular junctions which prevents the muscles contraction from occurring. There is no cure for MG as such. It's treated with daily doses of medicine that help control the muscle function. A common medicine for MG is mestonin. I was prescribed to take a daily dose of mestonin 60mg, which later increased to 120mg and then 180mg as my condition was progressively deteriorating.

I suffered from following symptoms:

  • Impaired speech
  • Severe neck and shoulder ache
  • I had difficulty swallowing and chewing
  • Loss of appetite
  • Weakness and fatigue
  • Low Energy


On 5TH October 2007, I had a severe relapse. I was choking, had difficulty swallowing, had become extremely weak. My speech was severely impaired, my neck and shoulders were in constant pain and the medicine did not seem to help anymore. That's when my brother introduced me to Dr Chen and acupuncture. (I received this patient as an emergency appointment during a weekend. Her brother, a good friend of mine called me in a great worry, because his sister Zoya was waking up choking, had difficulty swallowing, had become extremely weak. Her speech was severely impaired.)

Dr Chen was quick to gauge my health. His explanation was simple looking at my condition:

  • I was very weak
  • My energy level was low
  • I had cold hands and feet.

(I spend time to take the history of onset of her disease, which was developed shortly after a cold attack. She was exhausted mentally and physically during that period. On the moment she came to see me, she presents with following symptoms:

  • Pale tongue with thin coating, pulse deep and small----Yang deficiency
  • Cold hands and feet, along with aversion to cold----yang deficiency
  • Total loss of appetite, lost weight rapidly --- stomach and spleen's qi deficiency
  • Fatigue and weakness----kidney yang deficiency
  • Impaired speech----spleen's qi deficiency
  • Severe neck and shoulder ache ---kidney's yang unable to spread to upper back
  • Difficulty swallowing and chewing----spleen and kidney's qi deficiency


The diagnosis of her condition in Chinese medicine is Deficiency of Spleen and Kidney's Yang. The reason of developing this condition is the wind-cold went from TaiYang into the ShaoYin level, according six-meridian theory).

He said I need to eat, rest and relax and I will get better in a month or 2 depending on how my body responded to the acupuncture treatment (The treatment approach is re-establish her spleen and kidney's qi by sleeping well and eating well). He was very confident and positive that I will get better. That gave me hope and I knew I had come to the right person.

He advised against any strenuous exercise (to avoid draining out more kidney qi). Instead I was to take up yoga or bagua (a gentle Chinese exercise help restoring the qi ). He asked me to continue with the medicine and slowly reduce the dose as and when I feel stronger and better (it is sensible to complement Chinese treatment with conventional medicine, rather radically break away from it). He also prescribed herbal medicine to increase my appetite. (Jin Gui Shen Qi Wan for enhancing kidney's Yang and Xiang Sha Yang Wei Wan for improving Spleen's qi)

I had my 1st acupuncture session on 5th OCT 2007.Within 2 days I had decreased my medicine dose to 60 mg per day. I was more energetic, my speech was clearer, I was eating better. (three-emperor points, Lin gu, Da bei, Zhong shu, Zhong wan, Tai xi were used)

I have completed 6 sessions already. Currently, I notice the following changes happened:

  • Speech clearer
  • Neck and shoulder ache improved
  • The difficulty of swallowing and chewing has gone.
  • Regain of appetite, I eat a lot as I feel very hungry
  • I feel stronger, my energy level is better
  • I am not feeling cold anymore, hands and feet are warm
  • I am a happier person

I need to take a few more to fully recover. I know I am on the right path. He still advises me to take it easy and respond to what my body is telling me. And I will.

Dr Chen, Thank you for putting me on the road to recovery.


Zoya Bilgrami,
Sharjah