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Herbal Medicine
How to Treat Graves Disease With Acupuncture and TCM
By Qineng Tan, L.Ac., Ph.D. and Xiaomei Cai, L.Ac., Ph.D.
Goiter? Bulging eyes? Red eyes, eye pain? Feeling anxious and irritable? Hand tremor? These can all be signs of Graves disease, an autoimmune disorder that causes hyperthyroidism. Acupuncture and TCM can help relieve Graves disease symptoms.
Graves disease is an autoimmune disorder in which the immune system creates antibodies that make the thyroid produce too much thyroid hormone. This is known as an “overactive thyroid,” or hyperthyroidism.
Many different conditions can lead to excessive levels of thyroid hormone, but Graves disease is the most common cause of hyperthyroidism. About 80% of people with hyperthyroidism have Graves disease. Graves disease tends to affect women more often than men.
A person is more likely to have Graves disease if other people in their family have it, or have Hashimoto’s disease. People who have Graves may also have other autoimmune disorders, like Rheumatoid arthritis, autoimmune gastritis, Type 1 diabetes, or vitiligo (an autoimmune skin condition).
As with other autoimmune diseases, there is still limited understanding from a medical research perspective about what exactly causes Graves disease. Graves disease requires attention, as it can lead to serious health issues.
What Is Overactive Thyroid?
The thyroid gland is located in the front of the throat and is responsible for producing hormones that control metabolism, or how the body converts food into energy. The main thyroid hormones are thyroxine (T3) and triiodothyronine (T4).
The thyroid hormones impact many processes in the body, including your metabolic rate (how you use calories), how quickly food passes through your digestive tract, your heart rate, maintenance of body temperature, and the production of new cells to replace dying ones.
Thyroid function can have a big impact on your weight and digestion. Thyroid hormone imbalances can cause skin problems, vision problems, and problems with menstrual cycles, libido, and fertility.
Acupuncture can be an effective treatment for managing hyperthyroidism symptoms.
Top 10 Graves Disease Symptoms
Graves disease most typically begins to show up in midlife, between the ages of 30 and 50. Signs of Graves disease may develop slowly over several weeks or months. Each individual’s experience with symptoms may be different; you may have some of the following symptoms, but not others.
Common symptoms of Graves disease include:
- Rapid weight loss
- Increased appetite
- Diarrhea, more frequent bowel movements
- Rapid heartbeat, heart palpitations
- Feeling shaky, hand tremor, tremor in fingers
- Clammy skin, sweating, feeling hot
- Insomnia, trouble sleeping
- Goiter, enlarged thyroid gland on the front of the throat
- Changes in menstrual cycle
- Muscle weakness
About a third of people with Graves disease will also develop Graves ophthalmopathy, or thyroid eye disease. This happens due to inflammation and swelling of the muscles and tissues around the eyes. This can happen in both eyes, or just one eye.
Graves disease eye symptoms can include:
- Bulging eyes
- Eyelids don’t close all the way
- Puffy eyes, swelling around the eyes
- Eye pain, eye pressure
- Sensitive to light
- Eye irritation, gritty eyes
- Double vision
- Blurred vision
- Red eyes
- Trouble moving the eyes
Treatment for Graves Disease
Diagnosis of Graves disease will usually involve blood tests to check for elevated thyroid hormones and the presence of antibodies that stimulate thyroid hormone production. A thyroid uptake scan will show how much iodine your thyroid absorbs; high absorption of iodine is a sign of Graves disease. A Doppler ultrasound may also be done to see if there is extra blood flow to your thyroid gland.
Graves disease is considered a chronic condition with no cure. However, medications and other interventions can help control thyroid hormone levels. Antithyroid medications like Tapazole block the overproduction of T3 and T4. Side effects of these medications can include itchy skin rashes, nausea, hair loss, muscle pain or joint pain, headaches, dizziness, and other problems. Some people can develop serious liver problems.
Radioiodine therapy, or radioactive iodine ablation (RAI), is a treatment for Graves disease that involves taking radioactive iodine, which, as it is absorbed by the thyroid, will destroy the overactive cells of the thyroid gland. Many patients who undergo this treatment will end up being hypothyroid (low thyroid levels) and will have to have thyroid hormone replacement treatment. RAI treatment can affect the salivary glands, causing dry mouth and sometimes a loss of the ability to taste.
A thyroidectomy is a surgical option, which involves the removal of some or all of the thyroid gland. This may be recommended if a person has a very enlarged goiter, or thyroid gland. As with RAI, this may require that a person takes thyroid hormone replacement in the future. There is a risk that the vocal cords can suffer damage during this procedure, which may affect a person’s voice long-term.
Acupuncture and TCM offers an alternative or adjunct treatment for Graves disease that can help address the root cause of hyperthyroidism as well as help to manage symptoms.
Can Acupuncture Help Graves Disease?
According to TCM theory, hyperthyroidism and Graves disease are related to imbalances in Qi: typically, yin deficiency is the result of excessive yang energy. Stagnation of phlegm in the liver meridian around the throat area can also have an impact on the thyroid gland.
Herbal formulations that help address liver qi stagnation can help relieve many of the symptoms associated with Graves disease, including palpitations, increased heart rate, and insomnia. Other Chinese herb treatments can help to reduce thyroid hormone levels and even the size of an enlarged thyroid.
One study that compared patients who were treated with acupuncture and herbs versus those who were treated with antithyroid medications. Over 95% of the group who received TCM treatment had positive outcomes, while 73% of the group who were given medications saw positive improvement.
Another independent study showed a similar result, with some patients given acupuncture plus conventional medications, while another group received medication only. The acupuncture group had a 96% positive outcome, while the medication only group had a 64% success rate.
One case study of a woman who had tried antithyroid medications but had suffered from hives as a side effect had good results after taking TCM herbs. Her thyroid levels returned to normal and remained in the normal range even after she discontinued the herbs.
An overview of research shows that acupuncture and herbs have the potential to help patients with Graves disease and hyperthyroidism by lowering thyroid hormone levels, relieving stress, improving sleep, and relieving symptoms like tremors and muscle weakness, as well as IBS-like symptoms of diarrhea.
A TCM practitioner can also give personalized advice regarding dietary and other lifestyle changes that can further help to alleviate symptoms and strengthen Qi.
Acupuncture Near Me for Graves Disease in West Los Angeles
Acupuncture and herbal medicine can be excellent modalities for hard-to-treat disorders, because TCM offers a different lens through which we can see health issues like autoimmune disorders and hormonal imbalances. TCM treatments can strengthen a person’s health on the deepest levels, while also relieving a wide variety of symptoms. Acupuncture can be very helpful for thyroid disorders like Graves disease and hyperthyroidism, as well as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (Hashimoto) and hypothyroidism.
*This article is for education from the perspective of Traditional Chinese Medicine only. The education provided by this article is not approved by FDA to diagnose, prevent, treat and cure human diseases. It should not stop you from consulting with your physician for your medical conditions. Traditional Chinese Medicine is based on Qi, which is an invisible force that usually cannot be observed by modern science. Because science focuses on testing ideas about the natural world with evidence obtained through observation, these aspects of acupuncture can’t be studied by science. Therefore acupuncture and Chinese herbs are often not supported by double-blind, randomized trials, and they are considered alternative medicine therapies in the United States.
How to Treat Hay Fever With Acupuncture and TCM
By Qineng Tan, L.Ac. Ph.D. & Xiaomei Cai, L.Ac., Ph.D.
Itchy eyes, runny nose and sneezing? These are some of the classic seasonal allergy symptoms, also known as allergic rhinitis, or hay fever. Acupuncture and TCM herbs can help relieve allergies, including pollen allergy symptoms.
Seasonal allergies affect about 20% of Americans. Allergic rhinitis is an immune system reaction to an allergen in the air that can be inhaled, like pollen from budding trees, growing grass, and plants like ragweed. Hay fever is a common term that typically describes being allergic to pollen.
“Pollen” are tiny seeds from plants that can be carried by the wind. When there is lots of pollen in the air, this is called a high pollen count. You can check the pollen count, like a weather report, to see when it is particularly high, and thus may affect people who suffer from seasonal allergies and asthma.
While having an allergic reaction to common airborne allergens happens most often during the spring, summer, and early fall, when plants are giving off a lot of pollen, people can actually experience hay fever at any time of the year.
Similar allergy symptoms can occur due to exposure to dust mites, molds, and pet dander.
Acupuncture and TCM can help relieve the irritating symptoms caused by allergic reactions by helping to strengthen and balance the immune system so that it is not so easily triggered.
Top 10 Seasonal Allergy Symptoms
The body’s histamine response causes inflammation of the mucus membranes in the sinuses and throat. The increased mucus production occurs in order to drive out the offending allergens.
Pollen allergy symptoms are similar to those of the common cold. Signs of hay fever include:
- Sneezing
- Nasal congestion
- Runny nose, itchy nose
- Itchy eyes, watery eyes (allergic conjunctivitis)
- Itchy throat
- Postnasal drip
- Headaches, sinus pain
- Dark circles under eyes, puffy eyes, “allergic shiners”
- Fatigue, malaise, generally feeling under the weather
- Wheezing, coughing, trouble breathing
Skin rash is a less common symptom of seasonal allergies, but some people do develop a hay fever rash. The itchy allergy rash may look similar to hives: raised red welts on the skin.
Treatment for Hay Fever
The common medical treatment for hay fever is an antihistamine. Histamines are chemicals that occur naturally in the body as part of the immune response to allergens in the environment. The release of histamines is what leads to allergy symptoms like a runny nose and itchy eyes.
Antihistamines come in pill or spray form, and they block the histamine response, which can temporarily relieve the hay fever symptoms. However, these medications do have side effects, the most common of which is drowsiness.
If someone is not getting relief from antihistamines, then corticosteroids, or steroids, may be prescribed. These work as anti-inflammatories, which in this case means that they reduce the swelling of mucous membranes. Steroids, too, can have significant side effects, especially when used over a long period of time.
Nasal sprays for allergies, like Flonase or Mucinex, are decongestants that are designed to be sprayed into the nose to help reduce allergy runny nose. Again, these may provide some temporary relief, but people can quickly get used to them, so they stop being effective.
Acupuncture and TCM offer an alternative treatment for allergies that can help relieve hay fever symptoms without side effects.
Can Acupuncture Help Hay Fever?
According to TCM theory, allergies fall under the category of illnesses that are caused by “wind” as a pathogenic force that can invade the body. In the TCM view, hay fever occurs due to wind-heat getting into the lungs.
Weakness of the kidneys and spleen can also contribute to hay fever; when they are sluggish, mucus tends to build up, and we become more easily fatigued.
When the defensive Qi is strong, it can protect us from cold, heat, wind, and dampness getting into the body and causing problems. Defensive Qi is roughly analogous to what we think of as the immune system in conventional medicine.
TCM treatment for allergic rhinitis may include acupuncture, herbal supplements, moxibustion, and nutrition counseling. TCM can be used either as an alternative therapy for allergies, or as an adjunct treatment for hay fever, along with pharmacological treatment.
Chinese herbs have been used for many centuries to treat allergy symptoms. Now, we are able to see scientific evidence that these herbs, such as astragalus, magnolia flower, and licorice root, do actually have an effect on the immune response and histamine function by helping to regulate the production of chemicals like cytotoxic T-cells and immunoglobulin G. Compounds found in scutellaria root have been found to inhibit the production of inflammatory cytokines, and stephania root can help prevent anaphylaxis.
With Chinese herbal medicine, we are able to create customized formulas for each patient, depending on their particular presentation of symptoms.
Acupuncture is a highly effective modality for all types of allergies, from allergic rhinitis to atopic dermatitis or eczema, and can help relieve the nasal sinus symptoms that affect the eyes, nose and mouth if someone is allergic to pollen. It can also help reduce itching due to allergic skin rashes.
A clinical trial conducted at a hospital in China showed that a regimen of acupuncture and herbs resulted in over 90% of patients reporting that their nasal symptoms were greatly reduced.
Another published study showed that acupuncture reduced levels of Immunoglobulin-E, an antibody that is associated with allergy responses.
A review of studies of acupuncture for allergic rhinitis showed that this treatment has both short-term and long-term efficacy.
TCM treatment for seasonal allergies allows us to get to the root cause of allergy symptoms and help prevent them from happening. In this way, acupuncture and herbs can function as preventive medicine for hay fever. Getting acupuncture periodically throughout the year can help you avoid allergy attacks when the pollen count is high.
Top 3 Tips for Hay Fever Prevention
Here are some things you can do to help prevent spring hay fever and relieve pollen allergy symptoms:
- Avoid dairy food and cold foods, which promote more mucus production.
- Apply warm compresses to the face to soothe the eyes and nasal area.
- Use an air purifier in your home to keep allergens out of the environment.
To relieve allergies, emphasize more cooked foods that help warm the body.
Acupuncture Near Me for Hay Fever in Los Angeles Area, Santa Monica
The multifaceted approach of TCM makes it uniquely suited to help relieve seasonal allergy symptoms. Acupuncture can help reduce hay fever symptoms right away and help prevent allergies from knocking you down every time the pollen count is high. Please do not hesitate to seek relief from hay fever by giving acupuncture and herbs a try.
*This article is for education from the perspective of Traditional Chinese Medicine only. The education provided by this article is not approved by FDA to diagnose, prevent, treat and cure human diseases. It should not stop you from consulting with your physician for your medical conditions. Traditional Chinese Medicine is based on Qi, which is an invisible force that usually cannot be observed by modern science. Because science focuses on testing ideas about the natural world with evidence obtained through observation, these aspects of acupuncture can’t be studied by science. Therefore acupuncture and Chinese herbs are often not supported by double-blind, randomized trials, and they are considered alternative medicine therapies in the United States.
How to Treat Bronchitis With Acupuncture and TCM
By Xiaomei Cai, L.Ac., Ph.D. & Qineng Tan, L.Ac., Ph.D.
Chest cold with a productive cough, shortness of breath, coughing up mucus? These could be acute bronchitis symptoms. Acupuncture and TCM herbs can provide an alternative bronchitis treatment to help relieve chest congestion and a chronic cough.
Bronchitis is a respiratory infection in which the bronchial tubes, or airways, become inflamed. It typically causes chest congestion, a wet cough, coughing up phlegm, and difficulty breathing. Acute bronchitis usually develops due to the same kinds of viral infections that cause the common cold or pneumonia.
Chronic bronchitis refers to long-term inflammation of the lungs and bronchial tubes that is not related to an infection. If a person has a cough with mucus that lasts for months, or happens year after year, it is considered chronic bronchitis. This can happen as a result of smoking, and/or exposure to air pollution.
Like emphysema, chronic bronchitis is considered a chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). There are other lung conditions that can cause symptoms similar to those of bronchitis, including: asthma, sinusitis, whooping cough (pertussis) and tuberculosis.
Acute bronchitis usually clears up within a few weeks, but the persistent cough may linger. Antibiotics do not help treat viral infections, so the treatment for bronchitis is usually just to help suppress the cough and reduce aches and pains.
TCM treatment with acupuncture and herbs can help relieve bronchitis symptoms without side effects. It can also help remove pathogens and blockages affecting the lungs, so that bronchitis doesn’t turn into a chronic, recurrent condition.
Bronchitis Symptoms
Acute bronchitis causes the airways of the lungs—the bronchial tubes—to swell, and the lungs to produce extra mucus. Coughing, with clear or yellowish phlegm, is the primary symptom of bronchitis.
The most commons symptoms of bronchitis include:
- Cough, phlegmy cough, cough with mucus, productive cough, persistent cough
- Chest soreness, tightness in chest, chest pain
- Fatigue, feeling tired
- Shortness of breath, trouble breathing, wheezing
- Sore throat
- Stuffy nose, runny nose
- Body ache, headache, back pain, muscle pain
- Low grade fever
Is bronchitis contagious? It is not so much bronchitis as a condition—that is, inflammation and congestion in the lungs—is contagious, as the virus or bacterial infection that caused bronchitis to develop is contagious for a period of time. The coughing may last for a while beyond the infectious period. Sleeping can be difficult, because the cough tends to worsen when a person lies down.
Bronchitis Treatment
When you seek treatment for acute bronchitis from a physician, it is generally treated in the same way as the common cold. Recommendations will include:
- Rest
- Increase fluid intake, drink more water
- Take OTC pain relievers
- Take expectorants or cough suppressants to manage coughing
- Use a humidifier or sit in a steamy shower room to help relieve congestion
These remedies may help to temporarily relieve symptoms while a person gets over the infection. However, some of these medications can cause side effects, and they do not do much to help prevent bronchitis from coming back the next time a virus is going around.
Chronic bronchitis, as a COPD, is considered a chronic illness that must be managed, so as to slow its progression. Quitting smoking is the first recommendation. Then, bronchodilators, steroids, and/or antibiotics may be prescribed to help open the airways, reduce inflammation, and prevent recurrent infections.
These medical interventions, too, can come with significant side effects. Corticosteroids, in particular, if taken over a long period of time, can cause liver damage.
Making a major lifestyle change, like getting rid of a nicotine addiction, is easier said than done.
Fortunately, acupuncture and TCM herbs offer a complementary medicine to help relieve bronchitis symptoms, treat the deeper root causes, and also help with quitting smoking, if necessary.
Can Acupuncture Help Bronchitis?
According to TCM theory, bronchitis is the result of pathogenic forces like Wind and Dampness affecting the lungs and other organs systems that are interrelated. An acupuncturist looks for the particular patterns of symptoms in each individual, and tailors acupuncture treatment and herbal supplements, according to which organ system patterns are involved. These may include:
- Lung dampness
- Lung deficiency
- Lung dryness
- Phlegm-heat obstructing lung
- Wind invasion
- Spleen Qi deficiency
- Spleen/Kidney Yang deficiency
- Qi and/or Yin deficiency
Multiple studies have shown that acupuncture treatment and herbal cough preparations can be even more effective than conventional medicines when helping to relieve post-infectious chronic coughing.
Studies have shown that acupuncture can help reduce bronchial inflammation and damage, relieve coughing and reduce phlegm production. It can also help boost immune function.
One study detailed how patients with chronic bronchitis, who had been taking steroids for years, were able to reduce or entirely stop their use of steroids after receiving acupuncture treatments for a few months.
Chinese herbs, used in combination, can help relieve bronchitis symptoms and work on other levels, too. They can help clear toxins from the tissues and promote regeneration of new, healthy tissue, and improve immunity, so that the next time a virus is going around, the body is better equipped to fight it off quickly.
Top 5 Tips for Getting Rid of Bronchitis Naturally
Getting acupuncture treatment and specific herbs for your condition will be helpful. In addition, you can help strengthen your lung health by practicing these habits:
- Avoid dairy products, which increase mucus production
- Drink warm herbal teas, fresh ginger tea, and lemon water to help stay hydrated and thin phlegm. Avoid caffeine and alcohol, which dehydrate you. Ginger helps reduce inflammation.
- Steam an asian pear until very soft, and eat like applesauce. This helps clear mucus.
- Breathing exercises can be helpful; ask your acupuncture practitioner to show you some good breathing techniques.
- Take Yin Qiao pills at the very first sign of a cough or sore throat. This is a traditional Chinese formulation that helps ward off colds and coughs if taken early.
Acupuncture Near Me for Bronchitis in West Los Angeles
When a respiratory infection turns into a nagging cough, or worse, into chronic bronchitis that keeps coming back, year after year, it is important to seek treatment. With acupuncture and TCM herbs, it is possible to recover from a bronchial infection more quickly and comfortably. With regular acupuncture “tune-ups,” you can end the cycle of a chronic cough.
*This article is for education from the perspective of Traditional Chinese Medicine only. The education provided by this article is not approved by FDA to diagnose, prevent, treat and cure human diseases. It should not stop you from consulting with your physician for your medical conditions. Traditional Chinese Medicine is based on Qi, which is an invisible force that usually cannot be observed by modern science. Because science focuses on testing ideas about the natural world with evidence obtained through observation, these aspects of acupuncture can’t be studied by science. Therefore acupuncture and Chinese herbs are often not supported by double-blind, randomized trials, and they are considered alternative medicine therapies in the United States.
How to Treat Chronic Fatigue Syndrome With Acupuncture and TCM
By Xiaomei Cai, L.Ac., Ph.D. & Qineng Tan, L.Ac., Ph.D.
Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), also known as myalgic encephalitis (ME/CFS), is a condition marked by extreme fatigue that doesn’t get better, even with rest, and gets worse with physical and mental exertion. Chronic fatigue is not well understood by medical science, but acupuncture and Chinese medicine for chronic fatigue syndrome symptoms can be an effective treatment option.
People with chronic fatigue syndrome are always tired, even after getting a normal amount of sleep, and the condition persists for weeks, months, or years. Other chronic fatigue symptoms include body aches, cognitive problems, vision problems, and emotional or mental health problems, like depression and anxiety.
If a person feels tired all the time, with no medical explanation, for six months or more, and has several other chronic fatigue syndrome symptoms like dizziness, difficulty concentrating, headaches, or sensitivity to light, then they might be diagnosed with CFS, or myalgic encephalitis (ME CFS).
By definition, a syndrome is a collection of symptoms that often appear together in combination, for which the exact explanation is unknown. Chronic fatigue has been considered a syndrome for some time, but has more recently been given the designation of a “disease;” hence, the newer term “myalgic encephalitis,” which refers to muscle pain and inflammation of the brain and spinal cord.
Chronic fatigue syndrome symptoms can be very similar to those of fibromyalgia. People with fibromyalgia also experience severe fatigue, but the primary symptoms of fibromyalgia are musculoskeletal pain that comes and goes all over, especially in “tender points” around the major muscles and joints, along with swelling and inflammation. It is possible to have both ME/CFS and fibromyalgia.
Women are much more likely to have chronic fatigue than men. MECFS can begin to appear at any stage of life, but most usually develops in adulthood. It is estimated that up to 90% of people who have chronic fatigue go undiagnosed.
ME/CFS is a serious and disabling condition that can interfere with even the most basic daily activities. People with chronic fatigue may be able to participate in some events where they exert themselves mentally and/or physically, but afterwards, they will feel completely wiped out and have to take time to recover, often confined to bed. This is called post-exertional malaise (PEM).
Top 10 Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Symptoms
The most common ME/CFS symptoms include:
- Fatigue, tired all the time, weakness
- Sensitivity to light
- Trouble concentrating, hard to focus, memory problems, confusion
- Dizziness, especially when getting up from lying down
- Headaches
- Muscle aches, body ache, muscle weakness, joint pain
- Enlarged lymph nodes in neck or armpit area, sore throat
- Tired after exercise or mental exertion (post-exertional malaise)
- Depression, mood swings, moodiness
- Insomnia, sleep problems
Other signs of chronic fatigue syndrome may include: fever, abdominal pain, weight loss or weight gain, allergies, rash, rapid heart beat, and night sweats/hot flashes.
What Causes Chronic Fatigue?
The cause of ME/CFS is not known. Immune system dysfunction, the aftereffects of having a virus, and psychological factors have all been associated with the development of chronic fatigue.
Some people begin to have symptoms of chronic fatigue after having a viral infection, such as Epstein Barr, mononucleosis, or herpes. Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) is also strongly associated with chronic fatigue.
While it does seem that some people who suffer from CFS also have immune system problems, chronic fatigue is not considered to be an autoimmune disorder in and of itself. As with other conditions like lupus or fibromyalgia, CFS sometimes appears after a person has gone through some sort of emotional trauma or physical injury.
Some people with chronic fatigue have hormone imbalances related to pituitary hormone, adrenal hormone, or hypothalamus hormones, but it is not understood how these might be related to their condition. Diabetes, anemia, or hypothyroidism can also create hormonal imbalances that can contribute to chronic fatigue.
In some cases, chronic fatigue could be due to a sleep disorder, such as sleep apnea or chronic insomnia. Long-standing mental health issues like depression, anxiety, or PTSD can interfere with sleep and hormone responses, contributing to the chronic fatigue syndrome symptoms.
Treatment for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Symptoms
There is no clear treatment protocol within conventional Western medicine for ME/CFS. A doctor may diagnose myalgic encephalitis if they have ruled out other possibilities and then try to recommend medications or various types of therapy to help people deal with the symptoms of chronic fatigue.
Pain relievers or NSAIDs will often be the standard recommendation for handling ME/CFS related pain like headaches or muscles aches.
Doctors may prescribe antidepressants as a way of helping patients cope with depression and anxiety related to chronic fatigue. However, these medications can sometimes cause side effects that will exacerbate the chronic fatigue rather than helping it.
Some doctors have tried treating CFS with antiviral medications, corticosteroids, or thyroid hormone medications. None of the pharmacological interventions that have been used to treat chronic fatigue syndrome have proved to be very effective.
Thus, many patients with ME/CFS consider turning to alternative medicine or complementary therapies to relieve CFS symptoms. Acupuncture is now widely recognized as an alternative therapy for chronic fatigue.
Can Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine Help Chronic Fatigue Syndrome?
Traditional Chinese medicine is well suited to treatment for ME/CFS. Overall, TCM philosophy pays close attention to the subtle balance of energy, known as Qi, within the body as a whole, as well as within the various organ systems. By observing the specific symptoms each person experiences as part of chronic fatigue syndrome, we can pinpoint which organ systems are deficient and need strengthening.
Classic TCM patterns related to chronic fatigue diagnosis include:
- Spleen Qi deficiency
- Liver Qi stagnation
- Kidney deficiency
- Yin deficiency
- Heat toxicity
- Phlegm obstruction/dampness
Latent heat and dampness are sometimes the long-term effects of a viral infection or other illness, or a long period of emotional stress. These conditions originate from an external pathogenic factor, but then cause a series of imbalances which weaken the kidneys and other organs over time. Acupuncture treatment and herbs can help reduce inflammation and strengthen Qi.
A TCM doctor will choose acupuncture points and a combination of herbs that will help harmonize the affected systems. With herbs, we are able to get nutrients into the body beyond what you can do with foods alone. A balanced diet that cools heat and tonifies the organs will also be important for recovering strength and energy.
One controlled trial found that four weeks of acupuncture treatment led to improvements in CFS symptoms.
A systematic review of studies regarding acupuncture treatment for ME CFS showed a reduction in the severity of fatigue.
A study using acupuncture and moxibustion treatment for CFS showed a 90% effective rate, with half of the patients feeling that their CFS was “cured.”
Another study involving acupuncture and moxibustion found that the moxa treatment in particular became more and more effective as treatment sessions continued past the 10th treatment. Moxibustion was shown to have an effect on the vagus nerve, which controls the parasympathetic nervous system.
How long it takes to get results from acupuncture treatment for chronic fatigue will vary from person to person, depending on how long the person has been experiencing CFS, and how deeply the organ systems are affected. TCM treatment has a cumulative effect which strengthens over time and several sessions.
Acupuncture Near Me for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) in the Los Angeles Area
ME CFS is far more common than statistics show, because many people suffer in silence and invisibility. Now, many people are struggling with chronic fatigue after having COVID-19. TCM modalities like acupuncture, Chinese herbs, and moxibustion, can help relieve fatigue, depression, mental fogginess, poor sleep, and other symptoms of CFS. If you or someone you love has been feeling exhausted for months without improvement, it may be time to consider trying acupuncture for chronic fatigue.
*This article is for education from the perspective of Traditional Chinese Medicine only. The education provided by this article is not approved by FDA to diagnose, prevent, treat and cure human diseases. It should not stop you from consulting with your physician for your medical conditions. Traditional Chinese Medicine is based on Qi, which is an invisible force that usually cannot be observed by modern science. Because science focuses on testing ideas about the natural world with evidence obtained through observation, these aspects of acupuncture can’t be studied by science. Therefore acupuncture and Chinese herbs are often not supported by double-blind, randomized trials, and they are considered alternative medicine therapies in the United States.
How to Treat Emphysema With Acupuncture and TCM
By Qineng Tan, L.Ac., Ph.D. & Xiaomei Cai, L.Ac., Ph.D.
Pulmonary emphysema is a kind of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) that causes coughing and wheezing. Symptoms of emphysema are similar to those of chronic bronchitis and pneumonia. Acupuncture treatment and TCM herbs can help relieve emphysema symptoms and other COPD symptoms.
COPD refers to a group of progressive lung diseases, where damage to the lungs causes serious breathing problems and a chronic cough. Emphysema and chronic bronchitis are both considered COPDs, and it is possible to have both of these conditions at the same time.
Bronchitis is when there is inflammation in the bronchial tubes that bring airflow into the lungs, so they get swollen and have too much mucus buildup. Emphysema is what happens when there is damage to the alveoli, the small air sacs that make up the bottom part of the lungs. This makes it difficult to draw a full breath and get enough oxygen into your bloodstream.
Smoking is the primary thing that causes emphysema. Exposure to toxic chemicals or air pollution, repeated respiratory infections, or a genetic predisposition could also be causes of emphysema.
The number one thing people can do to prevent or help emphysema is to quit smoking. Acupuncture treatment can help people overcome nicotine addiction.
Acupuncture and other TCM treatment can also help to clear the lungs, reduce inflammation and shortness of breath, and improve quality of life for people suffering from emphysema and other types of COPD.
Top 10 Symptoms of Emphysema
In many cases, people do not realize that they have emphysema; they may only be feeling some fatigue and shortness of breath and not take much notice. By the time symptoms have become severe enough that they seek medical help, they may have already suffered a lot of lung damage.
Emphysema symptoms are similar to those of bronchitis; although, with acute bronchitis, there may also be chills and fever, and a sense of tightness in the chest.
The most common symptoms of emphysema include:
- Chronic cough, coughing up phlegm, cough with mucus, smoker’s cough, persistent cough
- Shortness of breath, especially with activity or exercise (dyspnea)
- Rapid breathing, breathing fast
- Wheezing
- Sputum, mucus, mucous, phlegm
- Fatigue, chronic fatigue
- Sleep problems, trouble sleeping, insomnia
- Heart problems
- Depression, anxiety
- Weight loss
Other signs of emphysema or COPD include: blue fingernails or lips, enlarged glands, broken capillaries under the skin, enlarged veins around the neck, enlargement of the chest or rib cage (emphysema barrel chest), and repeated respiratory infections.
4 Stages of COPD
As a COPD, emphysema is a progressive lung disease. Sometimes symptoms worsen and breathing becomes more difficult over a short period of time; this is known as an “emphysema exacerbation.” As a person’s respiratory function decreases, they are said to enter the later stages of COPD. Interventions and treatments may help to slow COPD progression.
Emphysema can greatly increase the risk of a person having heart problems, due to extra pressure on the blood vessels around the heart. It can also eventually lead to there being actual holes in the lung tissues, or a collapsed lung (pneumothorax).
Medical Treatment for Emphysema
In order to diagnose emphysema, doctors may look at X-ray or CT scans imaging to see damage to the lungs. Blood tests and other lung function tests like spirometry may show the level of oxygen in your bloodstream.
Medical science has no cure for the lung damage caused by emphysema. Bronchodilators or inhaled corticosteroids may be prescribed, which can help open airways and reduce shortness of breath. Antibiotics may be used to keep infections like the flu or pneumonia at bay. If emphysema gets to a severe stage, some people may need supplemental oxygen. Some patients may be able to have a major surgery, such as lung volume reduction (removal of damaged lung tissue) or a lung transplant.
TCM modalities like acupuncture and herbal medicine can help relieve shortness of breath and coughing, improving quality of life, while staving off further decline in lung function. Acupuncture, herbs, and moxibustion can be used effectively as adjuncts to regular medical treatments for emphysema.
Can Acupuncture Help Emphysema?
According to TCM theory, emphysema is considered to be caused by Lung deficiency, which can lead to “fei zhang,” distension of the lungs, and/or “chuan zheng,” which means “panting.” TCM can help COPD in several ways: by clearing lung congestion and opening the bronchial airways, helping to boost immune function so that a person can better avoid infections, and providing more nutrient-rich blood flow to the whole body.
One study found that COPD patients who were given acupuncture treatment had improved breathing when doing a six minute walk.
A systematic review comparing TCM treatment and convention treatment for COPD showed that acupuncture, acupressure massage, and moxibustion were all effective interventions and concluded that TCM works well as a complementary medicine/adjunct therapy for COPD.
Many Chinese herbs and herbal formulations are useful for helping to dissolve phlegm and reduce inflammation of lung tissues. TCM herbal preparations can help reduce phlegm and clear heat, relieve inflammation of airways and improve lung function.
Nutrition is also very important for patients with emphysema, who may suffer weight loss due to lack of proper nutrients in the bloodstream. An acupuncture practitioner will work with each individual to determine what kind of food program will help to reduce inflammation and provide adequate nourishment for the organ systems.
Acupuncture Near Me for Emphysema COPD in Los Angeles
TCM is a good way to help people breathe easier, whether they are suffering from allergies, asthma, pneumonia, Cystic Fibrosis, the common cold or a sore throat, or COPDs like bronchitis and emphysema. If you or someone one you love needs to quit smoking, or has been exposed to chemical pollution through their work, acupuncture can help to detoxify and strengthen the lungs.
*This article is for education from the perspective of Traditional Chinese Medicine only. The education provided by this article is not approved by FDA to diagnose, prevent, treat and cure human diseases. It should not stop you from consulting with your physician for your medical conditions. Traditional Chinese Medicine is based on Qi, which is an invisible force that usually cannot be observed by modern science. Because science focuses on testing ideas about the natural world with evidence obtained through observation, these aspects of acupuncture can’t be studied by science. Therefore acupuncture and Chinese herbs are often not supported by double-blind, randomized trials, and they are considered alternative medicine therapies in the United States.