AUTOIMMUNE disease- how acupuncture can help
Chinese Medicine and acupuncture can help those suffering from autoimmune disease.
When I tell people that acupuncture and Chinese medicine can help support those who have autoimmune disorders, there is usually a look of surprise and also some skepticism.
While it is well known that acupuncture is amazing for pain, it has also been clinically shown to support and benefit other health concerns like autoimmune disease and disorders!
The reasoning behind this is because chinese medicine and acupuncture have been shown to help regulate the immune system. Acupuncture has been shown to increase the amount of T-cells (important cells for immune functions), red blood cells, and white blood cells. Acupuncture is primarily focused on increasing blood flow. And with blood flow comes all of the support of the blood- hormones, natural pain killers that our body produces, and neurotransmitters like serotonin. Really the key piece is that with increased blood flow comes increased communication throughout our body. And this can help to promote a calmed and regulated immune system, essential for managing an autoimmune disease.
There is also some thought and research into autoimmune disorders possibly being rooted in inflammation and how they are inflammatory processes that have gone unchecked. Inflammation in an acute setting is helpful and a natural response of our bodies. If we injure our ankle, the joint swells and becomes inflamed to protect it from further harm. That is the really the key in acute inflammation- protection.
However, our world and environment are increasingly inflammatory in nature. And that can cause chronic inflammation, not just acute. Some examples of inflammatory things are the plastic containers we use to store our food, the processed foods we eat (they have so much sugar in them), the average amount of alcohol an American consumes, and lack of exercise.
The good news is that we can try to adjust our lifestyle to avoid as much inflammatory things as best as we possibly can. We can purchase glass containers to store our food in. We can prepare mostly home cooked meals with well sourced ingredients. We can decrease the amount of alcohol we consume. And we can incorporate gentle movement into our day.
The other good news is that acupuncture has been shown to decrease inflammation over time and thus can help shift us out of chronic inflammation, potentially helping autoimmune disease.
It’s not always clear why autoimmune disease occurs. The variety of ways that autoimmune diseases can present (for example, one person may feel fatigued, another may feel primarily anxious, or another feels aches and pains in all of their joints) makes studying and treating these symptoms in the Western Medical field particularly difficult. And with these difficulties comes uncertainty about treatment options. Western Medicine relies on consistency and similarities to help make treatment decisions. If your autoimmune disorder is presenting in your own unique way, then the support from the Western Medical side may not be perfectly suited to you.
Often times patients have discussed with me how they have felt unheard or unseen in their diagnosis. That their doctor feels they have made progress because the lab work is showing that. But, they still don’t feel great, they feel off. Their symptoms have not been alleviated or new symptoms have arisen.
But, acupuncture and chinese medicine do not need to rely on lab tests and blood work (though they can support acupuncturists work!). Western medicine has an amazing place in our society- it offers so much support and interventions that have increased our quality of life. But, I personally think that acupuncture and chinese medicine shines the brightest in terms of supporting those with autoimmune disorders. And the reason for that is because acupuncture relies primarily on how YOU are feeling, what your energy levels are, how severe the symptoms you are experiencing are.
This is a continuation on the series of autoimmune disorders. I have been exploring and researching autoimmune disorders, how they impact more women than men, the symptoms and difficulty with treatment, why some people feel good with certain treatment options, but others don’t and even the emotional impact of having an autoimmune disorder.
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Disclaimer: This article is not intended for the purpose of providing medical advice. All information, content and material is for informational purposes only and is not intended to serve as a substitute for consultation, diagnosis, and/or medical treatment.
