Treating
Autoimmune Disease with Acupuncture
Over 50
million Americans suffer from autoimmune disease; an autoimmune
disease occurs when the body’s immune system attacks healthy tissue.
Autoimmune disorders include Rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, thyroid
disease, Addison's disease, pernicious anemia, celiac disease,
multiple sclerosis, myasthenia gravis and Guillain–Barré syndrome.
Due to the complexity of treating autoimmune disorders, integrative
medicine solutions including acupuncture and Oriental medicine have
received much attention as successful therapies in their treatment.
Acupuncture is specifically noted for its use in pain relief,
regulating the immune system, managing symptoms and improving
quality of life.
What Causes Autoimmune
Disease?
Under normal conditions, an immune response
cannot be triggered against the cells of one's own body. In certain
cases, however, immune cells make a mistake and attack the very
cells that they are meant to protect. This can lead to a variety of
autoimmune diseases. They encompass a broad category of over 100
diseases in which the person's immune system attacks his or her own
tissue.
The exact mechanisms causing these changes are not
completely understood, but bacteria, viruses, toxins, and some drugs
may play a role in triggering an autoimmune process in someone who
already has a genetic (inherited) predisposition to develop such a
disorder. It is theorized that the inflammation initiated by these
agents, toxic or infectious, somehow provokes in the body a
"sensitization" (autoimmune reaction) in the involved
tissues.
As the disease develops vague symptoms start to
appear, such as joint and muscle pain, general muscle weakness,
possible rashes or low-grade fever, trouble concentrating, or weight
loss. The following symptoms may point toward something being wrong:
numbness and tingling in hands and feet, dry eyes, hair loss,
shortness of breath, heart palpitations, or repeated miscarriages
can also be caused by an autoimmune response.
How
Acupuncture Treats Autoimmune Disorders
According to
Oriental medicine, autoimmune disorders occur when there is
imbalance within the body. Imbalance can come from an excess or
deficiency of yin and yang that disrupts the flow of qi, or vital
energy, through the body. Acupuncture is used to help the body
restore balance, treating the root of the disorder, while
specifically addressing the symptoms that are unique to each
individual.
Clinical research has shown that acupuncture
causes physical responses in nerve cells, the pituitary gland, and
parts of the brain. These responses can cause the body to release
proteins, hormones, and brain chemicals that control a number of
body functions. It is proposed that, by these actions, acupuncture
affects blood pressure, body temperature and the immune
system.
In addition to acupuncture, your treatment program to
manage your autoimmune disorder may involve a combination of
therapies including stress reducing exercises, moderate physical
activity, herbal medicine, nutritional support and
bodywork.
To learn more about how acupuncture can safely
and effectively be incorporated into care for people with an
autoimmune disorder, please call for a consultation
today.
Acupuncture
Effective for Crohn's Disease
In a
study published in the journal, Digestion, acupuncture was
found effective for treating Crohn's disease.
Crohn's
disease is an autoimmune disease which involves chronic inflammation
of the gastrointestinal tract. The main symptoms of Crohn's disease
are abdominal pain, fever, fatigue and persistent, watery diarrhea.
Symptoms range from mild to severe, and can come and go with periods
of flare-ups.
In this German study, 51 patients with mild to
moderately active Crohn's disease had a decrease in disease activity
after receiving 10 sessions of acupuncture. Study members also
showed an improvement in general well-being and reported an
improvement in quality of life.
Source: Joos S,
Brinkhaus B, Maluche C, Maupai N, Kohnen R, Kraehmer N, Hahn EG,
Schuppan D. Acupuncture and moxibustion in the treatment of active
Crohn's disease: a randomized controlled study. Digestion.
2004;69(3):131-9.
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In
This Issue
- Treating Autoimmune Disease with Acupuncture
- Acupuncture Effective for Crohn's Disease
- 6 Food Tips for Autoimmune Disorders
6
Food Tips for Autoimmune Disorders
A
class of plant chemicals known as bioflavinoids has been found to
dramatically reduce inflammation and improve symptoms associated
with autoimmune disorders.Tea: Both green and
black tea contain the flavenoids, catechins and theaflavins, which
are beneficial in autoimmune disease. Apples: Apples,
contain the flavanoid, quercetin that can reduce allergic reactions
and decrease inflammation. Quercetin occurs naturally in certain
foods, such as apples (with the skin on), berries, red grapes, red
onions, capers, and black tea. Carrots: Carotenoids
are a family of plant pigments that include beta-carotene. A lack of
carotenoids in the diet is thought to promote inflammation. Good
sources of carotenoids include apricots, carrots, pumpkin, sweet
potato, spinach, kale, butternut squash, and collard
greens. Ginger: Recent studies show that ginger
reduces inflammation by inhibiting prostaglandin and suppresses the
immune system's production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and
chemokines, reducing disease severity in patients with rheumatoid
arthritis. Omega-3: Omega-3 essential fatty acids can
counter the formation of chemicals that cause inflammation. Good
natural sources include flaxseed oil and
salmon. Fiber: A healthy and active colon can decrease
food sensitivity, which, in turn, can lighten the burden on your
immune system. For maximum autoimmune health, increase the fiber in
your diet. |
