Autoimmune Symptoms

Acupuncture eases autoimmune symptoms and offers a safe, non-invasive approach to managing autoimmune diseases. Acupuncture safely and effectively alleviates pain, reduces stress, enhances digestion, and regulates immune responses.

This holistic therapy addresses the physical symptoms of autoimmune conditions and the underlying imbalances, supporting the body’s natural healing processes. When incorporated into a treatment plan, acupuncture can help patients experience milder symptoms, a higher quality of life, and potentially fewer medication side effects, making it a valuable complement for those coping with chronic autoimmune conditions.

Ten Most Common Autoimmune Diseases

Before we discuss how acupuncture eases autoimmune symptoms, let’s review the ten most common autoimmune diseases affecting Americans:

Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)

This condition involves chronic inflammation of the joints, often leading to joint pain, swelling, and potential deformity over time. It primarily targets the hands, wrists, and knees.

Type 1 Diabetes

In this disease, the immune system attacks the insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas, causing elevated blood sugar levels. Management includes insulin injections and blood sugar monitoring.

Psoriasis/Psoriatic Arthritis

Psoriasis is a skin condition where skin cells grow rapidly, causing scaly patches on the skin. Around 30% of people with psoriasis develop psoriatic arthritis, leading to joint pain and stiffness.

Multiple Sclerosis (MS)

MS affects the central nervous system by damaging the protective covering (myelin sheath) around nerves, resulting in issues with muscle control, balance, and vision.

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE)

Lupus is a chronic inflammatory disease that can affect various organs, including the skin, joints, kidneys, heart, and lungs. Symptoms include joint pain, fatigue, and a butterfly-shaped rash on the face.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)

This group of autoimmune disorders includes Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, both of which involve chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract, causing abdominal pain, diarrhea, and weight loss.

Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis

In Hashimoto’s, the immune system attacks the thyroid gland, leading to an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism). Symptoms include fatigue, weight gain, and sensitivity to cold.

Graves’ Disease

Opposite to Hashimoto’s, Graves’ causes an overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism), leading to symptoms like weight loss, rapid heart rate, and irritability.

Sjögren’s Syndrome

This disease affects moisture-producing glands, leading to dry eyes and dry mouth. It can also cause joint pain, fatigue, and affect other organs.

Celiac Disease

An autoimmune reaction to gluten (found in wheat, barley, and rye) causes inflammation in the small intestine, leading to digestive issues, anemia, and other health problems if untreated.

These diseases have typically been managed by Western doctors with medications and lifestyle changes alone. However, over the past ten years, people have flocked to integrative treatments like acupuncture to help alleviate symptoms and improve their quality of life.

Acupuncture Treats Autoimmune Diseases

Acupuncture eases autoimmune symptoms by addressing key areas such as immune regulation, digestive health, and stress reduction. Autoimmune diseases often stem from an overactive immune response that mistakenly attacks the body’s own tissues. By stimulating specific points on the body, acupuncture helps modulate immune function, reducing inflammation and decreasing the severity of autoimmune reactions.

Research suggests that acupuncture influences cytokine activity, helping to balance pro- and anti-inflammatory responses in the body. This balancing effect can benefit conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and multiple sclerosis, where inflammation plays a significant role in symptom severity.

The Importance of Digestion

A robust digestive system is essential for optimal immune function, as around 70% of immune cells reside in the gut. Many autoimmune diseases, like inflammatory bowel disease and celiac disease, directly impact the digestive system, leading to pain, malabsorption, and fatigue.

Acupuncture eases autoimmune symptoms in the following ways. First, it activates points along the stomach and spleen channels that strengthen digestion. This, in turn, enhances digestive function, reduces bloating, and eases abdominal pain. By boosting metabolism and the digestive system, acupuncture supports a healthier gut microbiome and encourages nutrient absorption, which is vital for immune health. This digestive support is especially important for patients with conditions exacerbated by poor gut health.

Acupuncture Reduces Stress

Another way acupuncture eases autoimmune symptoms is by reducing emotional and physical stress. Research has determined that stress is a common trigger and aggravator of autoimmune conditions. Chronic stress can both weaken the immune system and heighten inflammatory response within the body. Acupuncture is renowned for its ability to promote relaxation by increasing endorphin levels, circulating Qi and Blood, and balancing the nervous system.

Acupuncture alleviates stress by calming the body and reducing cortisol levels, which can improve physical symptoms and emotional well-being. When stress levels are mitigated, patients with conditions such as psoriasis, Graves’ disease, and multiple sclerosis often experience fewer flare-ups.

Autoimmune Disease Acupuncture Overview

Overall, acupuncture eases autoimmune symptoms while providing a safe, non-invasive treatment. Treatments alleviate pain caused by inflammation, reduce emotional and physical stress, improve digestion, and modulate immune responses. This holistic approach targets the physical symptoms of autoimmune diseases while addressing the underlying imbalance, supporting the body’s natural healing mechanisms.

Incorporating acupuncture into their treatment plan enables patients to experience a reduction in symptom severity, improved quality of life, and potentially fewer side effects from medication. Overall, acupuncture is a valuable complementary therapy for those managing chronic autoimmune conditions.

Next Steps

BOOK NOW to schedule an appointment online.

Watch Video About Our Autoimmune Treatment.

Learn about all the conditions we treat.

Focus Keyphrase: Acupuncture Eases Autoimmune Symptoms
Image generated with https://perchance.org/ai-text-to-image-generator