In the past decade, there has been a notable rise in autoimmune diseases worldwide, a trend that has raised concern among healthcare professionals and researchers. Autoimmune diseases occur when the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissues, leading to chronic inflammation and damage to various organs. Conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, type 1 diabetes, lupus, and multiple sclerosis have become more prevalent, alongside newer concerns like autoimmune responses in long-COVID cases. This article will review autoimmune diseases and acupuncture solutions.
What Is Causing The Autoimmune Disease Epidemic?
Factors contributing to this increase may include genetic predispositions, environmental triggers such as infections, toxins, dietary changes, and modern lifestyle factors like stress and poor sleep.
Emerging research also suggests that shifts in the human microbiome, potentially linked to the overuse of antibiotics or processed foods, play a significant role in disrupting immune regulation. The complexity of these diseases continues to challenge the medical community as they search for more effective treatment and prevention strategies.
Common Autoimmune Diseases
Some of the most common autoimmune diseases involving this self-attack and inflammation include:
Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)
This condition involves the immune system attacking the joints, leading to inflammation, pain, and swelling. Over time, it can cause joint damage and deformity.
Type 1 Diabetes
In this condition, the immune system targets and destroys insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas, leading to high blood sugar levels and requiring insulin therapy.
Lupus (Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, SLE)
Lupus can affect various parts of the body, including the skin, joints, kidneys, heart, and lungs. It causes widespread inflammation and tissue damage.
Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
In MS, the immune system attacks the protective myelin sheath covering nerve fibers, leading to communication problems between the brain and the rest of the body.
Psoriasis
This is an inflammatory skin condition where the immune system causes skin cells to multiply rapidly, resulting in scaly patches, itching, and discomfort.
Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)
The two main types, Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, involve chronic inflammation of the digestive tract. The immune system attacks the gastrointestinal lining, causing pain, diarrhea, and other digestive symptoms.
Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis
An autoimmune disorder in which the immune system attacks the thyroid gland, leading to hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) and associated symptoms like fatigue, weight gain, and cold intolerance.
Graves’ Disease
This condition causes the immune system to overstimulate the thyroid gland, leading to hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid). Symptoms include rapid heartbeat, weight loss, and anxiety.
Celiac Disease
An autoimmune disorder where consuming gluten leads to immune system attacks on the small intestine, causing malabsorption of nutrients, digestive symptoms, and fatigue.
Ankylosing Spondylitis
A form of arthritis that primarily affects the spine, leading to inflammation, chronic pain, and stiffness. Over time, the spinal bones can fuse, reducing flexibility.
Sjögren’s Syndrome
This condition affects moisture-producing glands, causing dry eyes and mouth. It can also lead to joint pain, fatigue, and inflammation of internal organs.
Crohn’s Disease
This is a type of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in which the immune system mistakenly attacks the lining of the digestive tract, causing inflammation that can lead to symptoms such as abdominal pain, severe diarrhea, fatigue, weight loss, and malnutrition. Like other autoimmune diseases, Crohn’s involves chronic inflammation due to immune overactivation, although its exact cause isn’t fully understood. Crohn’s is typically treated with immune-modulating medications.
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS)
Also known as myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), CFS is characterized by persistent, unexplained fatigue that doesn’t improve with rest and may worsen with physical or mental activity. While the exact cause remains elusive, many researchers believe that immune system dysregulation plays a role, including chronic low-grade inflammation. In some cases, viral infections may trigger CFS, suggesting that immune responses to these infections could be responsible for the chronic symptoms.
These autoimmune diseases are treated using the Western medical model, which involves anti-inflammatory medications, immunosuppressive therapies, lifestyle changes, and symptom-focused treatments to reduce inflammation and prevent further damage. Keep reading to learn about autoimmune diseases and acupuncture solutions.
Long-COVID and Immune Dysregulation
Long-COVID, or post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC), includes a wide variety of lingering symptoms after COVID-19 infection, many of which may stem from immune system dysfunction. Long-COVID can result in persistent inflammation, affecting different parts of the body, including the lungs, heart, and nervous system.
Asthma-like symptoms
Some patients develop long-term respiratory issues, including shortness of breath and long-COVID-induced asthma, which might be linked to immune-mediated lung inflammation.
Chronic fatigue
Similar to CFS, some long-COVID patients experience persistent fatigue that could be connected to prolonged immune responses and systemic inflammation.
Neurological symptoms
Brain fog, headaches, and other cognitive symptoms are also common, potentially due to inflammatory responses within the nervous system.
Many researchers are investigating whether long-COVID involves autoimmune mechanisms. In these autoimmune diseases, the immune system continues to attack the body even after the virus is gone. This ongoing immune activation leads to chronic inflammation, which can manifest in multiple organ systems. Treatments are still evolving, but many are focused on controlling inflammation and managing symptoms.
Immune Overactivation and Inflammation
In all these conditions, the unifying theme is immune system dysregulation—where an initial trigger (like a virus or environmental factor) causes the immune system to go into overdrive and attack healthy tissues.
In response to these attacks, inflammation can lead to long-lasting damage and chronic symptoms. Managing these conditions often involves reducing immune activity or inflammation to prevent further harm.
Acupuncture Treats Autoimmune Diseases
Acupuncture plays a significant role in managing autoimmune diseases by calming the hyperactive immune system. Autoimmune diseases occur when the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissues, leading to chronic inflammation and various symptoms.
Acupuncture balances the body’s qi (vital energy) and regulates the immune response. It helps reduce the overactivity of the immune system, which can exacerbate autoimmune conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. Studies suggest that acupuncture can decrease the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and increase anti-inflammatory markers, leading to a more regulated immune response. By addressing the root cause of the immune imbalance, acupuncture can support long-term healing and symptom relief.
Acupuncture Calms Fight or Flight
Let’s get into the specifics of autoimmune diseases and acupuncture solutions. First, acupuncture calms the body’s “fight or flight” response, also known as the sympathetic nervous system. Many autoimmune diseases are linked to chronic stress, which can exacerbate symptoms.
Acupuncture helps activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which promotes relaxation, reduces anxiety, and lowers stress hormones like cortisol. This shift in the body’s nervous system response helps calm the autoimmune reaction by reducing stress, a key factor in flare-ups. Regular acupuncture sessions help maintain a balanced state, preventing the body from staying in a prolonged state of “fight or flight,” which can aggravate inflammation and autoimmune symptoms.
Acupuncture Reduces Inflammation
Furthermore, acupuncture reduces systemic inflammation throughout the body, which is a hallmark of autoimmune diseases. By stimulating specific points on the body, acupuncture increases blood circulation, which helps clear out inflammatory substances and promotes tissue healing. It also triggers the release of natural painkillers, such as endorphins, which provide relief and help reduce inflammation.
The combination of these effects can significantly alleviate pain and other symptoms related to autoimmune diseases, providing patients with a better quality of life and reduced reliance on medications. Through its holistic approach, acupuncture offers a safe and effective way to address both the physical and emotional aspects of autoimmune conditions.
Autoimmune Diseases and Acupuncture Solutions
If you or a loved one is suffering from an autoimmune disease or symptoms that mimic the conditions listed above, come in and try acupuncture.
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