A 36 year old woman came to our office suffering from exhaustion, daily headaches, poor concentration, anxiety and depression. Her symptoms had come on six months earlier out of the blue. She had to take a leave of absence from work and could no longer exercise. This chronic fatigue acupuncture case study reviews how acupuncture helped restore her health.
Background – Chronic Fatigue
Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a poorly understood, complicated condition presenting with extreme fatigue that can not be explained by any underlying Western medical condition. According to the CDC, there are currently more than one million people in the U.S. with CFS. The number is most likely significantly higher than that.
Luckily, acupuncture not only recognizes the condition, it has a treatment for it. Severe fatigue, difficulty concentrating, anxiety and depression, and chronic pain can all be explained by certain internal imbalances in the body. They are most often triggered by overwork, high stress and pushing too hard for too long. The body and mind become exhausted and “shut down”.
Acupuncture helps the body heal. It strengthens organ function, which reduces fatigue. As the body gets stronger, thinking is improved and concentration restored. With a return of physical and mental function, stress is reduced, easing anxiety and depression. This chronic fatigue acupuncture case study describes one woman’s healing experience with acupuncture.
Chronic Fatigue Acupuncture Case Study
First, we assessed our patient’s condition. This included taking a full history and having her explain her symptoms in detail. From this information, including looking at her tongue and feeling her pulse, we identified her specific pattern imbalances. Six patients suffering from chronic fatigue can have six different root problems. Treatments must be specific for each person’s unique presentation.
In addition to fatigue, our patient was suffering from daily headaches. Her first treatments focused on both the organ imbalance responsible for her exhaustion as well as the cause of her migraines. After three treatments her headaches were 40% reduced. Yet her exhaustion was only 10% reduced. That is because the fatigue element of her condition was more deeply rooted than the headaches.
Treatments continued, and with them she slowly improved in all areas. Point selection shifted once the headaches began to ease. Now the bulk of the focus was on overcoming fatigue. After her seventh treatment, fatigue was 40% improved and headaches 70% better. Her mood was also significantly improved, with both anxiety and depression 50% better. She was starting to see the the light at the end of the tunnel. She now realized that there was a way out of this debilitating condition. Having hope was a critical turning point.
The Unknown Is Traumatic
One of the greatest challenges with conditions like chronic fatigue is that patients don’t understand what is happening to them. Doctors don’t know. The literature does not understand. Friends and family are at a loss to explain both the onset and ongoing challenges. Many patients are told it’s all in their head. The result is a tremendous sense of despair and hopelessness. This in turn leads to depression and anxiety, which only serves to aggravate the physical conditions.
As a patient responds to acupuncture, they realize that their condition is real. But just as importantly, they see that there is a way out. This empowers them and greatly facilitates their rehabilitation. And that is just what happened in this chronic fatigue acupuncture case study.
Healing Takes Time
Our patient continued to recover. After 12 treatments she dropped her weekly sessions and came every three weeks. At this point the most important factor in her continued recovery was time. Her body was regaining strength. Her job was to hold back, not overtaxing herself, being OK with doing less.
For example, she used to run half-marathons. We discussed the fact that exercise was good, but her goal should not be to run such long distances again. She would focus on being content with shorter runs.
After nine months she was feeling like her old self again. Her energy had returned, focus was back, and her emotions were balanced. She was able to return to work. However, she did not return to her old job, which had been very stressful. Instead she looked for, and found, a less stressful job. Likewise, she was exercising, but not as intensely. In short, she was living a more balanced life.
Next Steps
If you are struggling with chronic fatigue, adrenal fatigue, or any other chronic health condition, try acupuncture. This natural healing process promotes internal healing and can restore your health.
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If this chronic fatigue acupuncture case study described a situation similar to yours, don’t wait. Seek out acupuncture and see if it can help you.
What our Clients are Saying
About six months ago I starting getting debilitating fatigue, to the point where I could not exercise and had to drag myself through the day at work. The doctors said it must be stress, because there was nothing wrong with me. But when I went to Raleigh Acupuncture, they said that my digestion was weak. They said I was not getting proper energy from the food I was eating, so they treated my digestive system. I was amazed to see my energy increase after the treatments. Within 10 treatments I was back to my old self, exercising again and working through the day no problem. And as a side benefit, I started losing weight. They said this was related to my improved digestive function. Now my friends want to go because they see my energy back and see me losing weight!
I am a long term patient of Raleigh Acupuncture. Prior to being under their care, I was disabled with terrible fatigue and pain all over my body. I was unable to drive, could only walk less than a block, and had numerous symptoms that mystified doctors. After countless lab work, x-rays, and MRI’s, several doctors including my primary physician told me that there was nothing that could be done. According to them, it was either an illness that was undiagnosable or it was all in my head. When I came to Raleigh Acupuncture, it was a breath of fresh air. They took me very seriously and were not mystified by my condition. They assured me that my condition was treatable and manageable. They treat me with respect, dignity and care; something that I didn’t receive at my primary care doctor. Thanks to their treatments I am now living a normal life. They have restored my health and taught me how to manage my condition. My family and friends can’t believe how much improvement I have made. My son is grateful to have his mommy back! And I am eternally grateful to Raleigh Acupuncture! They truly have the gift of healing!