Although There is No Cure for Autoimmune Conditions, Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine Can Play an Important Role in Controlling Symptoms

Having an autoimmune illness can be challenging for a number of reasons. Typically, autoimmune diseases can take a long time to diagnose, they can cause a variety of symptoms, and understanding exactly what’s going on with your body can cause a lot of confusion. Added to that is the possibility that being diagnosed with an autoimmune illness can be painful or cause symptoms that can alter your way of life.

In a nutshell, autoimmune diseases are caused by a breakdown in your immune system’s ability to identify friend from enemy. Immunity is your body’s built-in natural defense system which involves the filtering action of your lymphatic system; antibodies produced by your tonsils and thymus; and white blood cells, called lymphocytes, produced by your bone marrow. All of these components work to detect, disarm and remove foreign invaders that can make you sick.

Immunity is a beautiful thing when all of these mechanisms work together to keep you healthy. However, the problem with autoimmune illnesses is that for some reason your immune system recognizes healthy tissue as an invader, and mistakenly attacks it. Scientists aren’t sure why this happens, but they have a number of possible ideas. Likely sources include having had a prior viral infection, genetics, having chronic inflammation, certain medications, a hormonal imbalance and exposure to environmental toxins. Researchers have found that your risk for autoimmune illness is elevated if you smoke, have substantial exposure to toxins, are a woman (78% of patients with autoimmune illness are women) or obese.

Often an autoimmune illness can present as vague symptoms, which in many cases don’t point to a specific illness or condition. This can make it difficult for your health care provider to identify the cause of your symptoms, delaying the time it takes to arrive at a clear diagnosis. For many patients, getting an accurate autoimmune diagnosis takes a lengthy process of crossing symptoms with a series of blood tests. 

An autoimmune illness may affect only a single organ or it can be systemic. For example, Rheumatoid Arthritis only affects your joints, and Type 1 Diabetes affects your pancreas. However, with Multiple Sclerosis or Lupus, your entire body is affected.

Autoimmunity can affect almost any organ or system in your body, producing a wide variety of conditions and symptoms. Some of the most common autoimmune illnesses include:

• Rheumatoid Arthritis
• Lupus
• Inflammatory Bowel Disease
• Multiple Sclerosis
• Type 1 Diabetes
• Guillain-Barre Syndrome
• Psoriasis
• Thyroid imbalances (Grave’s Disease, Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis)
• Scleroderma

Sadly, there is no cure for autoimmune illnesses. Traditional Western treatments are based on the specific illness, organ or system that’s affected. Typically, treatments may involve immune-suppressing medications, steroids that control inflammation and hormonal therapy to regulate under or over active glands. These medications can be effective in controlling symptoms, but they may also have side effects or diminish your immune function.

Some people with an autoimmune illness turn to complementary therapies, including acupuncture and Chinese medicine. Similar to Western medicine, the treatment of an autoimmune illnesses in the Chinese medicine paradigm focuses on controlling symptoms. That said, there are a number of differences between the two systems. In Chinese medicine, your immune system is considered to be a protective shield of the exterior, or outer, levels of your body. It is also a function of your Lung organ system, in which the interior of your body comes into contact with the outside world with every breath you take. Simply put, it takes strong physical energy to have a strong protective shield able ward off viruses, bacteria, pollen and other outside invaders. This also includes the ability to recognize foreign invaders versus healthy tissue.

In addition, treatment of any disease or symptoms in Chinese medicine are focused on an underlying pattern of imbalance. What this means is that every autoimmune diagnosis will have a different history, symptoms and triggers that aggravate the condition. Each patient has their own unique body makeup, which means that your acupuncture practitioner will treat each case as a one-of-a-kind condition.

Researchers have determined that acupuncture can help regulate your immune system. Treatments are able to reduce inflammation and provide relief for a number of autoimmune illnesses, such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Rheumatoid Arthritis. 

Specifically, scientists have discovered that acupuncture can boost immunity and reduce inflammation through a number of actions including:

• Regulating mast cell action associated with the inflammatory reaction necessary for wound healing and clearing infections.
• Boosting circulation to bring healing components to the area of concern. 
• Increasing the circulation of white blood cells that fight infection and work to reduce chronic inflammation.
• Increasing antibodies in the blood that help recognize and neutralize foreign substances, such as bacteria and viruses.
• Activating the circulation of a protein called interferon, which helps your body fight infections and disease. It also activates immune cells.
• Balancing hormones through a communication system in your brain, the HP axis, that helps balance the thyroid, adrenal glands and other hormonal systems.

The bottom line is that while there is no cure for autoimmune conditions, acupuncture and Chinese medicine can play an important role in controlling symptoms, promoting remission and improving your quality of life. If you have been diagnosed with an autoimmune illness and want to know more about how acupuncture can help you, please contact our clinic.