By Monique Bain
Autoimmune diseases are a group of disorders where the immune system attacks the body and destroys or alters tissues. There are more than eighty serious chronic illnesses in this category including rheumatoid Arthritis, type 1 diabetes, lupus, thyroid disease, Irritable bowel disease, celiac disease, Crohn’s disease, Multiple sclerosis, Addison’s disease and more. Today, approximately 50 million Americans (1 in every 5 people), suffer from autoimmune diseases.
Autoimmune diseases are poorly understood and misdiagnosed of many illnesses and are rarely discussed as a women’s health issue and affects multiple body systems and their symptoms are often misleading.
Western treatments involve the use of medications with varying degrees of effectiveness and toxicity. The drugs do not cure the disorder, they just address the symptoms.
Due to the complexity of treating autoimmune diseases, integrative medicine solutions including Acupuncture have received much attention as successful therapies in their treatment.
Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine treats autoimmune disease by reducing inflammation, decreasing pain frequency and intensity, relieving side effects from medication, improving energy level and addressing a multitude of symptoms unique to each individual and improving quality of life.
Clinical research has shown that Acupuncture causes physical responses in nerve cells, the pituitary gland and parts of the brain. These responses cause the body to release proteins, hormones and brain chemicals such as serotonin that control several body functions. Acupuncture affects the blood pressure, body temperature and immune system by these actions. A study conducted by the Mayo clinic found that fibromyalgia patients who received Acupuncture had significant improvement in pain levels, fatigue and anxiety. The research concluded that Acupuncture would be very beneficial to fibromyalgia patients in managing the symptoms of the disease.
Treatment to manage your autoimmune disorder may involve a combination of therapies including stress reducing exercises, moderate physical activity, homeopathic injections, herbal medicines, nutritional and diet changes. Your Acupuncture Physician will focus on YOU as an individual. Your care will be tailored to your specific needs and symptoms, so you won’t ever receive a “one-size-fits-all” treatment.
To learn more about how Acupuncture can safely and effectively be incorporated into your care, please call Five Element Wellness Center for a consultation.
Monique Bain, M.Ac, L.Ac
Five Elements Wellness Center
954-657-8342