I have been reading a lot about accupuncture on your website. Its informative and easy for a layperson like me to understand the basic science behind this wonderful form of treatment. So far I have learnt that acupuncture treats the cause and not the symptoms. I would like to know is there a cure for auto immune disorders in acupuncture?
Comment by Chad J. Dupuis, L.Ac.
“Cure” is such a strong term that doesn’t really get at what is involved in people healing imbalances in their body. All autoimmune conditions have off switches - not clear off switches, but they can all go into remission, “heal”, “correct” - whatever term you want to use. And if not outright remission they can very often be pared down into what might be best called inconveniences compared with their current experiences.
Now is Chinese Medicine (which includes acupuncture) part of this - yes, it can be. And it can be a dramatically useful part. But, in many cases, this will also be accompanied by work towards significant dietary, lifestyle and/or psycho-emotional changes as well. Other supplements and possibly even other western medicines may be part of this journey as well.
The short answer is, yes, we see many patients with RA, MS, Lupus, etc. go into “remission” or “heal” from Chinese Medicine - this, however, can take a significant amount of time and is generally not without work on the part of the patient as well and possible coordination with other western medical specialists.
The more complicated answer is, as you mention “treating the cause vs. the symptoms”, that the very term “autoimmune condition” is functionally irrelevant to Chinese Medicine diagnostics - and, honestly, not that useful in western terms either as the deeper understanding of most autoimmune conditions is limited at best in biochemical terms. Treatment, accordingly, is based on your Chinese Medicine diagnostic signs and symptoms and for some people this is a lengthy process of peeling back layers of imbalance and compensation for the imbalances by the body, for others, say with onset after a traumatic event, it is functionally less complicated.
On a whole I feel that the systemic nature of Chinese Medicine is functionally more appropriate and better suited for these complicated systemic conditions than western medicine generally.
Comment by Archived User
Thanks a lot for the reply doctor… Your reply has given me some hope for my mother who according to western diagnosis is suffering from auto immune disorder. As you mentioned emotions are surely the cause, she has had a very tough life thus far. Despite many Hardships , she is a very positive human being, spreading happiness around, is spiritual and extremely close to God. But over the years has become very weak physically, even a small amount of activity leaves her breathless. Her weight too has reduced significantly. She doesn’t have any faith in western medicine. I am thinking of taking her to an acupuncturist. The glitch is that I am from India the birth place of ayurveda! it is very difficult to find a good acupuncturist here. In case I fail to find one I would like to share her case with you doctor. Having read many of your blogs and replies I feel you really understand an individual’s plight & such selfless sharing of knowledge speaks volumes about your command over the science of TCM. Keep doing the good work and healing the hurt souls. God bless you. Hope you will help me here. Thank you.
Regards
Aditi
Comment by Archived User
Can I butt in here? It is a pleasant surprise to hear people discussing socalled auto-immune disease without saying it means the body (socalled immune system in this case) is “attacking” itself. What a ghastly concept. An insult to the Creator - why would He/She/It (I don’t know) design a body to attack itself? There is obviously something deeply sick about one’s body that would cause the particular collection of symptoms they call “autoimmune disease”.
Whether autoimmune disease, etc. or cancer, and especially cancer, there is this military mentality involved and the language that goes with it. We’ve got to beat, to attack, to fight, to kill the cancer and win the war against it. (Listen to Alex Trebek’s determination to beat this thing into submission, this thing that attacked him.) Well, no, we don’t. We need to investigate why the body did what it did. Otherwise, we are viewing the world as irrational, cruel and unpredictable. Not my idea of a good approach.
See how many belligerent, hostile terms you can find in the above article.
"By infecting a tumor with the Delta 24 cold virus, the immune system is tricked into thinking, “there’s a common cold here, let’s go kill it.”
I hope that man survives and thrives - Alex, too . And especially your mother, Aditi.
Comment by Archived User
Einstein said (i actually don’t care who said this but the saying / point is fantastic)
You have to decide if the universe is FOR or AGAINST you.
Lets start there.
Comment by Archived User
Thank you Chad Dupuis, MoiAussi & Piera for sharing your thoughts & well wishes for my mother… Yes MoiAussi Sad reality is that all of the human race is blindly showing their faith in the relatively new science of allopathy & question the age old science of TCM, ayurveda & numerous other gems of knowledge passed on from generation to generation. It’s ironical we all choose to be experimented on by western Medicine practitioners & foolishly reject the tried & tested path. Probably the fast pace of life has made us all impatient wanting to see quick results instead of long term benefit. I myself (& most importantly my mother) have too many doubts regarding the diagnosis & treatment of Western medicine. TCM on the other hand is actually a very practical approach - understand the cause of the illness… Correct the energy & thereby initiate healing. Sounds convincing, practical & in tandom with nature.