Acupuncture for Illness
Providers at Love Acupuncture & Wellness Group have not and do not prevent, diagnose, or treat COVID-19 or its variants.
Acupuncture, especially when used with other tools and modalities common to East Asian medicine such as moxibustion, cupping, and herbal medicines, can be effective when treating myriad illnesses. Beside the other common conditions listed in this “Acupuncture Can Help,” section, some research supports the efficacy of acupuncture in alleviating and even preventing some common illnesses such as colds and flus.
For example, practitioners of acupuncture have been using combinations of acupuncture, herbal medicine, other modalities, and nutrition and lifestyle suggestions to help prevent and treat symptoms of common colds and flus for a long time. Some research in Western medicine is supporting the ability of Traditional Chinese Medicine, or TCM, to support the immune system and alleviate symptoms of common colds and flus.
Healthline suggests, along the same lines of many licensed acupuncturists, that common modalities like cupping, gua sha, and moxibustion along with acupuncture and herbal medicine, “can help you get through cold and flu season with a little extra support.” But how does it do that?
An article from UCHealth, the University of Colorado Health Department, encourages folks to look for acupuncture in the fall and winter months to help their immune system strengthen to fight off the colds and flus so common during that time. It goes on to detail how the ability of acupuncture to lower stress and improve mood goes a long way in helping to bolster the immune system—after all, how many of us find ourselves susceptible to illness during or following a stressful event?
One study this article cites reports evidence suggesting that acupuncture, especially electroacupuncture, was found to have a positive association with the production of T Cells, an important player in the body’s ability to fight off infection and communicable disease. It also points out the benefits electroacupuncture may have in reducing stress-related immunosuppression.
Another popularly cited case study from South Korea studies the effects of acupuncture and East Asian medicine on the common cold. It states in its conclusion, “Manual acupuncture beneficially affected common cold and its symptoms.” In fact, in their case study, they found that 95% of the group who received acupuncture recovered from cold symptoms in three days, half of the recovery time of folks in their control group who did not receive similar treatment.
Another popular systematic review and analysis (a research methodology in which researchers aggregate and study data from diverse studies) found that, “Having the effect of promoting metabolism circulation, balancing, improving immunity, dredging meridian, and harmonizing qi and blood, traditional Chinese acupuncture shown to be effective and safe with strong operability, low cost, and environmental friendly, especially suitable for children with fever.”
We will be happy to work with you to boost your immune system through acupuncture and East Asian medicine to help you combat and prevent these common infections; however, we will not be able to treat you if you have any symptoms of COVID-19 or another respiratory tract infection until your symptoms have resolved.
At Love Acupuncture & Wellness, we unfortunately will not be able to see you if you have symptoms of the common cold or flu (cough, runny nose, fever, etc.) due to COVID-19 concerns. Please do not come to Love Acupuncture for for the evaluation of suspected COVID-19 infection. Please instead contact your primary care provider or go to the ER if you are having trouble breathing. Click here to learn more about our COVID-19 policies and procedures.
If you are experiencing a medical emergency, call 911. Do not wait for an appointment with us. We are happy to work with you on chronic or ongoing health conditions; however, we are not equipped for or specialized in urgent or emergent care.
Providers at Love Acupuncture & Wellness Group have not and do not prevent, diagnose, or treat COVID-19 or its variants.
For Further Reading:
“Acupuncture for Common Cold,” Medicine, Vol. 97, Issue 10; Ying et al., 2018.
“The many benefits of acupuncture in winter,” UCHealth, UCHealth Today; Susan Cunningham, 2019.