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&
Acupuncture and
Diabetes
Restoring balance and health is
treatment target
By Kris McClanahan, M.Ac., L.Ac., Artemesia
Over the past several decades, diabetes has clearly become more prevalent. We read in the news about rising
numbers of cases in the United States,
and it’s also more likely that we now
have family members who have been
diagnosed with diabetes.
In recent years, people are learning
more about acupuncture as a treatment modality and are including it as
an option in their overall health care
plan. Acupuncture is widely known
for treating pain, and many people
are learning how it can address the
symptoms of other health conditions,
including diabetes.
In my practice, I see many people
coming for acupuncture treatments to
help manage stress, fatigue, peripheral
neuropathy, weight-loss challenges,
chronic pain and digestive complaints.
Many of these people also report having diabetes or a “pre-diabetic” condition with elevated blood sugar levels.
So how can acupuncture help those
with diabetes and pre-diabetes? Let’s
begin with some background on the
condition.
What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is defined as a metabolic
disorder where the body is unable to
process glucose (sugar) in the blood.
When we consume foods that contain sugar, our bodies normally store
the sugar for later use when we need
energy. This is where insulin, one of
the hormones in the body, plays an
important role. Insulin processes and
converts sugar so it is available when
needed for energy. High blood sugar
happens when insulin cannot move
glucose from the blood to the tissues,
where sugar is needed for energy. The
three most common symptoms of
high blood sugar are excessive thirst,
frequent urination and persistent hunger even when eating regular meals.
While there are several types of
diabetes, the most common is type
2. Sadly, in the United States, a rising
number of children and young adults
are being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes or pre-diabetes. Over time, these
young people are at risk of developing
the early signs of serious diabetic complications usually seen only in adults.
The complications can include fatigue,
eye problems, heart disease, hypertension, kidney disease, periodontal
disease, complications with pregnancy,
depression and diseases of the nervous
system.
Traditional Chinese medicine
recognized diabetes as a “wasting and
thirsting” condition or a “sugar urine
illness” characterized by excess thirst,
hunger and frequent urination. Those
who had this condition were treated
with Chinese herbs, foods, acupuncture and exercise. Each individual was
evaluated and treated based on specific
patterns observed by the Chinese
medicine doctor. Today, diabetes is
still less prevalent in China than in the
United States; however, China has also
seen a rise in diabetes cases in recent
years.
very little documented research. Some
research results indicate acupuncture
may be helpful in improving circulation, lowering pain levels and managing blood sugar. For example, individual case studies describe p ]Y[