For patients with fibromyalgia, Western medicine often prescribes self-care and medication to help with the various symptoms that arise. Unfortunately the symptoms can be quite a hindrance towards daily activities and rituals. At TCM Health Center we focus on using acupuncture and Chinese herbs to best help our patients heal.
Studies show that the power in acupuncture lies in its ability to release measurable amounts of endorphins (natural pain-killers) as well as neurotransmitters that help increase an individual’s pain tolerance. Many people who come in also have sleeping problems and fatigue—thus acupuncture helps treat not just the pain, but also the sleeplessness. Some studies indicate that a lack of sleep actually contributes to the inflammation in fibromyalgia due to lack of melatonin. As acupuncture works on holistic healing, patients often times find themselves with less pain and better sleep.
In a study conducted by Martin et al., researchers divided fifty patients that met the American College of Rheumatology criteria for fibromyalgia into an acupuncture group and a control group. The results of the study found that acupuncture significantly improved fibromyalgia symptoms and that improvement was not simply found in just pain relief but was most drastically seen in fatigue and anxiety.
If you have any further questions about acupuncture treatment for fibromyalgia, please feel free to give any one of our locations a call to schedule an initial consultation. We look forward to hearing from you!
“I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia a year ago. I’ve had immense pain radiating throughout my entire body, I experienced fatigue like never before and on top of that I was emotionally unstable. It was hard to sustain a normal life. I was working full time and after the symptoms progressed I was workout part time for 20 hours a week, and soon I was only work 10 hours a week. I knew I had to get help, and I knew that painkillers were not the long-term solution. With acupuncture treatment and Chinese herbs, the first thing I noticed was that my sleep drastically improved. I was able to sleep for longer periods of time with disturbance and on top of that my pain significantly reduced. I had stopped exercising because I would be so sore afterwards, but now I’ve been intensively biking five times a week and going back to yoga. I’ve also been able to return to my job full time. It has been absolutely incredible.”