Acupuncture And Chronic Fatigue
By Jill McCubbin-Clare, Registered Acupuncturist & Registered Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioner
Chronic fatigue syndrome is a common ailment in today’s society. Acupuncture can help to alleviate and improve its symptoms. Some causes are infections such as mononucleosis, epstein-barr virus, autoimmune disorders, parasites, mold, hormonal imbalance, and diseases such as hepatitis. Each person is different and may even have inherited tendencies and disorders that remain hidden. Patients can also present with mood and sleep disorders, pain, lack of focus and concentration and feeling depressed. Those who suffer from this condition know that it is significantly more difficult to manage during the winter months. The days are shorter and the body tends to use up more energy during this time of year. Although there is no cure for chronic fatigue syndrome, there are ways to navigate the unpleasant feelings that come with it. Here are some more details on how acupuncture can provide relief during the winter months.
Acupuncture Investigates The Root Cause Of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
According to the principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine, chronic fatigue syndrome is attributed to a multitude of factors: insomnia, body aches, and high levels of stress. A deeper investigation of chronic fatigue syndrome can reveal where energy is lacking. The problems may be situated in your spleen, liver, heart, or kidneys. Chronic fatigue syndrome can be also caused by imbalances in yin and yang. When you meet with your Acupuncturist during your initial diagnosis, she will determine where the problem is most prominent and then work on correcting those deficiencies in a safe and comfortable manner.
Acupuncture Allows You To Feel More Energized
By accessing the appropriate meridians in your body, the balance of qi, or energy, thus becomes restored. This is particularly helpful during the winter months when our energy levels become depleted by the lower exposures to sunlight and the increased exposure to cold weather. As mentioned in the previous point, acupuncture places a focus on the areas where energy is lacking and aims to correct those imbalances so that energy is allocated appropriately. There are 12 positions that an Acupuncturist feels on the inside wrists which correspond to the 12 organs systems. The Acupuncturist uses a sophisticated diagnostic system which is related to the yin and yang energy. There are also 3 positions with a yin and yang pair on both wrists. For example the liver (yin) is paired with the gallbladder (yang). Some positions may be weak and some in excess. The tongue is a secondary diagnostic tool which also has a sophisticated diagnostic system. Along with a detailed history and many other factors, the Acupuncturist can help get to some of the possible root causes of chronic fatigue. The treatment plan takes all this into account and seeks to help restore and replenish energy reserves.
Acupuncture Increases The Flow Of Endorphins
Acupuncture also helps to stimulate the flow of endorphins by selecting the correct acupoints. It is often the case that when you feel happier, you’re less likely to be run down by chronic fatigue. This flow of endorphins may help you to overcome seasonal affective disorder - a close cousin to chronic fatigue syndrome that also becomes severe during the winter months. An increased flow of endorphins can protect your immune cells because of the increased production of white blood cells and thus be less likely to be susceptible to colds and flus.
Acupuncture utilizing Breath and Yoga to restore and build energy reserves.
Mindful breathing during and outside of Acupuncture sessions is considered an effective method for stimulating the flow of qi, or energy, along the meridians. As a practitioner of Acupuncture, I teach ‘breath centric’ self care to all of my patients; first during the session to breathe in and out according to the type of needling such as sedation and tonification. I also teach a type of Polyvagal breathwork to practice at home to help build and restore energy reserves. The Vagus Nerve is responsible for communicating to the brain when our physiology is “off”, such as when the heart rate is too high. The brain will respond by releasing the appropriate chemicals and hormones to restore balance. These breathing techniques are some of the easiest ways to stimulate the Vagus Nerve and thus build energy reserves to achieve balance.
A simple breathing exercise is to count how many seconds on the inhale and count the seconds on the exhale. When you inhale, focus on expanding the lower ribs and not the belly. The belly will rise anyway as you expand the ribs. With activating the Vagus Nerve, you want the exhale to be up to twice as long as the inhale. It takes practice and in the beginning you may only achieve a count of inhaling 4 and exhaling 5 or 6. Keep practicing until your ratio becomes 4:8 or 5:10 etc. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the breath has always been central to understanding qi flow. Qi Gong and Tai Chi are ancient practises that link breath to movement and the idea is the mind follows and releases the good chemistry associated with calm and balance.
A wonderful yoga pose called Apanasana is simple and helps to restore energy. Lie with your back on a mat with your knees bent. Place your hands on your knees if you can. If not, use a band that you hold and place around the knees. Inhale and slowly move your knees towards your chest guided by your hands, pause and exhale (slower than your inhale) allowing the knees to go back to the original position while holding on with your hands. Repeat this slowly 5 pr 6 times or more if you like. Allow your focus to be on your breathing to ease any stressful thoughts. This pose is also good for digestion and elimination, one of the root causes of fatigue.
At Natural Root Health, there are other practitioners such as Naturopathic Doctor and Psychotherapists that are able to assess and provide treatment. If you are suffering from Chronic Fatigue, and have not sought treatment, it might be beneficial to see a Naturopathic Doctor who can requisition blood work and other tests to shine a light on some of the root causes of this condition. In summary, Chronic Fatigue can be a complex imbalance involving certain health factors which may need medical attention. An acupuncturist can assist to get to the root of some of the possible causes within the Traditional Chinese Medicine context and help you build energy reserves and gain a better understanding of how to cultivate your qi.
Jill McCubbin-Clare
Registered Acupuncturist
Registered Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioner
