Autoimmune Conditions

Chinese Medicine can fully complement your Western treatments of autoimmune conditions to help alleviate the symptoms and improve the quality of your life while reducing reliance on drugs.

The Autoimmune Conditions Clinic at AcuMedic provides specialist syndrome acupucture treatment and powerful Chinese herbal medicine tailored specifically to treating autoimmune conditions. Treatment is performed by a fully qualified CMIR-registered doctor with extensive Western medical training. This is natural treatment fully compatible with Western medicine.

Our treatment for autoimmune conditions includes:

• A full Chinese Medical diagnosis with personalised lifestyle advice
• Syndrome acupuncture
• An optional Chinese herbal prescription (charged separately) tailored to your individual condition and health needs

How we can help you

The AcuMedic Autoimmune Conditions Specialist Clinic offers treatment for conditions such as:

• Hypothyroidism, commonly known as Under Active Thyroid (Hashimoto’s Thyroditis)
• Overactive Thyroid (Hyperthyroidism)
• Diabetes; Lupus (Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, SLE)
• Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
• Rheumatoid Arthritis
• Reactive Arthritis (Reiter’s Syndrome)
• Spot Baldness (Alopecia Areata)
• Skin Conditions such as Psoriasis and Eczema
• Raynaud’s Phenomenon

If your condition is not on this list, just ask for Free Health Advice and our doctors will let you know if, and how, they can help. You can also visit our centre and one of our doctors will speak to you as a free walk-in service.

Autoimmune conditions are among the leading fields of integration between Chinese Medicine and Western medicine. Often the treatments are combined to increase their effectiveness while reducing the negative side effects of drug therapy.

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+ About the Acupuncture at AcuMedic

Acupuncture treatment is available all over the world but not all acupuncturists are the same. Many acupuncturists in the West are only trained in a small modality of acupuncture such as trigger point acupuncture or perhaps 5 Element acupuncture. AcuMedicin London treats with syndrome acupuncture which is based on the complete system of theories in Chinese Medicine (including trigger point and 5 Element). This is authentic acupuncture treatment as practised in China and is based on Syndrome Differentiation diagnosis.

+ How it Works

Chinese Medicine treats autoimmune conditions by focusing acupuncture and herbal medicine on the condition’s root cause, which lie in the energetic balance of the body’s key internal organs.

For example, in Chinese Medicine Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is treated by identifying the underlying syndromes at the root of the patient’s symptoms and selecting the appropriate Chinese herbs and acupuncture points accordingly.

There is a number of various Chinese Medical syndromes which are commonly found in MS patients, such as the Liver and Kidney Deficiency syndrome and the Dampness in the Meridians of the limbs syndrome, for example. Depending on the syndrome, Chinese herbal and acupuncture treatment focus on the internal organs in need of a boost.

In cases of autoimmune conditions such as hypothyroidism the issue at the root of the condition is a deficiency of essential warm energy within the Spleen and the Kidneys. These organs are vital to the success of the body’s metabolism because one of their functions is to store the nutrients from the food and drink intake and to ensure that those nutrients benefit the body like they are supposed to e.g. to release energy. When this process is unsettled, food intake does not produce the required energy and subsequently the typical symptoms such physical and mental tiredness occur, even after meal times or in the mornings after sleep.

Acupuncture can treat hypothyroidism by strengthening and tonifying the Kidneys and the Spleen, and thus re-energising those organs into optimal performance. There is also a herbal prescription which has been specifically created to treat hypothyroidism by strengthening the relevant organs with essential, warming energy.

To find out more read our brief Introduction to Chinese Medicine.

+ What to Expect

An AcuMedic doctor will carry out a full Chinese Medical diagnosis (including tongue- and pulse-diagnoses to check internal health) and will talk to you to learn about the nature and root causes of your autoimmune condition.

An appointment at the Autoimmune Conditions Clinic usually lasts between 25-40 minutes. This includes consultation, diagnosis and acupuncture treatment. If you are prescribed raw Chinese herbs then this can take up to half an hour to prepare after your appointment.

+ Diagnosis and Consultation

There are four main diagnostic methods in Chinese Medicine which are observing, pulse diagnosis, questioning and listening. Each method has a unique function in the process of collecting different clinical information and understanding your autoimmune condition. Therefore all four diagnostic methods must be used to make an accurate diagnosis of your health and individualise the treatment so that you can achieve optimal health.

Observing involves looking at all the outward manifestations of your autoimmune condition. This is done by observing your general vitality, complexion, figure and your skin. One of the most well known parts of observing is tongue diagnosis. The tongue is like a mirror showing the state of your internal organs. The AcuMedic doctor will be able to judge the condition of your essential energy (Qi), identify the location of the affected parts inside your body in relation to your autoimmune condition, determine what is exactly is wrong and identify how your condition might progress just from looking at your tongue.

There are over 50 different pulse types and the AcuMedic doctor will take your pulse on both wrists to determine which pulse type you have. Your pulse is identified in terms of depth, speed, strength, shape and rhythm. Your pulse is an indicator of how Qi and blood are moving around your body, therefore how well your internal organs are functioning. From your pulse the doctor can determine a great deal about your physical and emotional condition and the root cause of your autoimmune disorder. This information is very important for determining the right treatment for you.

The doctor will ask you a huge variety of questions to learn about your symptoms and general lifestyle. It may seem like some of these questions are odd, but it all goes towards building a complete picture of you and your health. No matter how trivial something might seem to you, tell your doctor. No symptom that you have is unrelated or unimportant to your diagnosis. It is also very useful for your doctor to see the results of any medical tests you have had so make sure you bring them along to your first consultation and whenever you get new results through.

Once the doctor has finished diagnosing you, they will tell you about your particular Chinese Medical syndrome. These syndromes often have funny sounding names, like Liver Qi Stagnation or Kidney Yin Deficiency, but do not let that put you off. They will accurately explain why you have the symptoms you have and therefore what treatment you need to alleviate your autoimmune disorder.

The doctor will then suggest an acupuncture treatment plan based on the diagnosis to return you to good health, thereby easing all of the different symptoms of your autoimmune condition at the same time while tackling it at its root.

If the doctor feels that you should take some Chinese herbal medicines in addition to acupuncture then a prescription will be written for you. This is charged separately to your treatment. The prescription may be in the form of raw Chinese herbs or herbal extract capsules which are assembled and dispensed by our expert dispensary on our premises.

Chinese herbs provide the essential nutrition the body needs to overcome any physical, mental or emotional imbalances.

+ Treatment

After consultation you will be asked to lie on the bed and remove some clothing to receive acupuncture. The doctor will provide you with a blanket to cover yourself. Micro-fine needles will be inserted and you will be left alone to relax for about 20-40 minutes.

Please be aware that this is crucial treatment time for the acupuncture to have a therapeutic effect and you have not been forgotten. Just relax and enjoy the sensation of the acupuncture treatment (many patients will fall asleep). If you need to call the Clinic reception then there is a bell to alert us to come and talk with you.

Usually, the acupuncture needles do not hurt when they are inserted, although if a lot of blocked energy has built up at one area of your body, you may feel a pricking and pulling sensation as the Qi begins to flow again in there. Most people find acupuncture incredibly relaxing.

AcuMedic doctors only use sterile disposable acupuncture needles. AcuMedic actually invented the disposable acupuncture needle.

For people who are afraid of acupuncture needles, please speak to your doctor who may recommend a different treatment based on electro-acupuncture instead of needles. Electro-acupuncture works in the same way as conventional acupuncture, but instead of using needles, an electronic pointer is used to stimulate the acupuncture points on the body.

+ After the Treatment

After the treatment you should feel an improvement in your symptoms and in your overall mental and physical health, including increased energy levels during the day and a much more restful sleep at night.

To find out more about being a patient at AcuMedic please take a look at the AcuMedic Patient Handbook.