This blog post is inspired by two patients I saw recently. One patient was coming to me for low back pain and the other for occasional back and hip pain. Both wanted to cancel their appointments because they woke up feeling horrible. Sore throat, fatigue, fever, neck and body aches. I encouraged them each to get a ride to my office and explained that Acupuncture and herbs are an effective treatment for lowering fever, reducing accompanying symptoms and shortening the duration of the cold or flu. Each patient came to see me the first day they felt sick. The first patient had relief of fever and body aches, and an increase in energy by the first evening; her sore throat lasted one more day. The second patient also had some chest congestion and nasal discharge. He experienced relief of fever, body aches and sore throat had more energy and an appetite that day. His chest was cleared up by the next morning and his nasal discharge turned from yellow and thick to clear and thin. He continued herbs for one more day and has been feeling 100% since. 
How can this be? It’s a bacterial infection, a viral infection; it isn’t my “Qi” out of whack! Well, in a way it is. Because of a deficiency of Qi, whether chronic or temporary, our bodies are more vulnerable to infection. Without Qi our bodies have no energy to heal themselves; colds and flus linger, coughs persist. Our bodies are amazing machines capable of so much. We have built in defense systems, physical barriers and chemical defenders of health! Acupuncture aids the body in keeping strong defenses, dispelling pathogens and healing.
This is not an ancient Chinese secret; it’s only a secret here in our culture. While you do have to let viral infections (flus) run their course and you can get antibiotics for bacterial infections, Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine are very effective and have less side effects. Antibiotics, especially overuse, can lead to a tolerance and resistance of the body’s defenses; it can kill good bacteria essential to good intestinal and internal health. Acupuncture and herbs are safe, effective and support the body’s defenses. The World Health Organization (WHO) states “as a result of scientific research, Acupuncture protects the body against infection.” Acupuncture encourages endorphin release in the brain, and this can raise T-cell counts and antibodies, therefore increasing our natural defenses.
Acupuncture and herbs are safe, effective and support the body’s defenses.
Herbal therapy is an important part of treating colds and flus. They have antibacterial and antiviral properties to support the body. It is best to take them when you first get sick to help shorten the duration of the infection, however, they can be taken throughout the course of the infection as well and can be started any time while sick.
Just like my two patients this past week, you were probably unaware that Acupuncture is effective for treating your cold or flu. Other conditions related to colds and flus that the WHO states Acupuncture is an effective treatment for are: Allergic rhinitis (stuffy nose due to allergies), sore throat (especially due tonsillitis), long term asthma maintenance, whooping cough, nausea and vomiting.
What do you know about acupuncture? Have you used acupuncture to get relief? What else does acupuncture treat?
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