Diabetes Info

Acupuncture for Diabetes

January 27th, 2008 | by admin |

Many diabetics seek refuge in alternative medicine when modern medicine fails to do the job. However, there is no guarantee that alternative medicine will be successful in cases where modern medicine hasn’t provided any benefits. This is not to say that success stories through alternative medicine are unheard of. People have claimed to be cured of diabetes, thanks to certain alternative therapies, such as Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and acupuncture.

Acupuncture is the practice of inserting 4-25mm long needles into specific areas of the body in order to stimulate the functions of the organs. Acupuncture claims to halt the onset of diabetic neuropathy. Treating the area of the pancreas through the related acupuncture points on the body has been shown to reduce the autoimmune component central to diabetes. Diabetics, who have taken acupuncture treatment, claim to need less insulin. Ear acupuncture might be beneficial in that it stimulates the nervous system of those suffering from Type 2 Diabetes.

Acupuncture is often used with TCM, which is based on different principles and herbs. However, TCM experts claim that the disease is better treated if caught in the early stages. TCM aims at improving blood circulation, which can completely stop, or at least, slow down the debilitating onset of diabetic neuropathy. TCM could also stabilize blood sugar levels for those suffering from Type 2 Diabetes by putting order in the endocrine system.

Recently, a group of 17 experts conducted a study in the UAE, under the auspices of the Dubai Wellbeing Center, on the effectiveness of acupuncture in treating diabetes. Twenty-two participants had taken the usual modern treatment for diabetes. Although the treatment was quite effective in most of the cases, about twenty of them complained of side effects, such as kidney malfunction. However, twenty-seven of the thirty-eight patients who had opted for acupuncture were successfully treated, and eleven were in need of more treatment. But, none of them complained of any side effects.

It cannot be denied that TCM and acupuncture have helped a number of diabetics in the past. However, it is not advisable to rely only on these therapies and give up modern medicine altogether. These therapies should be used as a complement to the existing medical aid and not on their own.