Acupuncture Findings regarding COVID-19

Acupuncture.png

Simple and Elegant…

Acupuncture consists of inserting hair-thin, stainless steel needles in various parts of the body to elicit various biological and physiological responses through activation of sensory receptors. It activates the parasympathetic nervous system (the healing state of the autonomic nervous system as opposed to fighting or flight), increases blood flow to injured areas, decreases inflammation, boosts the immune system, and sends the message to the brain via the central nervous system to release pain-relieving neurotransmitters such as endorphins and serotonin. It also helps us increase our resilience by balancing the parts of the brain and nervous system that manage stress and hormonal balance. [1]

Example of Acupuncture Application for the Pestilence

The original Chinese term for the epidemic, li Yi (戾疫, literally ‘ferocious epidemic’), has a recorded history of over two thousand years. Liu Wansu (1110–1200) was one of the famous practitioners in the Jin-Yuan dynasties (1115–1368). He created a special “Eight Gates Big Puncture” method for pestilence. Bai Zheng Fu (Ode for the One Hundred Symptoms) was popular in the later generation acupuncture profession and can be found in the book Zhen Jiu Ju Ying (Collection of Gems of Acupuncture & Moxibustion) (1529). It mentioned that Taodao (GV 13) and Feishu (BL 13) applied for pestilence on hot days of the year. [2]

Issue #1 inflammation

A new study by neuroscientists at Harvard Medical School showing that Acupuncture is regulating the immune system and specifically it tames dangerous inflammation response such as we see in a cytokine storm in the severe complication of COVID-19.

This study showed that acupuncture activated different signalling pathways that triggered either a pro-inflammatory or an anti-inflammatory response in animals with bacterially induced systemic inflammation. In the study, acupuncture stimulation influenced how animals coped with cytokine storm—the rapid release of large amounts of cytokines, inflammation-fueling molecules. The phenomenon has gained mainstream attention as a complication of severe COVID-19. [3]

The mice treated had less cytokine secretion and had greater survival; 60 percent of acupuncture-treated animals survived, compared with 20 percent of untreated animals. In another research, the survival rate had increased from 20 to 80 percent. The authors suggest that these findings are showing that acupuncture maybe later utilized as a treatment of:

  • adjunct therapy for sepsis in the intensive care unit

  • treatment of inflammatory diseases of the gastrointestinal tract

  • help modulate in inflammation resulting from cancer immune therapy

‘…researchers found that acupuncture activates different nerve pathways that can either suppress or promote inflammation, depending on where, when, and how it is used. Their work revealed that acupuncture stimulation can reduce systemic inflammation in mice experiencing cytokine storm, an extreme immune response in which the body rapidly releases excess inflammatory proteins. Such dangerous and sometimes deadly inflammation is a hallmark of sepsis and has been seen with COVID-19…’ [4]

Issue #2 Breathlessness

The recent systematic review and meta-analysis show that acupuncture improved breathlessness severity in subjects with advanced diseases. Another study also indicated acupuncture as an adjunctive treatment for dyspnea in COVID-19.

Post-pandemic Care
Acupuncture will demonstrate its advantages aftermath of the pandemic. Acupuncture could assist patients in recovery from illness of coronavirus or take care of general people who developed mental problems like stress, depression and/or anxiety due to long time homestay during the time of lockdown or loss of their loved ones in family or friends during this disaster.

Resources:

1. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine Published Online First: 18 June 2018. Birch et al., 2018 (doi: 10.1089/acm.2018.0092) https://www.evidencebasedacupuncture.org/acupuncture-scientific-evidence/?fbclid=IwAR1jnx_bFt932e1AM0GtCy2l2P_fISl9-uYIV8vKsJ6uE5Aj3i3Fj5Sb6Bg

2. The role of acupuncture during the COVID-19 pandemic: From the historical perspective to practical application https://www.worldscientific.com/doi/pdf/10.1142/S2575900020200013

3. "Acupuncture is regulating the immune system" New study by neuroscientists at Harvard Medical School https://www.etcma.org/news/new-study-by-neuroscientists-at-harvard-medical-school/?fbclid=IwAR3sd7Znm0O3G4gMCdSa2h2TkIjU_IKT_pRgSJywDwgw8pWGxUzJY31ZDRo

4. How Acupuncture Relieves Inflammation by Debra Bradley Ruder https://www.harvardmagazine.com/2021/01/right-now-acupuncture-relieves-inflammation

Jane Cheung, R.TCMP & Associates