Raynaud's disease is a syndrome characterized by irregular blood flow from the heart to the extremities. Symptoms include discoloration, numbness or tingling and coolness at the extremities, often the fingers and toes or the hands and feet. The cause is unknown. Acupuncture is regularly used to improve blood circulation among those affected, although limited scientific trials have measured the effects. If you have Raynaud's disease, consult with your doctor about possible treatments and local, reputable acupuncturists.
Acupuncture Basics
The basis of acupuncture is in traditional Chinese medicine, a healing method based on the balanced flow of vital energy, or qi, throughout the body. According to TCM, disease manifests when qi is blocked or imbalanced. An acupuncturist restores the body's natural balance by stimulating points on the body along specific meridians, or energy channels, each of which relates to a particular organ of the body. Given the dramatic difference in orientation between TCM and Western medicine, scientific analyses of acupuncture's benefits are somewhat limited.
Acupuncture for Raynaud's
According to a study reported in the "Journal of Internal Medicine" and carried out by researchers from the Medizinische Hochschule Hannover, acupuncture can produce beneficial results in individuals with Raynaud's disease. The subjects who received regular acupuncture treatments over 23 weeks had a significantly lower frequency of attacks than those in the control group, who received no acupuncture treatment. The University of Maryland Medical Center advises that acupuncture may increase blood flow and decrease pain associated with Raynaud's disease but holds that no major studies have fully assessed the potential effects of the modality.
Complementary Approach
According to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, treatment of Raynaud's disease is primarily limited to lifestyle changes that reduce the tendency toward attacks. These include keeping your extremities warm and avoiding stressful situations. Acupuncture is categorized as a complementary therapy to be used in concert with medical treatment.
Other Alternative Approaches
If you're open to trying non-Western treatments, Raynaud's Association suggests trying yoga, massage or biofeedback as well as acupuncture. The association warns that none of the alternative therapies have scientific basis, but advises individuals with the disease to consult with their doctors about alternative approaches. Bodywork techniques such as massage and yoga may help stimulate blood flow to the extremities, while biofeedback devices are designed to make use of the connection between body and mind to break through old patterns and avoid negative physiologic symptoms.
References
- National Heart Lung and Blood Institute: What Is Raynaud's?
- National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Acupuncture: An Introduction
- "Journal of Internal Medicine;" Treatment of Primary Raynaud's Syndrome with Traditional Chinese Acupuncture; R. Appiah, et al.; February 1997
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Raynaud's Phenomenon
- National Heart Lung and Blood Institute: How Is Raynaud's Treated?
- Raynaud's Association: First Raynaud’s Education/Support Day Elicits Exchange of Information & Ideas
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