How Acupuncture and TCM are Supporting the Fight Against COVID-19

Chicago’s Top Acupuncture and TCM Practitioners Discuss COVID-19

Treating Novel CORONAVIRUS with a Combination of Chinese and Western Medicine

Please note: In accordance with the Illinois governor’s “shelter in place” directive, please remain home. If you are experiencing symptoms related to COVID-19 (or if you have been exposed to anyone with symptoms or a positive diagnosis), please remain isolated and contact your healthcare practitioner for additional guidance and treatment.

With the spread of COVID-19 (also referred to as novel coronavirus) capturing global attention, some people might wonder if Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine could play a role in its treatment while a vaccine or other Western treatment method is fully developed. In China, for example, the country has deployed more than 2,000 TCM workers to Hubei (the province at the center of the virus outbreak) since late 2019. "By coordinating the resources of traditional Chinese and Western medicine, we strive to improve the cure rate and reduce fatalities by the greatest possible amount to effectively safeguard the safety and health of the people," said Wang Hesheng, deputy head of China's National Health Commission.

The uneven history of acupuncture in China

But China wasn’t always so enthusiastic about TCM. In fact, the rulers of the Manchurian Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) issued a decree banning all Acupuncture practices at the time, because they felt as though it was inferior to medicines being introduced by invading Western cultures. A second ban was enacted in the 1920’s by the Kuomintang (Nationalist) government, which prohibited all modalities of Chinese medicine. It wasn’t until the Communist government took over in the 1940s that Mao Tsetung advocated the use of both Chinese and Western treatments together. Acupuncture then played a major role in the healthcare of the Chinese people and soldiers during their war with Japan and other internal struggles.

Current state of TCM in China: What works remains

Today in China, TCM has been most widely used by older generations, and younger generations often don’t know very much about their heritage in this area. But the Chinese government is employing TCM techniques to help treat COVID-19, in part, because Western medicine is either not yet able to fully treat or control symptoms (or even accommodate everyone who is getting sick). So the country is turning back to TCM roots, flying in practitioners and experts from around the country, and using herbal formulas (even leading to potential shortages of herbal remedies and acupuncture needles here in the US). As a result of the spread of COVID-19, new generations of people are becoming familiar with TCM and the ways it can help to boost the body’s natural defenses.

How can an ancient medicine help to treat a new disease?

In TCM, practitioners look for symptom patterns. In the case of the novel coronavirus, the symptom pattern of fever, cough, and shortness of breath relates back to the lung indicating an imbalance. Everything we experience today goes back to a symptom pattern that reflects imbalance in the body, and once we understand it, we can choose the acupuncture points and other healing modalities (i.e. gua sha, cupping, moxibustion, infrared heat therapy) that can help to restore balance and in turn health to impacted organ systems. There are also herbal formulas which, when used as a complement to acupuncture, can help to open the airway, help treat a cough, and help to strengthen the body. These modalities are all designed to work together to improve overall health and wellness.

When should I seek out acupuncture to help strengthen my body?

At Herb + Ōhm, we often see people who are totally healthy and those who have compromised immune systems (post chemo, asthmatic, elderly, pregnant). Both categories of patients often seek weekly treatment before and during winter months for prevention and maintenance. In fact, many of our patients come weekly all year, from before flu season begins in October through allergy season in April. Thereafter they might come 1-2 x per month for maintenance. As part of this ongoing treatment, we sometimes recommend herbal formulas to boost immunity, so patients have it on hand in case it is needed.

But for anyone considering trying TCM to combat flu-like symptoms or boost immunity during high-risk times, we recommend beginning with treatments 1-3x per week, because Acupuncture is cumulative (like exercise). Every time we stimulate the immune system to self-heal, we help the body to strengthen, so the greater the frequency the more opportunity for healing.

While we are currently unable to treat patients in the office with acupuncture due to the recent “shelter in place” directive in Illinois, many TCM methodologies can still be used to support the immune system and promote overall health and well-being. Click here to learn more about how Herb + Ōhm is bringing TCM treatments to you at home with virtual appointments.