How Acupuncture Can Boost Your Immunity Against Coronavirus and Influenza in Chicago
With Coronavirus Spreading in and around Chicago, Discover Acupuncture’s Benefits on Your Immune System
Boost Immunity to Flu and Coronavirus at Chicago’s Herb + Ōhm Acupuncture in The Loop
With the spread of COVID-19 occupying everyone’s collective attention, some people might wonder if Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) could play a role in its prevention or treatment while a vaccine or other Western treatment methods are fully developed.
In China, for example, the country has deployed about 2,200 TCM workers to Hubei (the province at the center of the virus outbreak) since late 2019. This is one example of how China is trying to improve the cure rate of patients by coordinating the resources of traditional Chinese and Western medicine. "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 Acupuncture and TCM Treat a Newer Virus like COVID-19 or Influenza?
In TCM, people often ask, “How do you treat new diseases with old medicine? The world didn't have this type of virus or bacteria 3000 years ago.” From a TCM perspective, the body manifests diseases of all kinds using various symptom presentations to communicate that there is an imbalance or sickness. It’s the pattern of these symptoms or the combination of them, that leads practitioners to discover the underlying diagnosis and which organ systems are involved. In Western medicine, this same approach is called a syndrome (or symptoms that are seen together). TCM practitioners diagnose in a similar way: We follow the pattern and determine which organ systems are involved to determine what treatment methods and herbal formulas to use.
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 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 will help 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?
For anyone considering trying TCM to combat symptoms or boost immunity, we recommend beginning with treatments 1 to 3 times 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.
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 to 2 times 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.
3 Tips to Stay Healthy During Flu Season and Coronavirus Outbreaks
In addition to following guidance from the CDC and other health organizations, here are a few top recommendations from Herb + Ohm:
Always wash your hands. Best practice for hand washing is at least 20 seconds, or the time it takes to sing Happy Birthday to yourself. This is especially important after going to the bathroom, before eating, and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing. Also, if you’re going to use hand sanitizer frequently, try to find a more natural option because of exposure to drying chemicals.
Cover your neck with a scarf. In TCM, one of the root causes of cold-like symptoms is wind and cold from the elements. From a TCM perspective, wind and cold mainly enter the body through the upper back and neck. When cold enters the body, it often manifests with chills, light fever, sneezing, or runny nose. We call this the Tai Yang stage and/or an exterior invasion. Wearing a scarf and making sure you don’t feel that uncomfortable cold feeling on the back of the neck is very important—even when out to a movie or dinner.
Bundle up when traveling from warm to cold climates. When your body goes from hot to cold climates (for example flying from Arizona to Chicago), your pores are open in warm Arizona to release sweat and heat to cool you off and regulate your body temperature. When pores are open and you then land in cold Chicago and go outside, open pores can allow wind and cold to enter the body, making you susceptible to what we call an exterior invasion or catching cold. As a result, when traveling from warm climates to cold climates, consider taking Vitamin C packs, drink lots of water during flight (20% more than usual), and make sure you bundle up when you leave the airport.
Overall, the moment you feel a cold or flu-like symptoms coming on, your first line of defense after rest and hydration is to book an acupuncture appointment. The combination of acupuncture and herbs at the first sign of a cold can help to resolve it and avoid the need for antibiotics. Sickness starts superficially and progresses more deeply in the body as it worsens. Today’s head and body aches are tomorrow’s sore throat and phlegm-filled cough. Learn more about how Herb + Ohm can help you to improve your immune system function and strengthen the body all year-round.