Acupuncture for immune-mediated disorders

URINARY DISORDERS: AP is effective in nephritis, cystitis, urethritis, urolithiasis and disorders of diuresis and micturition. BL23, GB25 and KI01 are especially effective for kidney function. AP at KI01 in dogs reduced diuresis (KI function). AP at BL23 blocks the effect of KI01 and adjusts diuresis (222). AP at BL23 markedly increased diuresis (urine, Na and Cl excretion) in men (223). AP was effective in limiting proteinuria and curing nephritis in HgCl2 toxicity in mice (162). AP was effective in renal colic, urolithiasis. Pain is controlled in minutes and stones are often passed in hours or days (136,224-229). The effects of AP on renal function and ureteral peristalsis can be seen with intravenous pyelography (230). BL28,32; CV03 and SP06 are very effective for bladder function and irritable bladder. The effects of AP on bladder function involve supra-spinal reflexes (83,231,232). AP is effective in cystitis, dysuria, urgency, frequency (233). In monkeys with unstable bladder, AP at SP06 had similar effects to atropine - it reduced or eliminated inappropriate bladder contractions but left normal voiding sequences intact. AP gave fast relief of unstable bladder and function normalised after repeated sessions (234). AP cured"neurogenic" bladder, (incontinence/retention) as in distal symmetrical polyneuropathy (143,235) and in enuresis (21,236,237).

SYSTEMIC OR GENERALISED INFECTIONS: AP activates immune reactions and controls the main symptoms in viral, protozoal, bacterial and fungal infectious diseases in humans and animals. It has a role in these conditions, if only as a support-therapy. AP cures the main signs and symptoms of viral diseases and has antiviral effects via the immune responses. Chronic Epstein-Barr Virus (CEBV) syndrome, also called Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), is caused by a herpes-type virus that causes an infectious mononucleosis. There is no effective medical treatment but AP at the immunostimulant points plus points for the main symptoms is helpful. AP cured mumps within 1-5 sessions (238); early cases of Herpes Zoster (shingles) within 2-7 days, with no post-herpetic sequelae (30,239). Pain eased within minutes of the first session. In chronic cases (more than 3 months old), the dorsal root ganglia may be scarred and prognosis to AP is poor. The most effective points are SI03 and the "Loo Point" (between BL62 and GB40 (240). AP cured or nearly cured 78% of infantile acute infectious multiple radiculitis. There were no deaths and no sequelae. The results were better than in cases treated without AP (241). AP improved 53% of infectious multiple neuritis, classified as a flaccidity syndrome in TCM (242). Saline injection twice/ day for 7 days at BL13 cured 90% of cases oflobar pneumonia, as compared with an 84% cure rate by penicillin and streptomycin (243). LLLT at Earpoint Lung in mice infected with influenza virus completely inhibited virus replication in lung cells but Earpoint Hypothalamus had no effect (244). Very good results were obtained by AP in AIDS and ARC victims in treating fatigue, depression, general malaise, dyspnoea, sinusitis, night sweat, diarrhoea, lymphadenitis, neurological disorders and pain, as in Kaposi's sarcoma. AP may prevent development of opportunistic infection but it was not successful in treating severe anaemia, which required blood transfusions if the PCV fell <22%, nor did AP prevent the appearance of new Kaposi's sarcoma lesions (245). Results improve when Chinese herbs are used (246).

AP treated and prevented symptoms of malaria if given 2 hours before the expected attack (45,247) and was far better therapy than decocted Herba Artemisiae Chinghao (Chinese herb with antidysenteric effect) but was less effective than nitroquine (248). AP cured 90% of cases of thrombocythaemia following splenectomy in schistosomiasis (249).

AP in gastroenteritis, dysentery, cholera etc has been discussed. EAP at PC06 and LU06 in lung TB cured or improved the haemoptysis (250). Local ES via saline-soa-ked gauze wrapped around the digits and tibia, plus naproxin cured infectious polyarthrosis in parrots which had failed to respond to medication (251). 

POST-INFECTION SEQUELAE: The prognosis for successful AP treatment of post-herpetic neuralgia was good in younger patients, with more recent pain of lower intensity, but was bad in older patients with severe pain of long duration (252). Carbamacepine or carbamacepine plus AP-injection was used in Post-Distemper Epileptiform Seizures (PDES) and Idiopathic Epilepsy (IE) in dogs. AP cured early IE and enhanced the curative effects of carbamacepine in IE. Neither was effective in PDES, probably because of irreversible brain damage in PDES (253). AP was very effective in 63-89% of post-polio paralysis (254-257).

THERMOREGULATION, FEVER: Fever points include GV13,14,20; LI04,11; ST36 and Earpoints ShenMen, JiaoGuan, Lung, Ear Apex (258-260).

ALLERGY, HYPERSENSITIVITY: AP was successful in allergies, including cardiovascular (migraine), respiratory (asthma, rhinitis, hayfever), digestive (colitis, enteritis, ulceration) and cutaneous (eczema, itch).

SKIN ALLERGY: Bilaterality of signs or symptoms indicates brain or spinal mediation. SI03 and the "Loo Point", alone or combined with Source and GV Points, can help in such cases (Herpes Zoster, neurodermatitis, eczema, psoriasis, pityriasis rosea, dyshidrosis of hands and feet, diffuse granuloma annulare) (240,261). Segmental AP inhibited histamine-induced pruritus. Extra-segmental AP had no effect. The results suggested that AP could be effective in pruritic conditions (262-263). Uraemic pruritus is difficult to treat medically but EAP or laser-AP was successful (264). AP was much better than herbs and western drug therapy in treating acne (265). AP, L-phenylalanine or DPA enhanced immune response, as assessed by enhanced delayed type hypersensitivity to di-nitrofluorobenzene in mice (266). AP was effective in pruritus vulvae (267). Scleroderma is very difficult to cure by conventional methods. AP of the lesion and AP point injection with herbal extracts improved 97% of cases (33). AP and EAP are preferable to conventional methods of treating focal scleroderma (268).

RESPIRATORY ALLERGY: More than 60 papers on AP in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in the previous 10 years were reviewed (269). 70-97% of >18,400 cases were cured or improved. AP and moxa increased immunity to infections, decreased allergic reaction and regulated the ANS. AP (270-272), EAP (273), injection-AP (274), plum-blossom AP and cupping (275), laser-AP (276), moxa followed by application of a mixture of Ginseng, gentian violet and white mustard powder (277) and catgut embedding (278) improved 53-90 of COPD cases. Best results were in mild cases of bronchitis and bronchial asthma. Steroid dependent cases improved less. Success was associated with shorter hospitalisation, improved subjective symptoms, general well-being, improved respiratory function, oxygen cost, ease of breathing and walking distance, increased sputum secretion, normalised serum immunoglobulins and cessation of medication or decreased use of some or all previously required drugs (steroids, mucolytics, antibiotics, amino-xanthines, beta-agonists, sedatives, aerosols and nebulisers) except in attacks of dyspnoea or lung infections. AP (187, 279-283), thermal-AP (284), AP + moxa + cupping (285), Earpoint-AP (283), LLLT (286), "Festering" or scarring moxa (moxa over garlic- or ginger- juice) (287-289) improved 65-100% of bronchial asthmatics. AP with warming moxa was more effective than AP with cupping (290). The therapeutic effect of AP in asthma may be by reflex and humoral effects (279). Others also confirmed that AP was beneficial in asthma (291,292). In children with exercise-induced asthma, AP and sham-AP attenuated exercise-induced asthma but real AP was more effective (293,294). Salbutamol spray was less effective after real AP, as there was less bronchoconstriction at the end of challenge (293). AP, EAP or cesium chloride plasters were effective in resistant allergic rhinitis (283,295-298).