Acupuncture for diabetes

Chinese medical texts have recognized diabetes as ‘wasting-thirsting’ disease for a thousand of years, relating it to the consumption of too much rich food.

Acupuncture is a common approach to treating diabetes in modern China as part of an integrated treatment plan and can be safely and effectively combined with conventional medicine. Symptoms that can develop with advanced stages of diabetes such as neuropathic pain, erectile dysfunction and ulcers can be treated with acupuncture, and Chinese herbal medicine may be prescribed when disorders such as high cholesterol, fatty liver and/or high blood pressure are present.

In addition suggestions as to dietary and other lifestyle changes that may be beneficial will be recommended; eating a healthy balanced diet, taking regular physical exercise, reducing stress and maintaining a healthy body weight can help to prevent or delay the onset of type-2 diabetes and slow the progression of the disease. Acupuncture can be a valuable part of an overall strategy to bring all aspects of long term care together.