Acupuncture may be an effective way of treating diabetes. A study has revealed that the ancient Chinese practice can lower blood glucose levels that are linked to diabetes and also to obesity.
This is the second recent study that has focused on the use of acupuncture to treat symptoms of diabetes, the blood disorder that has been described by the World Health Organisation as an “epidemic” affecting the developed world. This second study showed that inserting acupuncture’s fine needles into the body reduced diabetic neuropathy, the symptoms of which include numbness, tingling and pain in the fingers and toes.
The latest research involved a laboratory experiment using rats who were treated with electroacupuncture. The study concluded that using acupuncture significantly reduced blood glucose levels, offering potential new hope for treatment in humans.
There is no cure for diabetes. Type 2 diabetes, often referred to as late-onset diabetes, and type 1 diabetes occur when the body does not produce enough insulin to process the sugar in food into glucose that gives our cells energy.
The condition is treated through insulin injections and diet. With acupuncture now being shown to be effective in reducing certain symptoms associated with the condition, it gives greater weight to the model of integrative medicine where patients are given a variety of treatments to achieve better outcomes for their health.
Acupuncture has been practised in China for thousands of years. It works by identifying certain lines known as meridians in the body and inserting fine needles into the points where those lines meet to restore the body’s energy and relieve pain or alleviate symptoms of many health conditions. Today acupuncture is used as a complementary therapy all over the world with many scientific studies pointing to its effectiveness as a treatment.