Treating Fatigue with
Acupuncture
Fatigue can be described as
being tired or lacking in energy or
motivation. Most people choose to combat
fatigue by indulging in coffee, soft drinks
or energy drinks. Sugar is also a popular
remedy for fatigue. Unfortunately, these
“quick fixes” can often result in
increased lethargy and can actually be
destructive to the body.
 A lot of
people also trick themselves into thinking
that 5 or 6 hours of sleep is adequate. This
is not true. The human body needs at least 8
hours of sleep every night. If you do not get
the sleep you need every night, your body
will have to catch up somehow. This is how
people end up falling asleep at the wheel,
sleeping through their alarm or lacking the
motivation to do every day things. Their
bodies simply aren’t getting enough
rest.
Chronic fatigue can be caused
by a number of different illnesses. Western
medicine will usually treat fatigue
symptomatically with medication. Medication
might be accompanied by harsh side effects,
which may actually include fatigue.
While we are not against
Western treatment, we are different in our
approach to the treatment. Chinese medicine
does not treat fatigue like another symptom.
We look for the underlying cause behind the
fatigue and will treat that instead. Fatigue
is caused by a blockage of life force energy
in the body, called qi. If you are suffering
from fatigue, chances are your body
isn’t functioning the way it should.
You might experience difficulty sleeping,
digesting foods, eliminating toxins or
getting the proper amount of oxygen.
Different symptoms, besides fatigue,
coordinate with different places where the qi
could be blocked. People who are kidney qi
deficient may experience low back pain, low
libido, internal cold and frequent urination.
Heart qi deficiency may showcase symptoms of
restless sleep, worry, heart palpitations and
shortness of breath. If the qi is blocked in
the lungs, people may experience chronic
cough, weak immunity, allergies, shortness of
breath and asthma. People who are spleen qi
deficient will experience diarrhea, loose
stools, bloating, bruising, slow speech or
slow mental thought process and internal
cold.
Acupuncture can help by
bringing balance to the body. It will open
the blocked channels of energy and allow the
qi to flow freely through the body as it was
meant to do. The body is an amazing thing; it
was actually made to heal itself. Acupuncture
will help re-train the body to heal itself.
Herbs might also be used in conjunction with
acupuncture to further balance the body and
promote wellness.
Some of the things that the
patient can do for themselves to help fatigue
are to take B-complex supplements, change
their diet, or try to exercise on a regular
basis. Exercising does not have to be
extreme; it can be as simple as 20-30 min. of
light exercise, such as walking or using hand
weights. Exercise will stimulate the body,
move qi and help build a supply of qi –
resulting in more energy.
 I had a
patient who suffered from severe fatigue. He
also suffered from depression, digestive
disorders, and food and pollen allergies. He
was sleeping 10 or 12 hours a day and still
felt like he had no energy. He had difficulty
working, thinking and having a positive
attitude towards life. We started treating
him with acupuncture and herbs and slowly he
became well again. His energy came back and
his sleep and digestion improved. After about
30 treatments, he built up a good supply of
energy. He started sleeping about eight hours
and was much more energetic. He had a much
better view on life too. With the help of
acupuncture and herbs, everything became
easier for him and he could live his life
much happier than before.
The decision to get
acupuncture shouldn’t be one that makes
you lose sleep. Acupuncture has successfully
treated fatigue-associated illnesses and will
be able to help. Take comfort in knowing that
if you do decide to try acupuncture you are
one step closer to a balanced body and
finding relief.
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