“Is acupuncture helpful in treating anemia?”
My husband has a very low hemoglobin level in spite of taking iron supplements. Can I try acupuncture for him?
29 Answers
Yes. Diet regulated as well.
Need to discover root cause and address that.
No
Acupuncture and herbal medicine are more effective when used together.
I would not recommend acupuncture as the first treatment choice for anemia. Chinese herbal medicine will be my strong recommendation. Herbs will help to build up your blood by improving digestion and absorption, as well as a recommendation of a healthy diet.
Mr. Anthony James Lorenzo
Acupuncturist
What kind of iron is your husband taking? Has he been checked for other nutrient deficiencies? Not all iron supplements are absorbed well. He should definitely be taking one that has iron bound to an amino acid or in a "chelate" form, for best absorption... that could be one problem. You should also consider having him eat what we consider "blood nourishing" foods, in Oriental medicine: Red beets, apricots, spinach/kale/greens (collards/mustard/turnip)-all should be blanched before eating, and the water discarded as opposed to consumed, beef (grass-fed, organic, 3-6 oz.) or eggs (with yolks, 2-3 daily, but MUST BE organic and free range or pasture raised). These foods should be consumed daily. Now, if his digestive system is weak, that could be another problem causing this. So best to consult a professional and be evaluated... but i wanted to give you something you could use today to get started. This is a complex issue without knowing specifics... but my feeling is, unless he is on 5 different pharmaceutical drugs, yes, it would help him. If you decide to try acupuncture, make sure you start with a fully trained acupuncturist (not an MD or Chiropractor that did minimal hours of training to get a license).
Yes. Recommend to have both acupuncture and herbs for his low hemoglobin.
First we must determine what is causing this. And yes we have helped many people to build blood. Depending on how severe it is will determine the amount of time and treatments neccesary
Yes, it can improve his immune system and reduce anemia
Yes. This tells us that he is not properly digesting the iron supplement. We are happy to see him and ask him a series of questions to better understand his system and find the root of the cause.
Yes, it is.
Yes, absolutely. Acupuncture increases circulation by relaxing the body and removing energetic blocks. I would also suggest deep breathing techniques and incorporating daily exercise. Another note is to make sure to drink plenty of NON carbonated water. Ideally it should range between 1-2 gallons per day, depending on body weight.
Yes, acupuncture can help most anemia.
David
David
Hmmm, that's a touchy one. There have been reports of it helping the body with absorption and regulation of hemoglobin levels, but in my practice, I also look for reasons. Such as the body not adsorbing nutrients well, gut health, etc. I've had some success with similar conditions and it can be life-changing, but with anemia it's unlikely that acupuncture alone without herbs/food therapy/nutrition/supplements and/or lab work I think it may not be the right choice and probably not cost-effective. I'd recommend the above combination of therapies.
Regarding your husband's condition, the problem is not how many iron supplements he takes; there are some factors related to low hemoglobin level:
- If any of the family members have the same problem, which it can be related to innate factor.
- If the digestion organs are not healthy, then no matter how good the quality the food, supplements are, the nutrients cannot be absorbed and produce useful sources for the body.
- Lifestyle is one of the important keys that can keep inner organs healthy, if your husband is too stressful, not good sleep, bad habits, all can damage inner organs. Then the body cannot detox and can work properly, and not be able to absorb the supplements.
- If any of the family members have the same problem, which it can be related to innate factor.
- If the digestion organs are not healthy, then no matter how good the quality the food, supplements are, the nutrients cannot be absorbed and produce useful sources for the body.
- Lifestyle is one of the important keys that can keep inner organs healthy, if your husband is too stressful, not good sleep, bad habits, all can damage inner organs. Then the body cannot detox and can work properly, and not be able to absorb the supplements.
You need to know the cause of anemia. Anemia does not go away when you eat nutrients. To make blood, the secretion of the hormone that makes the blood should be good, it is oxygen. Oxygen is supplied from the lungs and goes down to the kidneys, and hormones that secrete blood from the kidneys are secreted and combined with oxygen to become hemoglobin to form red blood cells. In order to do this, the lungs need to be strengthened to fundamentally eliminate anemia. It is well treated with acupuncture and herbal medicine.
Absolutely!!
Yes. The acupuncture can help and I would likely make some dietary and lifestyle changes, and have him apply moxibustion for homework.
Anemia is difficult because it can be caused by genetic conditions or other serious issues going on in the body. There is more to fighting anemia than just taking iron supplements. Proper diet, exercise, lowering stress, and increasing other nutrients such as B vitamins are very important. Chinese herbs are very effective in helping with the struggle of anemia. There are several Chinese herbs that move blood, help the liver and the digestive system, plus encourage RBC production. Acupuncture will increase oxygen in the blood.
Acupuncture can help the body absorb and use what's put into it more efficiently. A practitioner may also prescribe herbs to help in this process as well as giving some lifestyle and dietary coaching advice.
One study showed that acupuncture can increase serum ferritin, a protein that stores, releases and transports blood iron. However, since there are many different types and causes of anemia, a proper diagnosis is essential. Anemia can be from a primary blood cell deficiency or can occur secondary to another disease. So, whether acupuncture can help depends on the cause of the anemia.
Hi,
Acupuncture and moxibustion boost hemoglobin levels. If your husband is okay with taking Chinese herbs, it will work even better.
Hope he will gain benefits sooner.
Jonathan Fang
Acupuncture and moxibustion boost hemoglobin levels. If your husband is okay with taking Chinese herbs, it will work even better.
Hope he will gain benefits sooner.
Jonathan Fang
Acupuncture can help but herbs and supplements would be quicker and more effective. Your Acupuncturist can help with selecting the ones right for you.
Hello. You should go to MD to check your husband for internal bleedind or blood pathology. If iron supplements do not help you need to find WHY? Anemia is not a joke and depending on severity should be address properly. Acupuncture will help to support and restore but in this should be considered ONLY after you find out why the hemoglobin of your husband is low.
This is a tricky one. Acupuncture can generally help with this type of issue. My concern in his case is: what's really going on? I'd suggest a couple of things:
1. Make an appointment with your primary care physician and get some blood work done. Other than his iron levels, you're interested in red blood cell counts and size. You also want to check out his vitamin B12 levels - this vitamin helps the GI absorb iron and if he's low, then the fix is relatively easy.
2. Make an appointment to see a board certified, state licensed acupuncturist. You want someone who can make a diagnosis within the context of Chinese medicine and then apply acupuncture to remedy the situation.
1. Make an appointment with your primary care physician and get some blood work done. Other than his iron levels, you're interested in red blood cell counts and size. You also want to check out his vitamin B12 levels - this vitamin helps the GI absorb iron and if he's low, then the fix is relatively easy.
2. Make an appointment to see a board certified, state licensed acupuncturist. You want someone who can make a diagnosis within the context of Chinese medicine and then apply acupuncture to remedy the situation.
I would certainly give it a try. Acupuncture works by balancing the body's energies, which affects all the body systems. If he is taking supplements and his levels are still low, the acupuncture might support whatever system is not doing its job so he can better absorb the iron. You must have patience, though. It will probably take a series of treatments of twice a week for him to start seeing results.
I hope you give it a try. Good luck!
I hope you give it a try. Good luck!
First I would need to know the cause of his Iron deficiency. Your doctor will need to see his complete blood test. Acupuncture does help to boost the energy. Also, recommend a diet change, exercise, lifestyle change. Thanks
I believe you should find a qualified Licensed Acupuncturist to see if they can help. Also be sure to monitor your husbands diet and stay in touch with the MD's to monitor the blood levels and see if there is a reason the levels are staying low.
Good luck.
Good luck.
Acupuncture does not help anemia directly, but Chinese herbal medicine has treated anemia for a thousand years.
