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A New Free Report - What Is Lupus?
This fascinating new report from UK-based publishing house Health Research Today answers some of the most-asked questions about this baffling disease :
- What is the medical definition of lupus?
- What are the symptoms of lupus?
- What tests are there for lupus? How do you get a diagnosis?
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Alternative Therapies For Lupus
This article is an extract from the ebook Freedom From Lupus!
While most doctors and patients are familiar with medical treatments for lupus, some physicians have found success by recommending alternative, or complementary, treatments. Things like acupuncture, herbal remedies, nutritional supplements, and massage have been found to be effective if used in conjunctions with traditional medical treatment.
Your Personal Treatment Quest
While lupus patients often see similar symptoms, it is a highly individualized disease. Due to that individualization of the symptoms, it is important that each patient find the right combination of treatments to combat their disease. Some patients are even taking a closer look at alternative therapies like acupuncture and herbs to help in treatment of lupus symptoms. Often patients use a mixture of medical treatments and complementary treatments to find relief. However, discovering what works is not always the easiest process, and it is often a long process at that.
Many patients see different symptoms appear at different times. Therefore, experimentation is sometimes the only way to see what works. However, no experimentation should take place without the treatment team being aware that you are attempting something new. While some herbs or supplements may seem harmless, they may actually cause problems with the way other medicinal treatment work. Your doctors should always be involved in your decisions.
Also, some complementary treatments, like some traditional treatments, take longer than a few days to work. This is why it is important to be patient when you use a new treatment, traditional or complementary. Discuss how long it will take to see results with your doctor of the alternative therapy provider, then give the treatment due time to work. Remember, there is no miracle cure for lupus. It is a marathon, not a sprint. Learning how your body reacts to different treatments is key to living effectively with lupus.
Keep a Symptom Diary
You have already heard about keeping a symptom diary for when you first meet with your physician about having lupus. However, continuing that effort also allows your doctor to see what combination of treatments is working most effectively. The more information you have for your treatment team, the more effective your treatment will be.
Thus, keeping a record of your treatments along side your symptoms will be the best way to determine what works best. Being scientific about how you determine the best mix of treatments is even more effective. Most researchers take a specific scientific approach to studies, and it is that approach that will work well in determining the proper course of treatment for you.
When your physician prescribes specific medications, start by writing them down alongside your symptoms. Write down how you feel at different increments throughout the day. Also, write down how you feel after taking any medication. If you get stomach upset right away – write it down. If you feel lightheaded after an hour – write it down. Also keep a record of what you eat, your activity levels, and your stress. What is going on around you is just as important as your medication and symptoms. Remember, stress can induce a flare, and so can the sun.
If you and your physician determine that a treatment is not working, then you may decide to make a change. If you want to make a change, only change one thing at a time. Changing too many variables at once will not necessarily show you what is and is not working. Record what you are changing, such as getting regular massages or acupuncture. Then record how you feel afterward like you had been doing all along.
It may seem like being scientific about your treatment takes a long time, but blindly grabbing at treatments will take much longer to get the right combination. Working with your treatment team in a scientific manner will get you the right treatment faster. You will also be able to see how far you have come in your treatment, which is often encouraging. Plus, when you do have a flare, you will be able to go back in your diary to see what worked effectively during your last flare, allowing for faster and more efficient treatment of your symptoms.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture follows a traditional Chinese medicine model that believes every person has a life energy known as “chi.” The chi is energy made up four elements: the spirit, emotion, emotion, and physical being. Chi is flowing energy, so these practitioners believe that, if the flow is interrupted, the energy becomes unbalanced. That unbalance results in illness.
Acupuncture seeks to restore that balance by inserting hair-thin needles shallowly into the skin. There are specific points on the body known as acupoints that influence certain areas of the chi. In Japan, acupuncture also uses therapeutic herbs burnt on top of the acupuncture needles, while Chinese acupuncture involves just the insertion of the needles for a period of time.
Research is still being conducted on acupuncture to determine why patients report feeling better after acupuncture. Some evidence shows a release of endorphins, which are the body’s natural painkillers. Others report that the insertion of needles influences the body’s chemicals. Some studies say that acupuncture influences blood circulation to the thalamus, which regulates pain responses. While studies may not agree on how acupuncture works on the body, it is still a well-established form of pain relief.
Even with acupuncture being well established, it is still a form of treatment that must be discussed with your lupus team. Some pain is actually there as a warning sign of more serious problems, so you should check with your physician first. Also, it is not a replacement for your medication, but instead is a complement to it. Still, it can stimulate the effects of drugs like muscle relaxants, tranquilizers, and painkillers, so you may not want to take them right before an acupuncture session.
There are some times that acupuncture can be dangerous. For instance, some acupuncture is done with electrical stimulation of the needles. That stimulation can have detrimental effects on a pacemaker. People susceptible to infections, like diabetic neuropathy, or those on anticoagulant medications need to be careful about having needles inserted due to increased risk. Plus, women who are pregnant need to tell the acupuncturist. Needles inserted near the abdomen can stimulate uterine contractions.
Read the rest of this article in Freedom From Lupus!
© Health Research Today
