ACUPUNCTURe for Immune System & Autoimmune Support

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Are you always the first person to get sick?  Or, do you suffer from an overactive immune system as with allergies or autoimmune diseases?  Acupuncture and herbal medicine work very well to regulate and support your immune system.  They can clear inflammation, boost your immunity and help you stay healthy.  Six Branches Family Acupuncture can help you find relief from:

  • Allergies

  • Asthma

  • Auto-immune & inflammatory disorders

  • Chronic sinusitis, rhinitis, or cough

  • Frequent colds

Treatment typically includes acupuncture, herbal medicine, dietary advice and lifestyle advice.  If you have symptoms that are worse with cold weather, there’s no need to wait until you are sick or wheezing to seek help.  The warmer months are a great time to start treatment for chronic low immunity.

Acupuncture for Autoimmune Diseases


Autoimmune conditions are complex diseases whereby the immune system is attacking the body’s own tissues. Autoimmune issues can develop for a variety of reasons which often includes genetic predisposition and various environmental triggers. When you come in for an appointment, we ask detailed questions about your health history and current symptoms to better understand what factors may be underlying your particular case. Acupuncture can be helpful at managing symptoms of autoimmune disease while also helping to modulate your body’s underlying immune response. Here is some more information on how acupuncture can help with specific autoimmune conditions.

Acupuncture for Hashimoto’s thyroiditis:

The most common cause of hypothyroidism is Hashimoto’s, where the immune system attacks the thyroid gland. Acupuncture has been shown to help lower TSH to normal levels and reduce the needed dosage of synthetic thyroid hormone. By bringing the body into balance and regulating hormones, acupuncture can also help manage symptoms of Hashimoto’s such as fatigue, constipation, dry or coarse skin and hair, feeling cold, or digestive issues.

Acupuncture for Irritability Bowel Disease (Crohn’s and Ulcerative Colitis):

Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis have many debilitating symptoms which can greatly impact a person’s quality of life. From a Traditional East Asian Medicine perspective, digestive health is imperative for the body to carry out its other functions properly. Research over the past decade has shown that acupuncture can decrease inflammation, regulate gut dysbiosis, improve intestinal barrier function, and regulate gut motility.  Anxiety, depression, and pain often accompany the digestive symptoms of IBD. Acupuncture can provide relief of these symptoms by addressing root imbalances in the body and lowering gut and systemic inflammation.

Acupuncture for Rheumatoid Arthritis:

Unlike the degenerative “wear and tear” of joints over time that leads to osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is different. RA develops as an autoimmune response, where the immune system attacks the joints of the hands and feet. Acupuncture can help decrease inflammation, regulate immune function, and have an anti-oxidative effect on tissues surrounding the joints. Clinically speaking, in a review of 43 studies on acupuncture for RA, acupuncture alone or in combination with medication was shown to improve pain and quality of life without adverse side effects.

Acupuncture for Multiple Sclerosis:

Multiple Sclerosis is a complex disease where the protective sheath of nerve cells is damaged by the body’s own immune system. Depending on the progression of the disease, MS may be helpful at managing symptoms. Research on acupuncture for MS has shown it to be particularly helpful at decreasing muscle spasticity, as well as improving gait impairment and fatigue. 

Acupuncture for Psoriasis: 

Acupuncture, moving cupping, and Chinese herbal medicine can be helpful at significantly reducing severity and frequency of psoriasis flare-ups. While acupuncture alone can help to reduce inflammation and balance the body’s immune response, Chinese herbal medicine may be additionally helpful for psoriasis that is long-standing and difficult to treat.  Your practitioner will customize an herbal formula for you that’s based on your type of psoriasis and health history.