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Acupuncture treatment for diabetes Mellitus

Since diabetes melitus is a complex disease and also different symptoms among people, therefore ther
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Diabetes mellitus (DM), commonly referred to as diabetes, is a group of metabolic disorders in which there are high blood sugar levels over a prolonged period. Symptoms of high blood sugar include frequent urination, increased thirst, and increased hunger. If left untreated, diabetes can cause many complications. Acute complications can include diabetic ketoacidosis, hyperosmolar hyperglycemic state, or death. Serious long-term complications include cardiovascular disease, stroke, chronic kidney disease, foot ulcers, and damage to the eyes. There are 2 types of diabetes, which are type 1 and type 2. Type 1 diabetes, which is developed during childhood and adolescents age is diabetes that is caused by the inability of the pancreas to produce insulin. Type 2 diabetes, which is more common than type 1, is a diabetes that happens because our body is unable to properly respond the action of insulin.1

 

CONTENTS


SYMPTOMS

CAUSES

TREATMENTS

 

SYMPTOMS


The classic symptoms of untreated diabetes are weight loss, polyuria (increased urination), polydipsia (increased thirst), and polyphagia (increased hunger). Symptoms may develop rapidly (weeks or months) in type 1, while they usually develop much more slowly and may be subtle or absent in type 2. Several other signs and symptoms can mark the onset of diabetes although they are not specific to the disease. In addition to the known ones above, they include blurry vision, headache, fatigue, slow healing of cuts, and itchy skin. Prolonged high blood glucose can cause glucose absorption in the lens of the eye, which leads to changes in its shape, resulting in vision changes. A number of skin rashes that can occur in diabetes are collectively known as diabetic dermadromes.2

 

CAUSES


Diabetes mellitus is classified into four broad categories: type 1, type 2, gestational diabetes, and “other specific types”. The “other specific types” are a collection of a few dozen individual causes. Diabetes is a more variable disease than once thought and people may have combinations of forms. The term “diabetes”, without qualification, usually refers to diabetes mellitus. Type 1 diabetes mellitus is characterized by loss of the insulin-producing beta cells of the pancreatic islets, leading to insulin deficiency. This type can be further classified as immune-mediated or idiopathic. Type 2 is characterized by insulin resistance, which may be combined with relatively reduced insulin secretion. The defective responsiveness of body tissues to insulin is believed to involve the insulin receptor. However, the specific defects are not known. Diabetes mellitus cases due to a known defect are classified separately. Type 2 is the most common type of diabetes mellitus.Type 2 is primarily due to lifestyle factors and genetics. A number of lifestyle factors are known to be important to the development of type 2 DM, including obesity (defined by a body mass index of greater than 30), lack of physical activity, poor diet, stress, and urbanization. Excess body fat is associated with 30% of cases in those of Chinese and Japanese descent, 60–80% of cases in those of European and African descent, and 100% of Pima Indians and Pacific Islanders.

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) resembles type 2 in several respects, involving a combination of relatively inadequate insulin secretion and responsiveness. It occurs in about 2–10% of all pregnancies and may improve or disappear after delivery.Though it may be transient, untreated gestational diabetes can damage the health of the fetus or mother. Risks to the baby include macrosomia (high birth weight), congenital heart and central nervous system abnormalities, and skeletal muscle malformations. Maturity onset diabetes of the young (MODY) is an autosomal dominant inherited form of diabetes, due to one of several single-gene mutations causing defects in insulin production. It is significantly less common than the three main types. The name of this disease refers to early hypotheses as to its nature. Being due to a defective gene, this disease varies in age at presentation and in severity according to the specific gene defect; thus there are at least 13 subtypes of MODY. People with MODY often can control it without using insulin.3

 

TREATMENTS


Since diabetes melitus is a complex disease and also have different symptoms among people, then, there are no single treatment method or protocol as such of acupuncture treatment for diabetes mellitus. The acupuncturist must conduct full examination on the patient before deciding which method and treatment protocol should be used. However, one guide that is to be followed by an acupuncturist is that he/she must treat the most predominant symptom or manifestation of the disease. If there is any minor symptom, then therapist can add more treatment. For example, if there is a minor symptom of kidney deficiency, then therapist may add moxibustion therapy to acupoint Qihai CV-6 and Guanyuan CV-4. Other example would be treatment to the acupoint of Quchi LI-11, Jiexi ST-41, Hegu LI-4 if there is a minor symptom of thirst. Other acupoints that could be used are Spleen Point (Lower Leg Point), Liver Point (Foot Toe Point), Kidney Point (Inner Foot Point), Stomach Point (Inner Lower Leg Point), Arthritis Point, Intestine Point, Urinary Point, Stress Relief Point, Big Toe Point.4

Footnotes

  1. Diabetes mellitus – who.int – 2017, http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs138/en/
  2. Diabetes Mellitus Signs and Symptoms – ucsfhealth.org – 2017, https://www.ucsfhealth.org/conditions/diabetes_mellitus/signs_and_symptoms.html
  3. Causes of Diabetes – niddk.nih.gov – 2017, https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/diabetes/causes
  4. Diabetes Mellitus From Western and TCM Perspectives – acupuncture.com – 2017, http://www.acupuncture.com/Conditions/diabetes2.htm