Acupuncture for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.
Chronic fatigue syndrome, also known as myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME/CFS), is a long-term illness characterised by extreme fatigue or tiredness after physical or mental activities that doesn’t go away with rest and can't be explained by an underlying medical condition.
Symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome can vary from person to person, and the severity of symptoms can fluctuate from day to day. Other signs and symptoms associated with chronic fatigue syndrome include unrefreshing sleep, problems with memory or concentration, sore throat, headaches or dizziness, enlarged lymph nodes, muscle or joint pains.
What Does The Research Say?
The following insights are obtained from systematic reviews and analysis of clinical trials investigating the efficacy of acupuncture for chronic fatigue syndrome.
2020 Chinese Journal of Integrative Medicine
Acupuncture on treating chronic fatigue syndrome has the advantage for efficacy and safety compared to conventional treatments such as drugs, counselling psychology and physical therapy.
We found that acupuncture on treating Chronic Fatigue Syndrome has the advantage for efficacy and safety compared to conventional treatments such as drugs, counseling psychology and physical therapy. Acupuncture has shown to have less side effects and drug resistance. A combined therapy of Western medicine and Chinese medicine has proven to be most effective for patients.
Acupuncture for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: An Overview of Systematic Reviews Yin ZH, Wang LJ, Cheng Y, Chen J, Hong XJ, Zhao L, Liang FR.
2020 Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Treatments according to traditional Chinese medicine syndrome differentiation can provide patients with individualized treatments for chronic fatigue syndrome.
Currently, there are many methods for treating CFS with TCM, showing its advantages. On one hand, treatments according to syndrome differentiation are diverse and involve herbal decoctions and proprietary Chinese medicines. External treatments include moxibustion, acupuncture, tuina, cupping, and other treatments. Combination therapies include two or more external treatments combined and internal and external treatments combined, which are often better than monotherapies and can remedy deficiencies. However, the clinical manifestations of CFS are different. Although fatigue is the main manifestation, there are individual differences in the appearance of insomnia or muscle pain in some patients. Treatments according to syndrome differentiation can provide patients with individualized treatments. On the other hand, TCM often has the advantages of simplicity, effectiveness, convenience, and a lower cost.
Advances in Clinical Research on Traditional Chinese Medicine Treatment of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Zhang X, Wang M, Zhou S
2019 Acupuncture in Medicine
Acupuncture appeared to significantly reduce fatigue severity measured by Chalder's Fatigue Scale and the Fatigue Severity Scale compared with other types of control.
Sixteen studies with 1346 subjects were included. Most studies had low methodological quality. Meta-analyses showed a favourable effect of acupuncture on overall response rate compared with sham acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine. Acupuncture also appeared to significantly reduce fatigue severity measured by Chalder’s Fatigue Scale and the Fatigue Severity Scale compared with other types of control.
Our review indicated that acupuncture was more effective than sham acupuncture and other interventions (Chinese herbal medicine, mainly), but no firm conclusion could be reached owing to limited data, poor quality and potentially exaggerated effect size evaluation. Further large, rigorously designed and reported RCTs are required.
Acupuncture for chronic fatigue syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis Zhang, Q., Gong, J., Dong, H., Xu, S., Wang, W., & Huang, G.
2017 BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies
Acupuncture and moxibustion were found to be more effective than Chinese herbal medicine, western medicine and placebo treatment (sham-acupuncture) in relieving symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome.
A total of 31 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were enrolled in analyses. In traditional direct meta-analysis, we found that in comparison to Chinese herbal medicine, CbAM (combined acupuncture and moxibustion, which meant two or more types of acupuncture and moxibustion were adopted) had a higher total effective rate. Compared with Chinese herbal medicine, western medicine and sham-acupuncture, SAM (single acupuncture or single moxibustion) had a higher total effective rate. In addition, compared with SAM, CbAM had a higher total effective rate. In network meta-analyses, similar results were recorded. Subsequently, we ranked all treatments from high to low effective rate and the order was CbAM, SAM, Chinese herbal medicine, western medicine and sham-acupuncture.
In the treatment of CFS, CbAM and SAM may have better effect than other treatments. However, the included trials have relatively poor quality, hence high quality studies are needed to confirm our finding.
Acupuncture and moxibustion for chronic fatigue syndrome in traditional Chinese medicine: a systematic review and meta-analysis Wang T, Xu C, Pan K, Xiong H.
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Although well-conducted clinical research can help members of the public to make better-informed decisions about their healthcare, we do not make any claims that any particular treatment may be efficacious for any individual person.
When you consult with our Chinese medicine practitioners, you'll receive personalised advice and treatment based on your symptoms and Chinese medicine diagnosis.
Scientific References
Browse our collection of scientific clinical research on acupuncture for chronic fatigue syndrome.
It includes recent and reputable papers published by peer-reviewed journals within the last 10 years.
2020, Dec 02
Advances in Clinical Research on Traditional Chinese Medicine Treatment of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Currently, there are many methods for treating CFS with TCM, showing its advantages. On one hand, treatments according to syndrome differentiation are diverse and involve herbal decoctions and proprietary Chinese medicines. External treatments include moxibustion, acupuncture, tuina, cupping, and other treatments. Combination therapies include two or more external treatments combined and internal and external treatments combined, which are often better than monotherapies and can remedy deficiencies. However, the clinical manifestations of CFS are different. Although fatigue is the main manifestation, there are individual differences in the appearance of insomnia or muscle pain in some patients. Treatments according to syndrome differentiation can provide patients with individualized treatments. On the other hand, TCM often has the advantages of simplicity, effectiveness, convenience, and a lower cost.
Zhang X, Wang M, Zhou S Full Article
2020, Apr 1
Acupuncture for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: An Overview of Systematic Reviews
Chinese Journal of Integrative Medicine
We found that acupuncture on treating Chronic Fatigue Syndrome has the advantage for efficacy and safety compared to conventional treatments such as drugs, counseling psychology and physical therapy. Acupuncture has shown to have less side effects and drug resistance. A combined therapy of Western medicine and Chinese medicine has proven to be most effective for patients.
Yin ZH, Wang LJ, Cheng Y, Chen J, Hong XJ, Zhao L, Liang FR. Full Article
2019, Jun 17
Acupuncture for chronic fatigue syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Acupuncture in Medicine British Medical Acupuncture Society
The review indicated that acupuncture was more effective than sham acupuncture and other interventions.
Zhang, Q., Gong, J., Dong, H., Xu, S., Wang, W., & Huang, G. Full Article
2017, Mar 23
Acupuncture and moxibustion for chronic fatigue syndrome in traditional Chinese medicine: a systematic review and meta-analysis
BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies
In the treatment of CFS, CbAM and SAM may have better effect than other treatments. However, the included trials have relatively poor quality, hence high quality studies are needed to confirm our finding.
Wang T, Xu C, Pan K, Xiong H. Full Article
