Proper liver and kidney function are critical for overall health and wellness. Unfortunately, many Americans suffer from ailments affecting these two vital organs and, as a result, are often sick. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that approximately 4.5 million adults have been diagnosed with liver disease. The National Institutes of Health has stated that chronic disease of the kidneys affects approximately 37 million adults. There are many drugs and treatments available for these conditions – but you may be surprised to learn that acupuncture offers a proven track record of effectively dealing with diseases affecting both these organs.
What is the Role of the Liver?
The liver is responsible for primary metabolic functions in the body. These functions include breaking down or converting nutrients, balancing energy metabolism by converting glycogen to glucose and storing glucose as glycogen, and removing toxins from the bloodstream. Essentially, the liver decides whether nutrients should be processed, stored, eliminated, or sent to the bloodstream. It is easy to see how liver malfunction could wreak havoc on the body’s health.
The liver is influenced by stress and emotion and is closely connected with the gallbladder, and an individual experiencing stress often develops gallstones. In traditional Chinese medicine, known as TCM, the liver and its associated meridian play a vital role in the smooth flow of Qi (energy), blood, and emotions. Balancing Qi is the most effective way to restore proper energy flow, and acupuncture treatments help to holistically balance the body without the side effects of pharmaceuticals.
What is the Role of the Kidneys?
The most well-known function of the kidneys is to eliminate excess fluid and waste from the body. Still, they are responsible for many other processes, including controlling pH, water, and electrolyte balance, removing toxins, controlling blood pressure, and activating Vitamin D and calcium in the body.
Proper kidney function is essential to overall health. Kidney disease can cause itchy skin, insomnia, an increased need to urinate, swelling of the feet, ankles, and hands, poor appetite, nausea, fatigue, muscle cramps, or headaches.
Kidney disease can be caused by diabetes and high blood pressure, but kidneys may fail for many other reasons. If blood flow is hindered or Qi blocked, kidney problems can occur. Acupuncture can elevate blood flow levels to the kidneys and liver, delivering essential nutrients throughout the body.
As with the liver, stress can cause a significant amount of damage to the body, as well as cause depression and other emotional issues. Acupuncture can alleviate this stress by balancing Qi and assisting the release of endorphins to encourage sleep, reduce fatigue, ease pain, maintain blood pressure, and improve liver and kidney health.
Call a Professional Acupuncturist for Conditions of the Liver and Kidneys
If you decide to try the procedure, a licensed acupuncturist will first take a detailed medical history and, if applicable, speak with your current physicians. This interview regarding your background may seem a little odd at first. In addition to asking about your areas of concern, they may ask questions that seem irrelevant to you. This may include sleeping patterns, urinary function, or stress levels. Those only familiar with Western medicine need to learn that many functions and organs are connected in unexpected ways – and those interactions and correlations are what TCM specializes in. After a series of tests, they will work with you to develop specific protocols to improve your kidney and liver function.
Longevity Wellness Clinic is one of Bradenton’s premier TCM clinics. Our practitioners have extensive training in Chinese medical theory and diagnosis, acupuncture, herbal medicine, nutrition, western medical approach, and diagnosis, as well as massage and Qi Gong.