Diabetes: Acupuncture Shown to Reduce Blood Glucose Levels

Acupuncture may be an effective way of treating diabetes. A study has revealed that the ancient Chinese practice can lower blood glucose levels that are linked to diabetes and also to obesity.

This is the second recent study that has focused on the use of acupuncture to treat symptoms of diabetes, the blood disorder that has been described by the World Health Organisation as an “epidemic” affecting the developed world. This second study showed that inserting acupuncture’s fine needles into the body reduced diabetic neuropathy, the symptoms of which include numbness, tingling and pain in the fingers and toes.

The latest research involved a laboratory experiment using rats who were treated with electroacupuncture. The study concluded that using acupuncture significantly reduced blood glucose levels, offering potential new hope for treatment in humans.

There is no cure for diabetes. Type 2 diabetes, often referred to as late-onset diabetes, and type 1 diabetes occur when the body does not produce enough insulin to process the sugar in food into glucose that gives our cells energy.

The condition is treated through insulin injections and diet. With acupuncture now being shown to be effective in reducing certain symptoms associated with the condition, it gives greater weight to the model of integrative medicine where patients are given a variety of treatments to achieve better outcomes for their health.

Acupuncture has been practised in China for thousands of years. It works by identifying certain lines known as meridians in the body and inserting fine needles into the points where those lines meet to restore the body’s energy and relieve pain or alleviate symptoms of many health conditions. Today acupuncture is used as a complementary therapy all over the world with many scientific studies pointing to its effectiveness as a treatment.

Categories: acupuncture, blood glucose levels, Diabetes

Diabetes: Why watchdog is on the case

The medicinal team for Watchdog has warned patients dealing with diabetes to check their glucose monitors following a report that a manufacturer recalled numerous faulty devices which were giving dangerously false readings. The manufacturer Lifescan, used by more than 22,000 people who suffer with diabetes, recalled the blood glucose equipment after the company found a software glitch which would lead to patients missing extremely high glucose levels – a situation could cause serious complication for the individual in question. This fault causes the OneTouch Verio Pro device to give a low reading, and the OneTouch Verio IQ models to switch off if the blood glucose level exceeds the dangerously high level of 56.8 mmoI/L – the company stressed that such an occurrence was rare. The OneTouch Verio Pro+ was also affected. The faulty devices don’t alert the user to the dangerous levels of glucose beyond this level, so there could be a risk of a delay in the diagnosis and treatment of extreme hyperglycaemia.

Blood glucose testing is a key part of the management of diabetes, so it’s vital that your devices work effectively in order to reduce the risk of danger. Diabetes is a lifestyle condition which often affects those who are overweight or have a poor diet. In order to reduce the risk of developing diabetes, doctors recommend that you eat a diet which is low in fat and sugar, and packed with plenty of fruit and vegetables, as well as getting plenty of exercise. This will help you to maintain a healthy weight, as well as helping to stave off other health problems such as heart disease and stroke. If you think you may be at risk of developing diabetes, or think you might have some symptoms which suggest you already have the condition, you should consult your doctor as soon as possible who can run tests.

 

Diabetes: Why watchdog is on the case

Categories: Blood glucose, blood glucose levels, developing diabetes, devices, Diabetes, diet, faulty devices, Glucose, onetouch verio, risk, verio pro