How Acupuncture Can Help with Fibromyalgia

This content is produced by Houston Acupuncture and is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. I. Intro Can we get to the root of the problem of fibromyalgia? With Chinese medicine, I think we can. Hello, everybody. I’m Dr. David Cherian. I’m a board‑certified physician and licensed acupuncturist practicing both Eastern and Western medicine here in Houston, Texas, and I’m the founder of Houston Acupuncture and Primary Care. At Houston Acupuncture and Primary Care, we use the best of both Eastern and Western medicine to help our patients get optimal treatments—and oftentimes relief from symptoms and health problems they weren’t able to find anywhere else. II. Western medicine view (500 words) Let’s start off by talking about fibromyalgia from a Western medicine perspective. First of all, fibromyalgia is now considered what we call a central pain processing disorder, not a peripheral tissue problem. That means the source of the pain isn’t coming from the peripheral parts of the body, but rather from the central nervous system—and specifically the brain. Fibromyalgia is thought to share features with other chronic pain syndromes such as irritable bowel syndrome, chronic headaches, interstitial cystitis, and even some cases of chronic low back pain. One of the reasons these conditions may be similar is that they share a common mechanism called nociplastic pain. Nociplastic pain refers to pain arising from altered pain sensor processing without any clear tissue damage. Imaging studies have shown abnormal connectivity between different brain networks in patients with fibromyalgia. These different networks can become overconnected which then causes the brain to amplify normal sensory signals, pay excessive attention to them, and essentially misinterpret harmless input as pain. Many patients with fibromyalgia also report “medication allergies,” and this often stems from the same issue. The sensory processing system is so dialed up and overactive that what feels like a medication allergy is actually more of a sensory intolerance. Their nervous system reacts strongly to how a medication feels in the body, rather than the body mounting a true immunologic response. Some patients with fibromyalgia may have glimpses of this pattern earlier in life. They may have had growing pains, extremely painful periods, irritable bowel syndrome, bladder symptoms, or bladder spasms. If these issues occur when someone is younger, they can progress into full fibromyalgia by their 30s. This is important because many patients wonder whether they should bring in a family member or child who is having unusual pain symptoms in middle school or high school. I usually recommend treating these types of pain early—especially with Chinese medicine—because we can often get to the underlying root and prevent the spiraling, vicious cycle of upregulated, altered nociceptive pain. To diagnose fibromyalgia you have to have generalized pain, for at least three months, along with meeting certain pain index scores. In terms of Western medical treatment, there are medication and non‑medication options. Non‑medication therapies can make a significant impact. Studies show that about one‑third of patients improve without medication by using approaches like aerobic exercise, behavioral therapy, yoga, tai chi, and—what we’re especially interested in on this show—acupuncture. And our clinic can achieve even better results because of our unique approach of acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine. There’s a few FDA‑approved medications for fibromyalgia; cyclobenzaprine, duloxetine, and pregabalin are some of the most common. These medications help with pain, but many also help with sleep. Cyclobenzaprine can help with sleep, and pregabalin can help with sleep—and sleep is a major part of the fibromyalgia picture. Patients with fibromyalgia often have trouble sleeping, and lack of sleep can worsen their pain. So if you can help a patient sleep, you often help their pain improve as well. I think that’s a big part of why acupuncture and herbal medicine can help. You’ll want to talk to your regular Western medicine doctor about which medications might be best for your particular case. My typical approach is: if a patient is already on one of these medications, we continue it as we start treatment, and then as the patient improves, we gradually wean them down. III. Chinese medicine view of symptoms Okay, let’s talk about the different symptoms in fibromyalgia and how we think about them in Chinese medicine. First of all, fibromyalgia is a Western diagnosis. If you come to see me in my clinic, I don’t use the term “fibromyalgia” as my diagnosis. We talk about organ systems, we talk about yin and yang, we talk about the Qi and the Blood, and how they flow throughout the various channels. That’s how we diagnose in Chinese medicine. So I want to walk through each one of these symptoms, talk about the common problems behind them, and then explain how they all work together as a unified diagnosis. The most prominent problem for patients with fibromyalgia is the pain. It’s widespread, migratory, and variable. In Chinese medicine, this type of pain usually comes from Qi or Blood not flowing smoothly. That can happen because of Liver problems—since the Liver is responsible for the smooth coursing of Qi throughout the body. It can also happen from Cold in the channels, Dampness obstructing the flow, or a deficiency of Qi or Blood. When you don’t have enough Qi or Blood, there isn’t enough “moving power” within the channels to circulate them properly. Sometimes it’s one of these issues, sometimes it’s several working together, but it almost always comes down to Qi or Blood that isn’t flowing smoothly. The hard part is to be able to find the underlying reason it’s not smoothing flowly. Another major symptom in fibromyalgia is insomnia and sleep disturbances. In my clinic, I ask several questions to clarify what’s causing the sleep problem: Are you having trouble falling asleep? Staying asleep? Do you wake too early and can’t fall back asleep? Do you have vivid dreams? Do you have no dreams at all? These details help us sort out the type of sleep disorder. Sleep disorders in Chinese medicine can come from Yin deficiency, where the Yin—the calming, anchoring energy—is too weak to hold down the Yang. At night, Yin is supposed to rise and calm the body. If it’s too weak, Yang stays active and keeps you awake. Insomnia can also come from Heat disorders, where excess Heat agitates the mind, disturbs the Heart, causes racing thoughts, and prevents restful sleep. These are very common patterns we treat to help patients sleep better. Another common symptom is brain fog. Many patients struggle to describe it—they just feel mentally tired, forgetful, less perceptive, or unable to concentrate. One of the most common reasons we see for brain fog, especially here in Houston, is Dampness and turbidity. Dampness accumulates when the body’s water metabolism breaks down. When Dampness accumulates, it can rise and “mist” the Heart and brain, blocking the smooth flow of Qi and creating that clouded sensation in the mind. Headaches are also common. In Chinese medicine, the location of the headache tells us which organ system is involved. The forehead is the Yang Ming region (Stomach and Large Intestine). The back of the head is Tai Yang. The sides of the head are Shao Yang. The vertex is Jue Yin. So depending on where your headache is and what it feels like, we can identify the underlying organ systems associated with that type of headache. Mood disturbances are common and often associated with poor Liver Qi flow, which can come from stress or even a stressful episode years ago that remains unresolved. Heart Blood deficiency can also cause mood issues. These are very common patterns in fibromyalgia. The last common symptom is paresthesias—tingling or numbness. This can come from Qi and Blood deficiency, where there isn’t enough nourishment reaching the ends of the body. It can also come from Dampness or Phlegm obstructing the channels, which creates more of an electric or buzzing sensation. Often, several of these patterns coexist. In our clinic, we take a thorough history, check your tongue and pulse, perform an exam, and then determine which organ systems and patterns are involved in your particular case. IV. Example treatment with acupuncture Let’s talk a little bit about acupuncture for fibromyalgia. I’m going to give a few examples of acupuncture points that I commonly use in the clinic, but keep in mind these are just examples. The actual points I use for each individual patient vary widely because it really depends on the underlying diagnosis. But I want to give you an example of a common set of points that I often use in fibromyalgia‑type cases. For this example, I’m going to use Large Intestine 4 and Liver 3. Together, these points are known in Chinese medicine as the Four Gates. The Four Gates are especially notable for regulating the flow of Qi and Blood throughout the entire body. It’s one of the most classical and widely used point pairings in Chinese medicine, especially for pain conditions, emotional disorders, and any type of stagnation. Let’s start with Large Intestine 4. This point is on the Large Intestine meridian, which begins at the index finger. Large Intestine 4 is located on the dorsum of the hand, between the first and second metacarpal bones, right around the midpoint of the second metacarpal. In Chinese medicine, this point helps regulate both the exterior and interior. It can release the exterior, stop pain, and strengthen Yang energy. We needle this point on both hands—the left and the right. The other point is Liver 3, which sits on the Liver channel and is essentially the parallel point on the foot. Liver 3 is located between the first and second metatarsal bones on the dorsum of the foot. This point helps to spread Liver Qi, subdue Liver Yang, stop pain, and calm the body. It’s a very important point for any condition involving stagnation, tension, irritability, or pain. Together, Large Intestine 4 and Liver 3 form the Four Gates—one point on each hand and one point on each foot. This pairing is commonly used to help move Qi and Blood, relieve pain, ease emotional tension, and open up areas of stagnation anywhere in the body. It’s a simple but powerful combination, and it’s one of the foundational tools we use in Chinese medicine for conditions like fibromyalgia. V. Example treatment with herbs The last thing I’m going to talk about today is an herbal treatment example we might use in fibromyalgia in our clinic. And just like with acupuncture, this is only an example. The actual herbs I prescribe depend entirely on the underlying diagnosis, which determines the final formula. Most of our prescriptions contain eight or more herbs blended together based on their individual properties to match a patient’s specific condition. And even for the same patient, we adjust the blend every few weeks depending on how their body is changing. The herbal pair I want to talk about today is Xiang Fu and Yi Mu Cao. This is a combination that helps regulate both Qi and Blood. Earlier, I talked about the pathology of fibromyalgia from a Chinese medicine perspective, and I mentioned that there is often an element of Qi and Blood stasis. Xiang Fu and Yi Mu Cao together are a classic pairing to help move both Qi and Blood simultaneously. Xiang Fu especially targets the Liver, Gallbladder, and San Jiao meridians. It helps spread Liver Qi, relieve constraint, and regulate Qi at a deeper level—almost reaching the Blood aspect. This makes Xiang Fu particularly useful in conditions where the Liver is involved, especially when emotional tension, stress, or stagnation are contributing to pain. When you pair Xiang Fu with Yi Mu Cao, you get a coordinated movement of both Qi and Blood. Yi Mu Cao is a herb that regulates and moves Blood. It’s commonly used for menstrual irregularities, gynecological issues, and menstrual pain, but its Bloodmoving properties make it useful in any condition involving Blood stasis. When combined with Xiang Fu, the two herbs harmonize the movement of Qi and Blood so that both flow smoothly together. In cases where pain is caused by Qi and Blood stasis—especially when the Liver system is involved—this is an excellent herbal pair to use. It helps open the channels, relieve stagnation, and restore proper movement throughout the body. This is just one example of how we might approach fibromyalgia herbally. In practice, we build a full formula around pairs like this, adding herbs to address Dampness, deficiency, Heat, Cold, or whatever else is present in the patient’s pattern. But Xiang Fu and Yi Mu Cao are a great illustration of how Chinese medicine treats the underlying mechanisms of fibromyalgia by restoring the smooth flow of Qi and Blood. VI. Outro That’s all for today. I hope this gives you an idea of how we look at Fibromyalgia in our clinic. I think one of the most unique aspects of our clinic is how we have a background in both Eastern and Western medicine, so you can get the best medical advice and treatment from someone who understands both sides of the framework. When it comes to Fibromyalgia we have a unique approach compared to what you’re going to see in most traditional medical clinics, and even many alternative medicine clinics. I hope this video helps you think about Fibromyalgia in a new way — maybe in a way you haven’t considered before. If you’re interested in learning more about what we do, you can visit us at HoustonAcupuncture.com. You can email us directly at office@houstonacupuncture.com. If you’re dealing with fibromyalgia or chronic pain in general and want real, practical steps you can start today, click the link below to grab my free downloadable guide. We’ll see you next time.”