Acupuncture Treatment For Liver Dysfunction

Hepatic insufficiency, also known as hepatic failure, refers to a significant abnormality in liver function caused by severe and widespread damage to the liver resulting in metabolic disorders, impaired detoxification function, obstruction of bile formation and excretion, and decreased blood coagulation function. Laboratory tests show elevated transaminase levels.

There are many causes of hepatic insufficiency in clinical practice, including infections such as viruses, bacteria, and parasites, chemical toxins such as drug poisoning, immune dysfunction such as liver cell damage caused by both humoral and cellular immunity in hepatitis B virus, malnutrition, liver duct obstruction such as gallstones and roundworms, circulatory disorders, tumours, and genetic factors. However, the main causes are often hepatitis B virus, alcoholic liver disease, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, and cirrhosis. Patients with hepatic insufficiency often experience systemic fatigue, pain in the liver area and both sides, loss of appetite, bloating, nausea, aversion to oily food, diarrhea, and in severe cases, jaundice and ascites.

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) attributes hepatic insufficiency to "deficiency and depletion," "flank pain," "accumulation," and "jaundice," and believes that external damp-heat, internal injury from emotions, and liver qi imbalance are the main causes. Acupuncture treatment is based on the principle of unifying the earth and suppressing the wood, regulating the liver and draining fire. Commonly used acupoints include Zhangmen, Zhongwan, Qimen, Riyue, Ganyu, Dan'yu, Piyu, Yanglingquan, Zusanli, Taichong, Sanyinjiao, Jima, and Qichong. Treatment is usually given 2-3 times a week, and one month constitutes one course of treatment. Most patients can recover normal liver function after two to three courses of treatment, as determined by clinical laboratory tests.

Case studies:

1. Miss Wang, 22 years old, suffered from chronic hepatitis B and hepatic insufficiency, with transaminase levels of 1000 units detected by laboratory tests. She came to my clinic for treatment, and after two weeks of acupuncture treatment, her transaminase levels dropped to 700. Two months later, she recovered normal liver function.

2. Mr. Yan, 40 years old, had hepatitis B with major HBV DNA load and hepatic insufficiency two years ago, which was cured by acupuncture treatment. On July 6, 2010, he relapsed with AST 1027 and ALT 1398, with normal values of 37 and 49. At the same time, red blood cells, white blood cells, lymphocytes, and platelets were all low, and the patient was weak, had a poor appetite, aversion to oily food, pain in both sides, and yellowing of the whole body. The condition was critical, and doctors believed that liver transplantation may be necessary. He came to my clinic on July 10, 2010, and after a month of treatment, his transaminase levels dropped to AST 49 and ALT 74, slightly higher than normal, and red blood cells, white blood cells, lymphocytes, and platelets were all normal. After two months of treatment, he had a re-examination on September 20, 2010, and his transaminase levels were AST 28 and ALT 26, with all white blood cells being normal. Over ten students learning acupuncture with me witnessed the miracle of acupuncture.

3. Hao, male, 50 years old, was introduced to me. His clinical laboratory test showed that his transaminase level was over 1000. After one week of acupuncture treatment, the level dropped to 500. After two months of treatment, his transaminase level returned to normal.