Acupuncture Treatment for Viral Hepatitis

Viral hepatitis is an infectious disease caused by hepatitis viruses, which are generally classified into three types: type A, type B, and type C. Type A and type B hepatitis are the most common, while type C hepatitis typically occurs after blood transmission. The disease can be classified into acute hepatitis (including jaundice and non-jaundice types), chronic hepatitis (including persistent and active types), and severe hepatitis. In clinical practice, type B hepatitis has a high incidence rate, strong infectivity, and a tendency to become chronic, posing the greatest threat to human health and thus receiving the most attention.

In traditional Chinese medicine, jaundice-type hepatitis is classified under "jaundice" diseases, while non-jaundice-type hepatitis is classified under "pain in the side", "liver", and "accumulation". The causes are believed to be external factors such as viral and damp heat infections, as well as internal factors such as emotional imbalance, alcohol consumption, and overwork. Modern medicine has identified three pairs of antigen-antibody systems related to viral hepatitis, namely surface antigen and surface antibody, core antigen and core antibody, and e antigen and e antibody. The detection of these systems plays a crucial role in diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment assessment. It is worth noting that the tissue damage caused by viral hepatitis is not a direct result of viral replication in liver cells, but rather a series of immune reactions produced by the human immune system in response to the virus, which damage liver cells. Therefore, adjusting the excessive immune response is key to the treatment of this disease. Due to the impaired liver function after illness, caution must be exercised when using drugs and chemicals due to the compromised detoxification function of the liver.

Acupuncture, as a natural non-pharmacological therapy, has a good effect on adjusting immune response and is therefore an ideal method for treating viral hepatitis. Domestic and foreign research has shown that acupuncture treatment of viral hepatitis has irreplaceable advantages in eliminating clinical symptoms and restoring liver function.

The most common clinical symptoms of hepatitis are systemic fatigue, weakness, dizziness, headache, aversion to oily food, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, side pain, and yellowing of the face. Acupuncture treatment focuses on regulating the liver, relieving depression, clearing heat, and eliminating dampness. Common acupoints include Liver Shu, Gallbladder Shu, Jue Ming Shu, San Jiao Shu, Qi Men, Ri Yue, Zhang Men, Tai Chong, Nei Guan, Yang Ling Quan, Qiu Xu, and so on. Treatment is usually given 2-3 times per week, with one month as one course. Both clinical symptoms and blood tests will show significant changes after treatment.

Typical case: Mr. Yang, a 40-year-old male, has been suffering from hepatitis B for nearly twenty years. The laboratory test shows that he is positive for the "big three" antigens of hepatitis B virus and his liver enzymes are elevated. Clinically, he experiences fatigue, weakness, poor appetite, aversion to oily food, nausea, and jaundice. He came to our clinic for treatment in September 2010. Two months later, the laboratory test showed normal liver enzymes and his hepatitis B antigen status changed from "big three" to "small three," and his clinical symptoms disappeared.