How to Treat Cardiovascular Disorders With Acupuncture

Acupuncture is the practice of inserting needles into the skin at specific points to treat various illnesses. It can reduce sympathetic nerve activity that controls involuntary muscles such as the heart. This motor activity can force the heart to work harder and cause harmful heart rhythms. Acupuncture can further reduce stress by relieving pain, allowing patients to relax. The following steps will show how to treat cardiovascular disorders with acupuncture.

Instructions

Difficulty: Challenging

1. Know the results of a study conducted by the American Heart Association in 2001 that demonstrated the short-term success of acupuncture in reducing the sympathetic nerve activity of patients with chronic heart failure.
2. Use the primary cardiac acupoints to treat cardiovascular disorders with acupuncture. These include Bladder 14 and 15 between the shoulder blades, Heart 7 on the wrist crease and the Pericardium point on the lower forearm.
3. Include additional acupoints for the patient's specific heartbeat. Pericardium 4, which is on the lower forearm, should be used to treat a rapid heartbeat. A slow heartbeat should be treated with Heart 5.
4. Treat a possible blood clot in the lungs with Lung 6 on the wrist. This may be indicated by blood in the patient's sputum.
5. Address other symptoms of cardiovascular disorders. Abdominal distention and lower back pain may be treated by points on the lower back. Spleen 6 on the inside of the leg may be used as well. This point is also known as "Sanyinjiao."