Can acupuncture help me with my thyroid eye disease?
If you’re looking for an alternative to medication and surgery for Grave’s disease and thyroid eye disease, this may be an option you want to keep in mind. Research shows that acupuncture helps with inflammation in the eye and effectively reliefs some symptoms of thyroid eye disease such as swelling and edema. However, it is always good to check for your doctor’s opinion, and acupuncture may not be the best substitute in certain urgent cases! Nonetheless, you can consider eye acupuncture as a complementary method to your regular treatment.
Is acupuncture near the eyes safe?
The needles are as fine as 0.20mm in diameter, and the doctor will be adjusting their piercing depth and strength accordingly. The acupoints are located on your extraocular muscles (muscles surrounding the eye) and not directly on the eye itself. When executed correctly, eye acupuncture should be a largely safe adjunctive treatment option.
Is there a less invasive option rather than acupuncture?
If the thought of needles going anywhere near your eyes still feels uncomfortable, you can consider using acupressure instead.
These are some commonly used acupoints that you can massage with your fingers in your own time. It’s a relatively easy and time-saving exercise – usually half a minute per acupoint will do.
- Around the eyes: Jingming (BL1), Cuanzhu (BL2), Yuyao (MHN6), Qiuhou (MHN8), Sizhukong (SJ23), Tongziliao (GB1).
- Head and neck: Yangbai (GB14), Toulinqi (GB15), Baihui (DU20), Fengchi (GB20), Tianzhu (BL10).
- Hands: Hegu (LI4), Waiguan (SJ5), Houxi (SI3), Yanhuang, Dajian and Xiaojian.
- Legs: Sanyinjiao (SP6), Yichong, Erchong and Sanchong.
In tandem with acupuncture, Chinese herbs are useful in the treatment of Graves hyperthyroidism, Graves Ophthalmopathy and Thyroid Eye Disease. Click here to find out more.