Acupuncture and kidney disorder

[Bobby Digital]

Hello all.

I've recently started a course of acupuncture following recommendation from friends. This was for stress.

I also have a kidney disorder for which I am taking ACE inhibitors and this condition now is in regression.

Along with the acupuncture I have been given jiawei xiaoyao and Gui pi Wan tablets along with some fresh herbs to boil and drink.

I'm about two weeks in and finding it quite calming until that was someone told me that it could be quite dangerous if you have a kidney condtion. I did declare all this to the TCM doctor and she seemed to think it was okay. I'm a bit worried now, should I have run int past my GP first?

 

[SlsB]

Hi Redray

Some practitioners combine chinese herbal medicine with acupuncture in the way you described. If your practitioner is a member of the BAcC and/or RCHM, then they are adequately qualified to know whether your kidney disorder is a contraindication to the treatment they have chosen.

There's never any harm running alternative treatments past your GP, but in this case it might be prudent to bear in mind that your GP is likely to have no training whatsoever in acupuncture or chinese herbs, (in contrast to your acupuncturist).

Just check the registers to find out, or ask them for their credentials. Both the governing bodies linked to above can help you if you give them a call.

If you are in any doubt about the safety of the herbs, you are totally entitled to ask to be treated by just acupuncture alone (afterall, that's why you went there?). If this seems to be a problem, I'd recommend seeking a specialist acupuncture practitioner (one that only practices acupuncture).

HTH
Aragorn