Traditional & Alternative Medicine

Background: “Dysautonomia” or “autonomic dysfunction” occurs when there is abnormal functioning in nerves controlling many everyday body activities. Some of the functions regulated by the autonomic nervous system are control of heart rate, blood pressure, digestion, and bladder function, bowel function, sweating, and even breathing. Th ese are unconscious vital functions important to the body. Th e autonomic nervous system modulates numerous body functions, and therefore, dysfunction of this system can manifest with numerous abnormalities. Sometimes it aff ects only one part, or many areas of autonomic function. Worthy of note, there is still no cure for this illness condition. Th e present study shows that acupuncture might be a potentially viable choice for treating dysautonomia. Methods: A prospective, nonrandomized study was conducted in women with dysautonomia. All patients received acupuncture based on Bian Zheng Lun Zhi theory. Results: Of the initial 30 intent-to-treat participants, the women with dysautonomia reported signifi cant alleviation of palpitation, abdominal discomfort, and insomnia aft er acupuncture treatment. Conclusion: Acupuncture based on syndrome diff erentiation theory might be a potentially viable choice for treating dysautonomia.