Acupuncture Benefits Sufferers Of Exophthalmos

Infiltrative exophthalmos is a medical condition which causes the eyeballs to bulge out of the sockets, giving the appearance of a 'bug-eyed' look. The cause is often, but not limited to, a form of hyperthyroidism, a state of inflammation and overproduction in the thyroid gland.

A 2011 PubMed study reviewing the effects of acupuncture and acupoint massage to treat infiltrative exophthalmos yielded positive results. The trial, entitled "Efficacy observation on infiltrative exophthalmos treated with acupuncture and acupoint massage," demonstrated the difference between using Oriental medicine versus western drug therapy.

Researchers divided patients into two groups, a treatment one that received acupuncture at points near the eyes and massage therapy on the face and back of the neck. The control group patients received a strictly western drug treatment consisting of various pharmacological drugs.

To measure the effectiveness of treatment in both groups, researchers measured the extent of the exophthalmos in each patient at the beginning and conclusion of their respective treatments. At the conclusion of the trial, researchers noted a statistically significant improvement in the condition of the treatment group. The combined use of acupuncture and massage to address infiltrative exophthalmos proved superior to the use of pharmaceutical drug therapy alone.

The ocular examinations showed the treatment group benefited from their therapy by showing an outstanding 83.3 percent improvement, compared to the control group who exhibited a 58.8 percent improvement in their condition. In addition, researchers also noted that the use of acupuncture and massage was safe and free of harmful side effects.

If you suffer from infiltrative exophthalmos or hyperthyroid, call for an appointment to see how acupuncture can help.