A case series: How do patients with an eating disorder, seeking acupuncture treatment present (patterns of disharmony), and how are they treated?

Practice guidelines for acupuncturists using acupuncture as an adjunctive treatment for anorexia nervosa

“…Research has shown that people with AN who seek treatment from an Acupuncturist, primarily seek treatment for alleviation of side effects or co-morbid conditions associated with their AN, rather than the AN itself. 6,7 Evidence base literature supports the use of acupuncture as an adjunct rather than a treatment for AN. 8,9 It would be misleading to focus on outcome measures such as survival rates, quality of life attributes and so forth in this guideline.…”

“…6,24 (d) Being aware that AN patients may struggle to lie down for long periods. 6 This can be due to a number of factors such as underlying blood and/or yin deficiencies which can cause them to be restless and/or the lack of movement may be perceived by patients as increasing weight gain. 6 (e) Avoiding long needle retention times as this may deplete the AN patient and lead to poorer outcomes.…”

“…Pilot studies that have been conducted provide limited evidence for the benefits of acupuncture in improving anxiety, quality of life, sleep, digestive issues, bulimia and perfectionism. 6,8,9 Summary of recommendations with level of evidence base (EBR) or consensus (CBR).…”