“My Acupuncturist Says I Have Yin Deficiency! What’s That?”
Acupuncture is a highly effective treatment for yin deficiency; get your complete Chinese Medicine assessment + diagnosis and discover the power of acupuncture in Prescott Arizona at Sanos Wellness
Ask any acupuncturist about their preferred treatments for yin deficiency, and you’ll likely get an animated list of favorite Chinese herbal formulas and acupuncture point combinations.
Yin deficiency is a common diagnosis in Chinese medicine, but we don’t have anything similar to it in Western medicine. Instead, the way it can be thought of is in the many ways that yin deficiency shows up. Some examples of yin deficiency include
Menopausal symptoms: hot flashes, night sweats
Tinnitus or ringing in your ears
Early or rapid aging
Interstitial cystitis
Insomnia
Skin rashes
Dry, cracked heels
Tight muscles, musculoskeletal pain and stiffness
Constant thirst
Yin deficiency can be thought of as a buildup of inflammation and a loss of fluids that keep our tissues moistened (think of the heat that comes with menopausal symptoms, the stiffness and pain of chronic muscle issues, dry and cracked heels, and the loss of skin elasticity and tone that occurs with aging). We see heat and loss of substance build up and agitate a person, causing sleep issues, skin rashes, irritation in the bladder or ears, for example.
So a person with yin deficiency can start to feel really uncomfortable in their skin, literally speaking. It’s my job as an acupuncturist to treat the cause (nourish yin and reduce inflammation) and help relieve her symptoms so she can sleep better, feel better, and look better.
As an acupuncturist I always keep yin deficiency in mind as a potential diagnosis. Once we correctly identify yin deficiency then we can initiate a treatment. While every acupuncture treatment will be different because each person is different and every patient will need a treatment that’s individually tailored to her, a combination of acupuncture treatments and Chinese herbs are always appropriate. We can also initiate diet and lifestyle therapies to further treat the cause and move treatment forward fast.
Another therapy I use often in treating yin deficiency is a series of acupuncture facelifts. The early skin aging caused by yin deficiency can be treated with acupuncture facelifts, which treat the whole person at their deepest level while also stimulating collagen production, lymph flow, and oxygenation of the skin of your face. Women and men alike report increased youthfulness and a glow to their skin along with a decrease in fine lines and wrinkles.
Acupuncture facelifts should always be done in a series of 10-12 sessions 2-3 times weekly for best results. Once the initial results have been achieved, it’s appropriate to determine a maintenance schedule of acupuncture sessions.