Xie, Shuolin, Deng, Fei, Fang, Fang et al. · Zhongguo zhen jiu = Chinese acupuncture & moxibustion · 2025 · DOI
This paper presents a traditional Chinese medicine approach to treating ME/CFS that combines acupuncture and moxibustion (heat therapy). The authors propose that ME/CFS involves imbalances in the body's physical health, energy circulation, and mental state, and suggest specific acupuncture points and techniques designed to address each of these areas. The recommended treatment focuses on relieving muscle pain, improving energy flow, and calming the mind.
This work contributes to the growing body of non-pharmacological approaches being explored for ME/CFS management and may inform integrated medicine practitioners. For patients interested in acupuncture as a complementary therapy, this paper articulates a coherent clinical rationale that aligns with traditional Chinese medicine principles, potentially helping guide treatment discussions with practitioners.
This paper does not provide clinical evidence that the proposed acupuncture protocol is effective for ME/CFS. It is a conceptual framework paper without controlled trials, outcome measurements, or comparative data. The proposed mechanisms are based on traditional Chinese medicine theory rather than biomedical mechanisms validated in ME/CFS research. No causal relationships between the proposed interventions and symptom improvement are established.
About the PEM badge: “PEM required” means post-exertional malaise was an explicit required diagnostic criterion for participant inclusion in this study — not that PEM was studied, observed, or discussed. Studies using criteria that do not require PEM (e.g. Fukuda, Oxford) are tagged “PEM not required”. How the atlas works →
Spotted an error in this entry? Report it →