I just wanted to comment about this particular subset of patients. I see quite a few HIV positive patients for general “wellness,” and I have to say that this is a most gratifying group to treat. The treatment plan usually consists of twice weekly visits initially to deal with specific problems and to get their immune systems optimized. I typically treat for stress and immune function in these patients, and then whatever other problems that they’re faced with, eg sinusitis, tendonitis, lung problems and the like. If tolerated, an overall herbal formula with Astragalus is great for prevention of illness. Prevention is more than half the battle, especially when the patients have to travel a lot in planes (wow, do people get sick from planes…) After the initial series of about 4-6 visits, they usually come in once a month for treatment and to pick up herbs. What I’ve seen is that the acupuncture can help quite a bit with stress in these patients (of course that helps the immune system) and it keeps the number of ancillary infections, upper respiratory infections, diarrheal episodes etc… to a minimum. These are people who know their bodies and know their symptoms and can really attest to the benefits of the treatments, which is why it’s so gratifying.
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