Acupuncture for Stress
Stress and anxiety are common reasons people seek acupuncture and Chinese medicine. Stress and anxiety are very broad terms that are often accompanied by numerous physical symptoms that may be seemingly unrelated, but are due to the body’s response to external events.
Physical Manifestations of Stress
Some common physical symptoms related to stress and anxiety include:
Muscle tension (back and neck pain especially)
Headaches
Fatigue
Shortness of breath or shallow breathing
Heart palpitations and increased heart rate
Racing thoughts
Difficulty falling or staying asleep
Digestive issues like bloating, diarrhea, or constipation
Increased irritability, anger, worry, or fear
These symptoms can be explained by the body’s nervous system response to acute or chronic stressors. When placed in a stressful situation, our nervous system responds via the fight or flight, or freeze responses. The brain responds by putting us in a heightened state of vigilance, and by shutting down secondary processes that are not critical to survival. These changes correspond with many of the symptoms above, either while we are in the heightened survival state, or afterwards when our resources have been depleted and we are having trouble returning to a state of balance and calm.
For a more detailed explanation of the nervous system and stress response, see my blog post Acupuncture and Nervous System.
How Acupuncture Can Help Stress & Anxiety
Acupuncture has been shown to:
Release neurotransmitters and endorphins to relieve pain
Regulate the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system
Relieve anxiety
Promote more restful sleep
Relieve muscle tension
Improve digestion and circulation
Understanding to root cause of stress and anxiety is an important part of any successful treatment. Lifestyle adjustments are an important component to any stress management plan. In addition to acupuncture, things like meditation, Qi Gong, Tai Chi, nutritional counseling, exercise, and improved sleep hygiene are often part of a comprehensive treatment strategy.
Herbal Remedies for Stress and Anxiety
Chinese and Western herbs have also been shown to help reduce stress and anxiety. For example, turmeric has been linked to helping reduce inflammation and improving mental health. Turmeric (jiang huang) is used to help promote blood circulation, unblock menstruation, and reduce pain in inflammation in Chinese medicine.
Other Chinese herbs like ziziphus seeds (suan zao ren), arbovitae seeds (bai zi ren), albizia bark (he huan pi), amber (hu po), oyster shell (mu li) are used to reduce stress and improve sleep. These are often included in Chinese herbal formulas like Suan Zao Ren Tang, Gui Pi Tang, and Tian Wang Bu Xin Dan for example.
More Information
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