Acupuncture Buzz
Subscribe
  • The Basics
  • Digestive Health
  • Mental-Emotional
  • Sports Medicine
  • Research
  • All Topics
  • Find an Acupuncturist
Professionals
No Result
View All Result
  • The Basics
  • Digestive Health
  • Mental-Emotional
  • Sports Medicine
  • Research
  • All Topics
  • Find an Acupuncturist
No Result
View All Result
Acupuncture Buzz
No Result
View All Result
Home Mental-Emotional

Acupuncture for Anxiety

Kim Neumann LAc by Kim Neumann LAc
January 2, 2020
in Mental-Emotional
Acupuncture for Anxiety

Anxiety

31
SHARES
175
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Studies routinely show that patients who engage in regular acupuncture treatments report feelings of calmness, relaxation, and peace of mind—both in the short term and in the long term.1Hollifield, Michael, et al. “Acupuncture for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Randomized Controlled Pilot Trial.” The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, vol. 195, no. 6, 2007, pp. 504-513. A study conducted at the University of Louisville School of Medicine shows that acupuncture calms anxiety-related symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder in the long term. Another study by the Beijing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine shows that regular acupuncture treatments, in addition to other forms of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), accelerates recovery from clinical depression.2He, Qingyong, et al. “A Controlled Study on Treatment of Mental Depression by Acupuncture Plus TCM Medication.” Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine, vol. 27, no. 3, 2007, pp. 166-169.

Forty million Americans suffer from anxiety and anxiety-related ailments, including social anxiety and panic attacks.3“Facts and Statistics.” Anxiety and Depression Association of America. You or someone you know may be seeking a natural anxiety cure, looking to reduce medication or to boost your wellness program with a natural and non-invasive therapy. It should come as good news that mental health management is one of the primary concerns for which patients seek acupuncture.4Wang, Haiyi, et al. “The Most Commonly Treated Acupuncture Indications in the United States: A Cross-Sectional Study.” The American Journal of Chinese Medicine, vol. 46, no. 7, 2018, pp. 1387-1419.

Getting to the Roots of Anxiety

The roots of anxiety may reach far and wide, including family history, trauma, or physical illness. The interconnectedness of mind and body–as seen in studies showing that patients with chronic physical conditions have a higher risk of depression, and those with depression have a higher risk of developing physical illnesses, including cardiovascular disease and diabetes5“Chronic Illness & Mental Health.” National Institute of Mental Health.—illustrates the key difference in how Chinese medicine gets to the roots of anxiety; therefore, anxiety symptoms can develop after a long-term illness, just as chronic anxiety sufferers develop physical manifestations of this imbalance, such as gastrointestinal problems, pain, or migraines.

Imbalance is the key word here, and getting to the root of the imbalance is at the heart of TCM.

How Anxiety is Treated in Chinese Medicine

With different viewpoints of health come different treatment options.

Western medicine traditionally sees the body as various parts, with the treatment goal of eradicating disease; therefore, anti-anxiety medications and psychotherapy are common treatment choices from the Western medicine perspective.

Conversely, traditional Chinese medicine values the interconnectedness of the mind and body, with the treatment goal of balancing the body to achieve both short-term and lasting health; therefore, acupuncture, lifestyle counseling, and herbal medicines are commonly prescribed.

Getting acupuncture isn’t just about getting poked with needles, though. Point selection is based on an in-depth diagnosis obtained by the patient’s health history, using tongue and pulse diagnosis to see what’s going on internally. While Chinese medical practitioners are not required to be psychologists (though some are), a discussion of the patient’s emotional concerns is a valuable part of the intake process and is often revisited throughout the treatment plan.

“Excess heat in the heart system” or “stagnant liver qi” are two examples of Chinese medicine diagnoses for anxiety symptoms. By addressing each patient’s unique presentation, acupuncture helps bring the body into balance in the long term while relieving symptoms of anxiety. This multi-pronged approach is part of the reason why Chinese medicine is also called root-branch medicine: it’s not just concerned with the symptoms (anxiety) but is also concerned with the root cause (a long-term pattern of internal disharmony).

Short-term relief and long-term health and well-being describe the universal treatment protocol for each and every patient of acupuncture and TCM.

What to Expect

Most patients report an improvement in their anxiety symptoms after just a few treatments, but ongoing care is recommended for maintenance, and many patients find substantial relief in regular monthly visits. Acupuncture can be used alone or as a natural complement to other therapies or medications in the management of anxiety.

While there is no specific template for anxiety treatment, short-term relief and long-term health and well-being describe the universal treatment protocol for each and every patient of acupuncture and TCM.

Tags: Anxiety
Kim Neumann LAc

Kim Neumann LAc

Kim Neumann holds a master of science in Traditional Chinese Medicine and is the publisher and editor of Acupuncture Buzz.

Related Posts

Who are YOU?
Mental-Emotional

Who are YOU?

May 1, 2019
Mental Illness Through the Lens of Chinese Medicine
Mental-Emotional

Mental Illness Through the Lens of Chinese Medicine

May 5, 2019
Acupuncture Gives Hope to Patients with PTSD
Mental-Emotional

Acupuncture Gives Hope to Patients with PTSD

April 23, 2019
Next Post
Meditate Your Way to Better Health

Meditate Your Way to Better Health

Animals Don’t Believe in Acupuncture

Animals Don’t Believe in Acupuncture

Natural Anxiety Cures: 7 Practices To Restore Your Calm

Natural Anxiety Cures: 7 Practices To Restore Your Calm

Facebook

Recommended

Chinese Medicine: A Deeper Understanding

Chinese Medicine: A Deeper Understanding

2 years ago
Traditional Chinese Medicine Tips for Healthy Skin (& Recipes!)

Traditional Chinese Medicine Tips for Healthy Skin (& Recipes!)

1 year ago
Ge Gen

Kudzu Found Effective for Relief of Cluster Headaches

2 years ago
Facial Rejuvenation with Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine

Facial Rejuvenation with Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine

1 year ago

Categories

  • Community & Giving
  • Digestive Health
  • General
  • Mental-Emotional
  • Neurological
  • Pediatrics
  • Research
  • Skin
  • Sports Medicine
  • The Basics

Topics

Acupuncture Relief Project allergy anti-inflammatory Anxiety back pain bone broth Cancer CBD Community Acupuncture Digestion Disaster Response ear infections earth-centered eating Events fevers Headache healthy gut heart Hollywood Human Trafficking IBD IBS Immigration Health Immunity Insomnia Microbiome Migraine NSAIDs Pregnancy PTSD Published Studies recipe recipes Sex Trafficking shin splints Sleep small bowel obstruction small intestine specific carbohydrate diet spleen stress stress eating VA Veterans Health Vulnerable Populations
No Result
View All Result

Highlights

Acupuncture Research: Digestion

Acupuncture Research: Human Trafficking

Acupuncture Research: Veterans’ Health

Acupuncture Research: Sleep

Acupuncture Research: PTSD

Acupuncture Gaining New Ground in Disaster Response

Trending

Hollywood Loves Acupuncture
General

Hollywood Loves Acupuncture

by Staff Writers
January 6, 2020

From Hollywood with love...   View this post on Instagram   I’m very grateful to all of...

Asana

Health & Wellness Events

January 6, 2020

Published Studies

January 6, 2020
Living with a Small Bowel Obstruction

Acupuncture Research: Digestion

January 6, 2020
Brian Glashow

Acupuncture Research: Human Trafficking

January 6, 2020
Acupuncture Buzz

Digital magazine featuring health research, news and information through the unique perspective of Eastern medicine.

  • Privacy Policy
  • Do Not Sell My Personal Information
  • Affiliate Disclosure
  • Terms of Service
  • Submit an Article
  • Submit My Listing
  • Contact

© 2020 Acupuncture Buzz. All rights reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • The Basics
  • Digestive Health
  • Mental-Emotional
  • Sports Medicine
  • Research
  • All Topics
  • Find An Acupuncturist
  • PROFESSIONALS

© 2020 Acupuncture Buzz. All rights reserved.