Question & Answers
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Q: What is acupuncture? A: Acupuncture is a method of treatment in Chinese Medicine. It has been used frequently in the Far East and Southeast Asia for over 3000 years. The procedure involves the insertion of needles into various points of the body. Treatment to acupuncture points has proven effective in stimulating tissue regeneration and functional healing. It is commonly used to relieve pain and cure diseases such as asthma, deafness, migraines, ulcers, eye diseases, and some types of mental illness including addictions. |
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Q: How does acupuncture work?
A: This highly effective system of medical care is based on natural laws, which govern the movement of vital life-giving energy, both in nature and in the body. This energy, called "Qi", moves through the body in precise channels, supporting functions of the body, the mind, and the spirit. When the Qi is moving disharmoniously, imbalance begins to surface in the form of specific symptoms. According to Chinese philosophy, disease and pain occur because of an imbalance between two principal forces of nature: Yin and Yang. Acupuncture is thought to restore this balance. The gentle insertion of hair-thin needles at specific points helps to channel Qi energy and restore harmony. In the presence of this subtle yet profound intervention, symptoms often resolve and patients frequently experience renewed vitality.
Conventional Western medical sciences still cannot full explain how acupuncture works. Several research studies from China, Japan, Europe, and the USA support three concepts on the underlying mechanism of acupuncture. One theory suggests that the meridians actually exist and connect the body's organs in a special manner. According to this theory, acupuncture increases activity along the meridians and thus influences organ function. Another theory postulates that acupuncture, at least in part, increases the brain's production of natural painkillers called endorphins. These substances are morphine-like chemicals that influence the body's awareness of pain. A final theory suggests that acupuncture may work through the nervous system by triggering signals that interrupt pain messages sent to the brain. This hypothesis is known as the "gate theory" of pain.
A: This highly effective system of medical care is based on natural laws, which govern the movement of vital life-giving energy, both in nature and in the body. This energy, called "Qi", moves through the body in precise channels, supporting functions of the body, the mind, and the spirit. When the Qi is moving disharmoniously, imbalance begins to surface in the form of specific symptoms. According to Chinese philosophy, disease and pain occur because of an imbalance between two principal forces of nature: Yin and Yang. Acupuncture is thought to restore this balance. The gentle insertion of hair-thin needles at specific points helps to channel Qi energy and restore harmony. In the presence of this subtle yet profound intervention, symptoms often resolve and patients frequently experience renewed vitality.
Conventional Western medical sciences still cannot full explain how acupuncture works. Several research studies from China, Japan, Europe, and the USA support three concepts on the underlying mechanism of acupuncture. One theory suggests that the meridians actually exist and connect the body's organs in a special manner. According to this theory, acupuncture increases activity along the meridians and thus influences organ function. Another theory postulates that acupuncture, at least in part, increases the brain's production of natural painkillers called endorphins. These substances are morphine-like chemicals that influence the body's awareness of pain. A final theory suggests that acupuncture may work through the nervous system by triggering signals that interrupt pain messages sent to the brain. This hypothesis is known as the "gate theory" of pain.
Q: What problems can be treated by acupuncture?
A: Acupuncture has been used for centuries in China, Japan, and other Asian countries to treat many other problems, such as knee
pain, sprains, and strains. It is also used to treat many kinds of internal diseases, such as cancer, infections, and gynecological complaints. The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a report listing more than 50 kinds of problems that can be treated by acupuncture:
A: Acupuncture has been used for centuries in China, Japan, and other Asian countries to treat many other problems, such as knee
pain, sprains, and strains. It is also used to treat many kinds of internal diseases, such as cancer, infections, and gynecological complaints. The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a report listing more than 50 kinds of problems that can be treated by acupuncture:
- Ear, Nose, & Throat Disorders: Toothaches, pain after tooth extraction, earaches, sinus inflammation, nasal inflammation or dryness.
- Respiratory Disorders: Uncomplicated bronchial asthma in children or adults.
- Gastrointestinal Disorders: Digestive tract problems, hiccups, inflammation of the stomach, chronic duodenal ulcers, inflammation of the colon, constipation, diarrhea, dysentery caused by certain bacteria.
- Eye Disorders: Inflammation of the conjunctiva, inflammation of the central retina, nearsightedness, and uncomplicated cataracts.
- Nervous System & Muscular Disorders: Headaches, migraines, certain facial paralysis or nerve pain, partial weakness after a stroke, inflammation of nerve endings, bed wetting, frozen shoulder, tennis elbow, sciatica, low back pain, upper back pain, and osteoarthritis.
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Q: Why acupuncture?
A: The greatest advantage of acupuncture and acupressure is that it is painless and free of side effects. You can expect a whole new experience that unlocks your body's natural healing power. By inserting sterile, disposable needles in designated points in the body, acupuncture practitioners stimulate and balance the flow of Qi, which is the body's natural energy and life force. This unique treatment promotes physical and emotional well-being, thereby helping to cure various diseases. |
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Q: Does acupuncture hurt?
A: The sensations that patients experience during acupuncture range from nothing at all to a brief ache or heaviness in the area being needled. Some points are more sensitive than others. Patients will get the feeling possibly as tingling, distension, heaviness, contraction, or an electric sensation that can travel through the meridian. These responses only last a few seconds.
A: The sensations that patients experience during acupuncture range from nothing at all to a brief ache or heaviness in the area being needled. Some points are more sensitive than others. Patients will get the feeling possibly as tingling, distension, heaviness, contraction, or an electric sensation that can travel through the meridian. These responses only last a few seconds.
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Q: Are the needles clean?
A: Of course. The best practice among acupuncturists in the United States today is to use sterilized, individually-packaged, disposable needles. Needles should not be saved and reused for later treatments. This eliminates the possibility of transmitting communicable diseases by contaminated needles. |
Q: I want to come for treatment. What do I do next?
A: Contact me at the telephone number displayed on the top of my website. \ We will discuss your concerns and schedule an initial visit. During your first visit we will explore a treatment schedule that will best meet your needs.
A: Contact me at the telephone number displayed on the top of my website. \ We will discuss your concerns and schedule an initial visit. During your first visit we will explore a treatment schedule that will best meet your needs.
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Q: What criteria should I use to choose an acupuncturist?
A: Patients should inquire upon where the practitioner trained, how long their training was, how long the doctor has been in practice, the doctor's academic degree, and what experience the doctor has had in treating the patient's specific disease. In addition, the patient should also ask the doctor whether he/she has a Florida acupuncture license. |
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Q: What can I expect after treatment?
A: Most patients often experience dramatic results in the first treatment. Some patients experience an immediate total or partial relief of their pain or other symptoms. This relief may last or some pain may return. In a few cases, there may be no immediate relief, but patients often notice the pain diminish over the next few days. Generally, you should expect to feel better.
Sometimes, you may note a spot of blood at one or more of the needle sites and/or a small bruise could develop. These should not be harmful, but please talk to your doctor if you are concerned.
A: Most patients often experience dramatic results in the first treatment. Some patients experience an immediate total or partial relief of their pain or other symptoms. This relief may last or some pain may return. In a few cases, there may be no immediate relief, but patients often notice the pain diminish over the next few days. Generally, you should expect to feel better.
Sometimes, you may note a spot of blood at one or more of the needle sites and/or a small bruise could develop. These should not be harmful, but please talk to your doctor if you are concerned.
Q: How long does an acupuncture visit take?
A: Your first treatment is approximately 1.5 hours and involves an initial consultation where a traditional Chinese diagnosis and management plan is made specifically for you. After the consultation, we will begin your first treatment. Each follow-up visit normally runs for 1 hour and will consist of a shorter intake and diagnosis period followed by a treatment session.
A: Your first treatment is approximately 1.5 hours and involves an initial consultation where a traditional Chinese diagnosis and management plan is made specifically for you. After the consultation, we will begin your first treatment. Each follow-up visit normally runs for 1 hour and will consist of a shorter intake and diagnosis period followed by a treatment session.
Q: How many treatments will patients need?
A: That varies from case to case. You may only need a single treatment for an acute condition. A series of five to fifteen treatments may resolve many chronic problems. Some degenerative conditions may require many treatments over time. For some patients seeking general health maintenance, they may need acupuncture treatment from time to time, which is something like a car tune-up.
A: That varies from case to case. You may only need a single treatment for an acute condition. A series of five to fifteen treatments may resolve many chronic problems. Some degenerative conditions may require many treatments over time. For some patients seeking general health maintenance, they may need acupuncture treatment from time to time, which is something like a car tune-up.
Q: How frequently do I need to come to benefit from treatment?
A: Acute conditions generally respond quickly to acupuncture treatment. Chronic problems may require more treatment as the condition may be layered with complexities. The frequency of treatments varies with each individual. Please feel free to call me to discuss your concern and a possible plan of treatment.
A: Acute conditions generally respond quickly to acupuncture treatment. Chronic problems may require more treatment as the condition may be layered with complexities. The frequency of treatments varies with each individual. Please feel free to call me to discuss your concern and a possible plan of treatment.
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Q: What is Chinese Herbal Medicine?
A: Chinese herbal medicine is integrated with Traditional Chinese Medicine and prescribes natural herbs based on a complex science of physiology and pathology. Each herb has specific interactions within the human body. In conjunction with acupuncture, herbs are blended to induce long-lasting changes in a natural process that promotes well-being. |
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Q: Is acupuncture covered by insurance?
A: A growing number of insurance companies will reimburse for acupuncture treatments. Consult your insurer for the terms of coverage on your policy.
A: A growing number of insurance companies will reimburse for acupuncture treatments. Consult your insurer for the terms of coverage on your policy.
News and Discover on Acupuncture/Chinese Medicine
China explores fighting virus with TCM
FEB 10, 2020, 5:00 AM SGT
This month is when millions of people travelling to and out of and within China go home after the festive break, increasing potential spread of virusBEIJING • As it races to treat patients infected with the new coronavirus, the Chinese government is seeing potential in a cocktail of antiviral drugs.
It is also recommending the Peaceful Palace Bovine Pill, a traditional medicine made with the gallstones of cattle, buffalo horn, jasmine and pearl.
There is no known cure for the coronavirus.
The country's National Health Commission said doctors should try treating patients mainly with a combination of Western drugs used to treat HIV and fight viruses, depending on the severity of illness.
But the government is also looking at ways to supplement the treatment with remedies that are integral to its national identity - traditional Chinese medicine (TCM).
It has its supporters. "I think it is the correct approach," said Dr Cheng Yung-chi, a professor of pharmacology at Yale University School of Medicine. "The evidence is going to come and we have to give it the benefit of the doubt."
Practitioners said the regimen could help ease symptoms, such as swelling in the lungs, with fewer side effects. Critics said the use of such concoctions could raise concerns about patient safety.
In turning to TCM, China is relying on past experience.
During the severe acute respiratory Syndrome, or Sars, outbreak in 2003, doctors found that steroids prescribed to reduce inflammation had harmful side effects such as bone destruction.
Chinese medicine, they said, would mitigate some of these adverse effects.
In its treatment plan for the coronavirus released last Wednesday, the National Health Commission recommended TCM remedies that could be used with antiretroviral HIV drugs such as Lopinavir and Ritonavir.
Related Story
Coronavirus microsite: Get latest updates, videos and graphics
Related Story
Interactive: Places impacted by the coronavirus so far
Related Story
Coronavirus cases in Singapore: What we know so farThe national health department suggested trying the Peaceful Palace Bovine Pill for severe symptoms such as respiratory distress.
Some hospitals are already using a combination of Western and Chinese medicines.
In recent weeks, Beijing's health department reported that two patients who were discharged had been treated with TCM together with other unspecified drugs.
And in Guangzhou, health officials said 50 patients reported having no more fever and half of them said their coughs went away after using TCM and other drugs.
Doctors are conducting clinical trials to test the efficacy of TCM in Wuhan, the epicentre of the coronavirus outbreak, said Dr Cheng, who is also chair of the Consortium for the Globalisation of Chinese Medicine, a group of academics in the field.
After the Sars outbreak, the World Health Organisation studied the use of TCM during that period and determined that they were safe and showed some potential in relieving symptoms such as fatigue.
Researchers from the United States and Taiwan found that certain herbs could suppress the virus, while other studies said their findings were inconclusive.
That scientific uncertainty is not stopping the Chinese government.
The authorities in Wuhan said coronavirus patients with light or moderate symptoms should be treated with TCM, the state-run Beijing News reported.
https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/health/china-explores-fighting-virus-with-tcm
FEB 10, 2020, 5:00 AM SGT
This month is when millions of people travelling to and out of and within China go home after the festive break, increasing potential spread of virusBEIJING • As it races to treat patients infected with the new coronavirus, the Chinese government is seeing potential in a cocktail of antiviral drugs.
It is also recommending the Peaceful Palace Bovine Pill, a traditional medicine made with the gallstones of cattle, buffalo horn, jasmine and pearl.
There is no known cure for the coronavirus.
The country's National Health Commission said doctors should try treating patients mainly with a combination of Western drugs used to treat HIV and fight viruses, depending on the severity of illness.
But the government is also looking at ways to supplement the treatment with remedies that are integral to its national identity - traditional Chinese medicine (TCM).
It has its supporters. "I think it is the correct approach," said Dr Cheng Yung-chi, a professor of pharmacology at Yale University School of Medicine. "The evidence is going to come and we have to give it the benefit of the doubt."
Practitioners said the regimen could help ease symptoms, such as swelling in the lungs, with fewer side effects. Critics said the use of such concoctions could raise concerns about patient safety.
In turning to TCM, China is relying on past experience.
During the severe acute respiratory Syndrome, or Sars, outbreak in 2003, doctors found that steroids prescribed to reduce inflammation had harmful side effects such as bone destruction.
Chinese medicine, they said, would mitigate some of these adverse effects.
In its treatment plan for the coronavirus released last Wednesday, the National Health Commission recommended TCM remedies that could be used with antiretroviral HIV drugs such as Lopinavir and Ritonavir.
Related Story
Coronavirus microsite: Get latest updates, videos and graphics
Related Story
Interactive: Places impacted by the coronavirus so far
Related Story
Coronavirus cases in Singapore: What we know so farThe national health department suggested trying the Peaceful Palace Bovine Pill for severe symptoms such as respiratory distress.
Some hospitals are already using a combination of Western and Chinese medicines.
In recent weeks, Beijing's health department reported that two patients who were discharged had been treated with TCM together with other unspecified drugs.
And in Guangzhou, health officials said 50 patients reported having no more fever and half of them said their coughs went away after using TCM and other drugs.
Doctors are conducting clinical trials to test the efficacy of TCM in Wuhan, the epicentre of the coronavirus outbreak, said Dr Cheng, who is also chair of the Consortium for the Globalisation of Chinese Medicine, a group of academics in the field.
After the Sars outbreak, the World Health Organisation studied the use of TCM during that period and determined that they were safe and showed some potential in relieving symptoms such as fatigue.
Researchers from the United States and Taiwan found that certain herbs could suppress the virus, while other studies said their findings were inconclusive.
That scientific uncertainty is not stopping the Chinese government.
The authorities in Wuhan said coronavirus patients with light or moderate symptoms should be treated with TCM, the state-run Beijing News reported.
https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/health/china-explores-fighting-virus-with-tcm
Relieving pain with acupuncture
The ancient art of acupuncture has been used in Asia for centuries to treat many conditions and relieve pain. It's now being used in the United States and other Western countries to ease everything from low back pain, to nerve pain (such as painful shingles rashes), to headaches, fibromyalgia, and menstrual cramps — and more.
Traditional Chinese acupuncture involves the insertion of extremely fine needles into the skin at specific "acupoints." This may relieve pain by releasing endorphins, the body's natural pain-killing chemicals, and by affecting the part of the brain that governs serotonin, a brain chemical involved with mood.
In Chinese acupuncture, the acupuncturist may turn or twirl the needles slightly or apply heat or electrical stimulation to enhance the effects. He or she may also burn a therapeutic herb near the skin; this is called moxibustion.
A Japanese form of acupuncture involves more shallow needle insertion than in Chinese acupuncture, and the needles aren't usually manipulated. Korean acupuncture focuses on applying needles to points in just the hands and feet.
The acupuncturist typically inserts four to 10 needles and leaves them in place for 10 to 30 minutes while you rest. A usual course of treatment includes six to 12 sessions over a three-month period.
(Acupressure, a similar technique to acupuncture, does not use needles. Instead, the practitioner uses his or her hands to apply deep pressure at acupressure points.)
Acupuncture is generally quite safe, and the complication rate appears to be quite low. A review of acupuncture-related complications reported in medical journals found that the most serious problem was accidental insertion of a needle into the pleural space between the lungs and the chest wall (but this is rare). The advent of single-use, sealed needle packages has all but eliminated the risks of blood-borne infections such as hepatitis B or HIV.
Does acupuncture really work to quell pain? The evidence is mixed, with some studies showing that acupuncture relieves pain and others showing that it works no better than "sham" acupuncture (procedures designed to mimic acupuncture but to have no real effect, much like a placebo, or "sugar pill," used in medication studies). One of the problems with deciphering these results is that most acupuncture studies have been small. The design of "sham" acupuncture techniques has also varied widely, which complicates any comparison. It's also possible that acupuncture works for some people and not others.
If you decide to try acupuncture, seek out an experienced acupuncturist. Licensing requirements vary from state to state. In states with no licensing requirements, your best bet is to find an acupuncturist with certification from the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (www.nccaom.org).
For more on treating common pain conditions and learning about other mind-body solutions to relieve pain, buy Pain Relief, a Special Health Report from Harvard Medical School.
https://www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/relieving-pain-with-acupuncture
The ancient art of acupuncture has been used in Asia for centuries to treat many conditions and relieve pain. It's now being used in the United States and other Western countries to ease everything from low back pain, to nerve pain (such as painful shingles rashes), to headaches, fibromyalgia, and menstrual cramps — and more.
Traditional Chinese acupuncture involves the insertion of extremely fine needles into the skin at specific "acupoints." This may relieve pain by releasing endorphins, the body's natural pain-killing chemicals, and by affecting the part of the brain that governs serotonin, a brain chemical involved with mood.
In Chinese acupuncture, the acupuncturist may turn or twirl the needles slightly or apply heat or electrical stimulation to enhance the effects. He or she may also burn a therapeutic herb near the skin; this is called moxibustion.
A Japanese form of acupuncture involves more shallow needle insertion than in Chinese acupuncture, and the needles aren't usually manipulated. Korean acupuncture focuses on applying needles to points in just the hands and feet.
The acupuncturist typically inserts four to 10 needles and leaves them in place for 10 to 30 minutes while you rest. A usual course of treatment includes six to 12 sessions over a three-month period.
(Acupressure, a similar technique to acupuncture, does not use needles. Instead, the practitioner uses his or her hands to apply deep pressure at acupressure points.)
Acupuncture is generally quite safe, and the complication rate appears to be quite low. A review of acupuncture-related complications reported in medical journals found that the most serious problem was accidental insertion of a needle into the pleural space between the lungs and the chest wall (but this is rare). The advent of single-use, sealed needle packages has all but eliminated the risks of blood-borne infections such as hepatitis B or HIV.
Does acupuncture really work to quell pain? The evidence is mixed, with some studies showing that acupuncture relieves pain and others showing that it works no better than "sham" acupuncture (procedures designed to mimic acupuncture but to have no real effect, much like a placebo, or "sugar pill," used in medication studies). One of the problems with deciphering these results is that most acupuncture studies have been small. The design of "sham" acupuncture techniques has also varied widely, which complicates any comparison. It's also possible that acupuncture works for some people and not others.
If you decide to try acupuncture, seek out an experienced acupuncturist. Licensing requirements vary from state to state. In states with no licensing requirements, your best bet is to find an acupuncturist with certification from the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (www.nccaom.org).
For more on treating common pain conditions and learning about other mind-body solutions to relieve pain, buy Pain Relief, a Special Health Report from Harvard Medical School.
https://www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/relieving-pain-with-acupuncture
Acupuncture Is the Natural Anxiety Remedy You Might Want to Try
By Stephanie Booth
February 22, 2019
When you’re stressed about everything from your workload to politics to why your jeans suddenly feel so tight, you’d think having a bunch of needles jammed into your skin would be the last thing to help you feel better. But acupuncture has anecdotal and scientific evidence backing up its powers.
For thousands of years, this Chinese practice has helped alleviate a host of physical and mental conditions, and modern medicine has warmed up to the idea that anxiety might be one of them. Here’s what we know (so far) about acupuncture to treat anxiety symptoms, and what you can expect if you try it.
RELATED: The Acupuncture Benefits You Should Know About Before Your First Session
How acupuncture for anxiety worksIf you go for an acupuncture treatment, you’ll give a thorough medical history to your practitioner. Then, you’ll relax on a comfortable table, face up or down, while very fine needles—about the width of a hair—are carefully inserted under the surface of your skin. When done right, they shouldn’t hurt.
But the needles don’t just go in random places along your anatomy. They need to be inserted into very specific locations based on your physical or mental symptoms. Points for anxiety may include your breastbone, between your eyebrows, or the insides of your wrists.
The reason for these placements? According to Chinese medicine, energy, or “qi,” flows up and down pathways in the body. “Sometimes the energy is blocked, deficient, excessive, or unbalanced. This puts the body out of balance and in turn causes illness,” Elizabeth Trattner, a board-certified doctor of Chinese and integrative medicine who practices in Miami Beach, Florida, tells Health. “Acupuncture restores homeostasis and encourages healing.”
As a part of traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncture uses a “whole system” approach to health. “We don’t separate the physical and mental aspects [of a patient], as they’re both intimately tied together,” Trattner explains.
Here’s an example. Tell your acupuncturist you’re feeling anxious and also waking up sweaty in the middle of the night, and she won’t think you’re complaining about two totally different issues. You just described symptoms of one of the most common explanations for anxiety in Chinese medicine: “yin deficiency.”
If that sounds too far-out there for you, there is a more Western answer for how acupuncture can work its magic. “Acupuncture eases anxiety by regulating the nervous system, specifically by bringing the branches of the autonomic nervous system back into balance,” Ashley Flores, a licensed acupuncturist in Chicago who sees many women for anxiety, especially anxiety that has to do with fertility and pregnancy, tells Health.
When you’re anxious, your sympathetic nervous system—the one that controls your “fight or flight” system—takes over, Flores explains, whereas your parasympathetic (“rest and digest” system) is stifled. This explains why your heart hammers in your chest and you can feel short of breath as anxiety takes hold in you.
“Acupuncture treatment helps shift the body back into a relaxed state where the sympathetic system is more balanced and no longer dominating,” says Flores.
RELATED: How to Tell the Difference Between a Panic Attack and an Anxiety Attack
What the science saysSeveral studies done on both animals and humans show that “acupuncture needling has demonstrable physiological effects on and may modify the neural functioning believed to be implicated in…anxiety,” Rosa N. Schnyer, a clinical assistant professor of nursing at The University of Texas at Austin who researches acupuncture in the treatment of depression, tells Health.
And lest you think the placebo effect (“I believe it’ll work, therefore it will!”) is responsible, Schnyer says brain scans show that acupuncture normalizes the signals that reach your limbic system, which controls your body’s “fight or flight” response. Results from several clinical trials also show that acupuncture can be an effective way to manage anxiety, “but these findings are still preliminary and more research needs to be done,” says Schnyer.
Still, she estimates that 9 out of every 10 of her clients respond well to acupuncture. “Patients tell me all the time, ‘wow!’” acknowledges Schnyer. “As a practitioner, I see people transformed from being on edge to basically finding their Zen. It’s like [acupuncture] completely resets the nervous system, and when that happens, a lot of other things begin to happen.”
RELATED: What is Panic Disorder—and How Do You Know if You Have It?
Should you treat your anxiety with acupuncture?According to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (a division of the NIH), acupuncture is relatively risk-free, so long as you go to an accredited practitioner who uses sterile needles. (Single-use disposable needles are the industry standard.) And unlike some medications for anxiety—like antidepressants, which can take weeks to fully kick in—the effects of acupuncture are sometimes felt immediately.
“For some women, a treatment is all it takes,” says Trattner, “or a series of regular visits can get to the root cause of anxiety and help manage it.”
Flores says she often detects a swift change in her client’s breathing and pulse rate. “They might notice that their muscles feel looser, a headache goes away, or that their eyes start to water—all signs of the body shifting out of sympathetic dominance,” she explains.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed with anxiety, acupuncture may be worth a try. (Especially if your health insurance covers it; some plans do.) “What we’re doing here is resetting, just like you reset a computer,” says Schnyer. “Your body knows how to do this. All you have to do is get out of the way.”
RELATED: Do Essential Oils Work for Anxiety—and What Are the Best Ones?
https://www.health.com/condition/anxiety/acupuncture-for-anxiety
By Stephanie Booth
February 22, 2019
When you’re stressed about everything from your workload to politics to why your jeans suddenly feel so tight, you’d think having a bunch of needles jammed into your skin would be the last thing to help you feel better. But acupuncture has anecdotal and scientific evidence backing up its powers.
For thousands of years, this Chinese practice has helped alleviate a host of physical and mental conditions, and modern medicine has warmed up to the idea that anxiety might be one of them. Here’s what we know (so far) about acupuncture to treat anxiety symptoms, and what you can expect if you try it.
RELATED: The Acupuncture Benefits You Should Know About Before Your First Session
How acupuncture for anxiety worksIf you go for an acupuncture treatment, you’ll give a thorough medical history to your practitioner. Then, you’ll relax on a comfortable table, face up or down, while very fine needles—about the width of a hair—are carefully inserted under the surface of your skin. When done right, they shouldn’t hurt.
But the needles don’t just go in random places along your anatomy. They need to be inserted into very specific locations based on your physical or mental symptoms. Points for anxiety may include your breastbone, between your eyebrows, or the insides of your wrists.
The reason for these placements? According to Chinese medicine, energy, or “qi,” flows up and down pathways in the body. “Sometimes the energy is blocked, deficient, excessive, or unbalanced. This puts the body out of balance and in turn causes illness,” Elizabeth Trattner, a board-certified doctor of Chinese and integrative medicine who practices in Miami Beach, Florida, tells Health. “Acupuncture restores homeostasis and encourages healing.”
As a part of traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncture uses a “whole system” approach to health. “We don’t separate the physical and mental aspects [of a patient], as they’re both intimately tied together,” Trattner explains.
Here’s an example. Tell your acupuncturist you’re feeling anxious and also waking up sweaty in the middle of the night, and she won’t think you’re complaining about two totally different issues. You just described symptoms of one of the most common explanations for anxiety in Chinese medicine: “yin deficiency.”
If that sounds too far-out there for you, there is a more Western answer for how acupuncture can work its magic. “Acupuncture eases anxiety by regulating the nervous system, specifically by bringing the branches of the autonomic nervous system back into balance,” Ashley Flores, a licensed acupuncturist in Chicago who sees many women for anxiety, especially anxiety that has to do with fertility and pregnancy, tells Health.
When you’re anxious, your sympathetic nervous system—the one that controls your “fight or flight” system—takes over, Flores explains, whereas your parasympathetic (“rest and digest” system) is stifled. This explains why your heart hammers in your chest and you can feel short of breath as anxiety takes hold in you.
“Acupuncture treatment helps shift the body back into a relaxed state where the sympathetic system is more balanced and no longer dominating,” says Flores.
RELATED: How to Tell the Difference Between a Panic Attack and an Anxiety Attack
What the science saysSeveral studies done on both animals and humans show that “acupuncture needling has demonstrable physiological effects on and may modify the neural functioning believed to be implicated in…anxiety,” Rosa N. Schnyer, a clinical assistant professor of nursing at The University of Texas at Austin who researches acupuncture in the treatment of depression, tells Health.
And lest you think the placebo effect (“I believe it’ll work, therefore it will!”) is responsible, Schnyer says brain scans show that acupuncture normalizes the signals that reach your limbic system, which controls your body’s “fight or flight” response. Results from several clinical trials also show that acupuncture can be an effective way to manage anxiety, “but these findings are still preliminary and more research needs to be done,” says Schnyer.
Still, she estimates that 9 out of every 10 of her clients respond well to acupuncture. “Patients tell me all the time, ‘wow!’” acknowledges Schnyer. “As a practitioner, I see people transformed from being on edge to basically finding their Zen. It’s like [acupuncture] completely resets the nervous system, and when that happens, a lot of other things begin to happen.”
RELATED: What is Panic Disorder—and How Do You Know if You Have It?
Should you treat your anxiety with acupuncture?According to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (a division of the NIH), acupuncture is relatively risk-free, so long as you go to an accredited practitioner who uses sterile needles. (Single-use disposable needles are the industry standard.) And unlike some medications for anxiety—like antidepressants, which can take weeks to fully kick in—the effects of acupuncture are sometimes felt immediately.
“For some women, a treatment is all it takes,” says Trattner, “or a series of regular visits can get to the root cause of anxiety and help manage it.”
Flores says she often detects a swift change in her client’s breathing and pulse rate. “They might notice that their muscles feel looser, a headache goes away, or that their eyes start to water—all signs of the body shifting out of sympathetic dominance,” she explains.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed with anxiety, acupuncture may be worth a try. (Especially if your health insurance covers it; some plans do.) “What we’re doing here is resetting, just like you reset a computer,” says Schnyer. “Your body knows how to do this. All you have to do is get out of the way.”
RELATED: Do Essential Oils Work for Anxiety—and What Are the Best Ones?
https://www.health.com/condition/anxiety/acupuncture-for-anxiety
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Office 1: 5802 N University Drive, Tamarac, FL 33321
kangyunacu@gmail.com |
Office 2: 3308 NE 34th Street, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33308
(954) 745-8060 |