Acupuncture for Stress and Anxiety

In ancient Chinese medicine, an energy called Qi (or the chemical reactions that constantly fire throughout our bodies)  is said to regulate the overall health of the body, moving through pathways called meridians.  If Qi’s flow is disturbed or blocked in any way (for example due to injury, poor eating habits/nutrition, stress, or any other discomfort), that’s when we begin to suffer. The practice of acupuncture – the insertion of needles in specific points throughout the body – is the acupuncturist’s way of restoring Qi’s balance, therefore promoting better health and getting relief for the patient. Needles are inserted half a millimeter away from nerves; there, they go to work. In addition to regulating those joy-making neurostransmitters in your brain, and decrease the markers of stress and lower blood pressure (which assists in overall anxiety treatment) they also do the following: - Alleviate migraines or other headaches - Decrease the severity of hot flashes in women going through menopause - Alleviate seasonal allergy symptoms - Treat acid reflux disease - Soothe heartburn by regulating acid secretion and aiding digestion - Boost the immune system - Relieve lower back pain for up to six months - Help obesity sufferers lose up to 10 lbs. over two weeks to four months Overall, acupuncturists have been helping people feel more balanced for thousands of years. In the Western world, acupuncture has been growing in popularity because of the research that has been released that supports its efficacy and success rate, especially for anxiety and other mental illnesses.