“If you want to conquer the anxiety of life, live in the moment, live in the breath” ~Amit Ray
Anxiety and stress go hand in hand. Reducing stress will almost always result in lowered levels of anxiety. Reduction of stress and addressing imbalances in the body are the primary method acupuncture uses to treat anxiety.
Back in 2013, a series of studies was done to test whether acupuncture affects stress levels. The study was done with the full knowledge that acupuncture has been used to treat stress for as long as it has been around with positive results. The study wasn’t interested in whether it worked; they knew it did. The study focused on physiological changes showing stress reduction.
They discovered that hormones were known to be elevated when high-stress levels were suppressed by proper acupuncture therapy. The results concluded that acupuncture helps reduce stress levels, making a person less prone to stress-related symptoms. Being less prone to stress on a physiological level results in lowered levels of anxiety for most people.
There are limits to treating anxiety with acupuncture. Just as with any specific treatment, it should be part of an ongoing care plan worked out with your provider. There should be regular check-ins to ensure you are getting the desired results. If your needs change, the acupuncture treatment will also change.
Acupuncture works best for mild to moderate anxiety. It is still beneficial for more severe cases but must be coupled with other care. These include things like functional medicine and Chinese herbs that will further address the underlying imbalances in the body.
Acupuncture has some immediate results and some long-term results. For true long-term recovery, you must address the whole picture of your health with your provider. As the root causes of stress are treated, and you begin feeling better, acupuncture will be required less frequently.
Acupuncture is not a uniform, one-size-fits-all treatment. This is what makes the healing modality unique. It looks at each individual to fully assess what is going on energetically, emotionally, physically, and spiritually.
If you’re living in the Boulder, CO, area and facing heightened levels of anxiety, contact us at Hummingbird Community Acupuncture. We believe in approaching each person as a unique individual with different healing journeys, and we’d love to help you on yours. Call us at (303) 447-0443 today.
Resources:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17641561
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3689180/
