Can Acupuncture Help Reduce Stress?

Stress is a natural response of the body to the various demands we place upon it. In ancient times, our stress response, also known as our fight or flight response, provided us with energy to preserve life during difficult situations, such as an attack or threat by a wild animal. Unfortunately, modern day stress is considerably higher, more frequent and more consistent than what our predecessors experienced. Today, we do not have to look much further than out our windows, or on our computer screens, to view various forms of stressors – everything from prime-time news and road rage, to the forty-hour work week, and cell phones.

Quick Stress Facts:

Some of the signs and symptoms of an overactive response to stress include:

  • anger
  • anxiety
  • asthma
  • depression
  • depressed immune system
  • digestive disorders
  • headaches
  • heart disease
  • high blood pressure
  • joint pain
  • weight problems

However, stress is not necessarily always negative. There is a distinction between healthy and unhealthy stress. Healthy stressors are usually short lived and keep us alert and motivated, and support our body’s strength and vitality.

Our response to stress can either help r hinder our body’s ability to cope with these various stressors in our lives. Healthy responses to stress include appropriate physical exercise, good eating habits, positive thinking, adequate rest, and reaching out to friends and family for support. Unhealthy response to stress include negative thinking, overexertion, poor eating habits, lack of sleep, and isolation. These unhealthy responses can cause the body to work harder than it needs to and can trigger physical and mental health issues. Over time, ongoing stress and unhealthy responses to stress can actually be detrimental to our health.

Medical studies have shown that with increased and consistent stress, our white blood cells, which defend our body against viruses, decrease.  This results in lower immune resistance, ultimately leading to physical disease and emotional instability.

Even if the stressors are no longer present, the body continues to keep the stress espouse active. This results in the depletion of our nervous system, lymphatic organs (spleen, thymus, and lymph nodes), kidneys and adrenal glands, which can pave the way for a wide variety of signs and symptoms.

There is hope! Practitioners of acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) have helped people cope with stress for thousands of years. The ancient theories of TCM on how stress affects the organs are similar to those of Western medicine. However, TCM theory and treatment goes far beyond treating signs and symptoms and also addresses the root cause(s) of the problem.

One way that stress affects the body is by causing a depletion or blockage of Qi (pronounced “chee”), especially that of the kidneys and adrenals. Qi is the vital energy or power that animates and supports the functions of the body. It flows through specific pathways, called meridians, and provides nourishment for the entire body. When Qi becomes “blocked” or the supply is inadequate, the body and organ systems become “stressed out” and our health is then compromised.

With acupuncture and TCM, our job is to support and restore the integrity of the various organs affected by the stress response, along with evaluating the quality and quantity of Qi.

Depending on your specific needs and issues we will provide a therapeutic treatment plan to speed healing. Your treatment plan may include eating habits, detoxification, TCM, along with acupuncture.

Start your path to HEALING and PEACE today.

information thanks to Acupuncture Media Works www.acupuncturemediaworks.com

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