by Angela Barbara, LAc
Anxiety disorders affect nearly 30% of adults at some point in their lives.1 Many of the patients seen in the clinic every day describe challenges related to anxiety. Some patients come for acupuncture treatment primarily for their anxiety issues, and others ask for help with anxiety in addition to their other health concerns. In this practitioner’s experience, most people can benefit from acupuncture’s calming and balancing effects.
How can Acupuncture work for anxiety? Through the lens of traditional acupuncture theory, there is no separation between mind and body. Emotions may be the result or the cause of physical disease. Each person has a unique background of physical, chemical, and emotional experiences that bring them to their current state of health. Most practitioners of acupuncture will perform a comprehensive intake and diagnosis on the first visit, carefully choosing the appropriate prescription of acupuncture treatment.
Patients are often surprised at the level of detail which is discussed for a seemingly straightforward condition, such as knee pain for example. Why would we need to know your level of stress or how well you are sleeping in order to treat your knee pain? Stress hormones, neurotransmitters, and clear signaling of these chemicals in the body can affect the level of pain someone is experiencing, as well as recovery time. A good acupuncturist works not just to relieve your pain, but to help with any anxiety or stress that may be interfering with your progress.
What does Acupuncture do for Anxiety? Your customized point prescription influences the body’s innate communication system to activate your body’s self-healing process. Chronic inflammation, stress, poor diet, and lack of activity can cause disruptions in signaling so that the body and mind become stuck in a loop and healing is delayed as conditions worsen over time.
Specific acupuncture points have been used for centuries to calm the mind and assist in entering a lighter, less stressed, and more centered state of being. When the body and mind know what to do and you are feeling more relaxed and rested, wonderful progress can be made. Repeat treatments "train" your mind to more readily accept and focus on feeling more naturally calm and centered.
Does this mean that my acupuncture sessions will become “therapy” sessions? No. If there is an event or a state of emotional strain that you are working through, it can certainly be helpful for you to share this information in order to have a compassionate and active listener on your side during your treatment.
However, it is not necessary to share your personal story in order to get help with your anxiety through acupuncture. A skilled practitioner can help you personally with anxiety and stress using keen observation and accurate diagnosis in order to get the best result, without having to know all of your most personal emotional challenges.
There is scientific research into this method of treating anxiety. Acupuncture has been clinically shown to have a calming effect on the body. In a recent study in Japan, male adults given acupuncture showed “Decreased heart rate and increased parasympathetic nervous system activity dominance”2. The parasympathetic nervous system is opposite to the “fight or flight” activity of the sympathetic nervous system, and its activity is necessary for proper sleep, digestion, and even sexual function.
In a 2017 study of college students, subjects reported stress reduction for up to three months after acupuncture treatment3. In a 2005 study of patients with fibromyalgia, “Patients who received acupuncture experienced minimal side effects. Following treatments, symptoms of pain, fatigue, and anxiety were most significantly improved in patients who received acupuncture."4 And in a study from 2021, acupuncture was shown to help improve the effects of anti-anxiety medications5.
How Do I Know if Acupuncture is the Right Treatment for My Anxiety? Any prospective patient with any health concern is eligible for a free 15 minute, in-person consultation. This is an informal chat to discuss your issue, answer your questions, and get information on what acupuncture treatment would look like for your unique situation.
How Many Treatments Do I Need? For chronic, long-term anxiety, up to 12 weekly sessions will be prescribed. For anxiety with a recent onset, up to 6 weekly sessions will be prescribed. As progress is measured, patients will step down into twice or once monthly treatment, and eventually come for maintenance as needed. Many patients find ongoing treatment helpful and look forward to their restful acupuncture sessions.
Can I Work on Anxiety Combined with other Issues? Absolutely. In fact, many of the acupuncture points used for emotional wellness have multiple indications for pain and other health conditions. A calm, relaxed feeling is one of the “side effects” of acupuncture, no matter what we are treating.
It is a wonderful privilege to be able to assist people in getting relief from their physical and emotional pain. When it is time to remove needles after an acupuncture treatment, I often hear my patients say, "That was so relaxing!" and I am so grateful to be a part of this wonderful healing process.
If you or a loved one could benefit from this type of care, I invite you to reach out and schedule your free consultation today.
1 https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/anxiety-disorders/what-are-anxiety-disorders
2 Uchida C, Waki H, Minakawa Y, Tamai H, Miyazaki S, Hisajima T, Imai K. Effects of Acupuncture Sensations on Transient Heart Rate Reduction and Autonomic Nervous System Function During Acupuncture Stimulation. Med Acupunct. 2019 Jun 1;31(3):176-184. doi: 10.1089/acu.2019.1350. Epub 2019 Jun 17. PMID: 31297171; PMCID: PMC6604907.
3 Schroeder S, Burnis J, Denton A, Krasnow A, Raghu TS, Mathis K. Effectiveness of Acupuncture Therapy on Stress in a Large Urban College Population. J Acupunct Meridian Stud. 2017 Jun;10(3):165-170. doi: 10.1016/j.jams.2017.01.002. Epub 2017 Jan 16. PMID: 28712475.
4 Acupuncture relieves anxiety, fatigue in fibromyalgia patients: [1]. (2005). Journal of Psychosocial Nursing & Mental Health Services, 43(10), 13. Retrieved from https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/acupuncture-relieves-anxiety-fatigue-fibromyalgia/docview/1023368425/se-2?accountid=142078
5 Gol, A. S., Ardani, A. R., Farahmand, S. K., Dadgarmoghaddam, M., Ghorani, V., Rezaei, S., & Khorsand, A. (2021). Additive effects of acupuncture in alleviating anxiety: A double-blind, three-arm, randomized clinical trial. Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice, 45, 1. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ctcp.2021.101466