Mental Health and Depression
Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine have been shown to be very effective at treating Mental Health problems such as:
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Bipolar
- Panic attacks
- PTSD
- Insomnia, sleep disturbances
- Grief, sadness
- Mood Swings
- Depression or mood changes associated with PMS and menopause
- Muscle Pain
- Tension Headaches
- Stress
Functional MRI studies are showing that acupuncture has an effect on chemicals in the brain such as dopamine and serotonin. These neurotransmitters are responsible for making us feel good, help our mental focus, learning abilities, and feelings of satisfaction. Therefore people that suffer from mental health disorders such as mild to moderate depression can see significant changes with acupuncture alone. It’s a natural alternative for women during pregnancy who cannot take antidepressants and for people who no longer want to rely on their medications. In addition, using acupuncture as complementary care with anti-depressants and/or therapy can produce optimal therapeutic effects and results. If you are looking for an alternative to pharmaceuticals, Chinese herbs are a safe and effective way to continue treatment without side effects.
Healthy Mind, Healthy Body
When suffering from mental health problems many people experience physical issues such as, insomnia, fatigue, and body pains. By working with neurotransmitters and the endocrine system, acupuncture and Chinese medicine can resolve many of these physical symptoms. Not just boosting mood, but increasing energy, eliminating body pains, and improving sleep.
Long Term Care
In order to sustain the positive results of treatment, your acupuncturist may provide you with some diet and lifestyle recommendations. Simple dietary changes can have a tremendous impact on the frequency and severity of your symptoms.
Research & Articles
Both the physical and emotional aspects of individuals are now being treated extensively with acupuncture and herbs. In fact, according to USA Today’s article “Pregnancy, Depression, and Acupuncture”, Dr. William Lee, a metabolic interventional cardiologist at Patients Medical in New York, asserted that researchers at the Stanford University of Medicine found that “women with major depressive disorder treated with depression-specific acupuncture have a 63% response rate with 12 sessions”. Additionally, according to Chinese medical philosophy, most “internal” conditions directly affect our emotions. This means that individuals have certain emotions that are predominant for the majority of their lives; and, eventually this may contribute to an imbalance or disequilibrium, which may cause depression, stress, anxiety, and other emotional issues. Evidence supports that acupuncture relieves the symptoms of stress as it helps release endorphins and other hormones which positively affect our emotions.