This blog post describes a recent chronic anxiety study published in Great Britain. It was a randomized controlled trial on the use of acupuncture in adults with non-responding, chronic anxiety. The study was published in the Journal of the British Medical Acupuncture Society [2015].
Background of Chronic Anxiety Study
The study identified a group of adults who suffered from non-responding, chronic anxiety symptoms. This group was repeatedly accessing treatments through their general practitioners, such as cognitive behavior therapy, book therapy and medication, but with no effect. These patients were making heavy use of health service resources with no beneficial outcome. The study aimed to test the effect of an acupuncture formula of three specific acupuncture points, suggested in a previous pilot study, to see if the patients’ anxiety symptoms would be reduced.
Method of Chronic Anxiety Study
Forty participants from a psychiatry waiting list were randomized into one of two groups. Group One received ten weeks of acupuncture at the following acupuncture points: PC6, HT7 and LV3. Group Two was a waiting list control group. After the initial ten week testing period, the waiting list group also received acupuncture.
Both groups were followed up for ten weeks after treatment. The outcome measure was the State and Trait Anxiety Inventory.
Results of Chronic Anxiety Study
Thirty-six patients completed the study, with two dropouts in each group. State anxiety scores in the acupuncture group decreased from 57.7 to 38.8.
Scores in the waiting list control group decreased from 61.5 to 60.6.
The difference was highly significant. Similar changes were seen for trait anxiety scores. The control group showed similar statistically significant improvements when they received acupuncture. The improvements were maintained after ten weeks of follow-up in each group.
Conclusions of Chronic Anxiety Study
Acupuncture is a promising intervention for patients with chronic anxiety symptoms that have proven resistant to other forms of treatment.
EDITOR’S NOTE
At Raleigh Acupuncture Associates we treat patients suffering from chronic anxiety with excellent results. The acupuncture points used in the study are good for treating chronic anxiety. We use these and other points to best suit the needs of each patient.
Patients are often able to reduce their medications for chronic anxiety, or in some cases stop taking medications completely. Treatments are safe, with no negative side effects. We strongly urge anyone suffering from anxiety to try acupuncture. The effect is strong and the results are long lasting.
Next Steps
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WATCH VIDEO ABOUT OUR ANXIETY TREATMENT.
READ TESTIMONIALS FROM PATIENTS TREATED FOR ANXIETY.
LEARN ABOUT OTHER EMOTIONAL HEALTH CONDITIONS WE TREAT.
The results of this chronic anxiety study mirror our own experience at Raleigh Acupuncture. Anxiety responds well to acupuncture.
What our Clients are Saying
Acupuncture really helped my anxiety. I highly recommend Raleigh Acupuncture. Very professional, reasonably priced and focused on getting me better quickly. Thank you!
I came in for acupuncture highly skeptical that it would be able to help me. I’m an A-type personality and very wired. I feel like I’ve been anxious my entire life. My wife must have been secretly researching treatments for anxiety because last month she announced that I WOULD be trying acupuncture! She did well picking the practice, as the doctors at Acupuncture Associates were top notch. They explained how acupuncture worked to deal with anxiety and then set about doing it. Well, I wouldn’t be writing this letter if it didn’t work. So you know the outcome. Highly satisfactory! I’m still an A-type guy, but with a fraction of the anxiety. The feelings of dread that were constantly lingering around me are gone. In it’s place I feel a sense of peacefulness, albeit a wired peacefulness.
Ever since we moved to Raleigh I was feeling a great deal more anxiety. It was probably a combination of factors including the stress of the move, looking for work and possibly the weather. My chest would get uncomfortably tight and my heart would race throughout the day. I had taken medications in the past but didn’t want that again. Research on the web led me to Raleigh Acupuncture. They treated me for anxiety and after just one treatment I could feel the difference. I got 9 treatments and am completely better. I will continue coming because it makes me feel so good. I highly suggest acupuncture with them for the treatment of anxiety. It’s much more effective than medications.
I was feeling depressed and stressed because I didn’t like my job and didn’t know what to do with my life. I started taking Lexipro but it really affected my libido so I stopped taking it. I tried acupuncture because my husband said it helped him when he was depressed years earlier (before he met me!) I went to Raleigh Acupuncture and started treatments. They were really knowledgeable about Chinese medicine and explained how the body gets stuck in depression, and how the acupuncture gets the body unstuck. They really listened to me and helped me figure stuff out. I started feeling less depressed. Then I actually started getting more clear about what I wanted to do with my life career-wise. I decided to go back to school and now I’m almost done with my degree. I haven’t felt depressed at all since I was treated and I’m really excited about my life. I’m very grateful to them for being such great healers and such a great support to me when I really needed it.
I’ve had generalized anxiety for years and had been managing it fairly well. But then I lost my job and the anxiety really escalated. I started getting panic attacks every day and dreaded even getting in my car to drive. My sister suggested that I try acupuncture, so I did. I went to Raleigh Acupuncture and explained my situation. They said they treated this condition all the time with excellent results. I was stressed about money too, but they had reasonable fees. They treated me with acupuncture and herbs for the next two months. I know it helped, because my unemployment situation didn’t change but I stopped having panic attacks. Even my regular anxiety decreased – significantly. It’s like my whole body relaxed and things didn’t make me anxious as easily.
