New research concludes acupuncture relieves anxiety. Symptoms include feeling worried and fearful, unable to relax, being easily startled, and having poor concentration. People with anxiety often feel a racing heart and palpitations (heart skipping a beat).
Safe and Effective
The study stated, “Acupuncture has more advantages than drugs in the treatment of anxiety disorders….” In addition, acupuncture obtained faster results, higher compliance and longer lasting effect. Finally, acupuncture had minimal risk of side effects compared with drug therapy.
The Trouble With Medications
The study concluded that acupuncture was both safe and effective in the treatment of anxiety. It noted the trend towards using acupuncture for the treatment of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). Reasons included fewer side effects than drug therapy. Most anxiety medication belongs to the Benzodiazepine family, which often triggers insomnia, addiction and vertigo.
Other commonly prescribed medications for anxiety are SSRIs (serotonin reuptake inhibitors) and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors. Side effects for these medications include nausea, irritability, headaches, sexual dysfunction, dizziness, high blood pressure, digestive issues and sweating.
Sources for the Study
The researchers cited the following studies that showed scientific evidence for acupuncture benefiting brain biochemistry:
The mechanism of post receptor signal transduction pathway cAMP-CREB -BDNF in acupuncture against depression.
Study on the role of post receptor signal transduction pathway cAMP-CREB-BDNF by acupuncture intervention in the rat model of depression.
Clinical study on acupuncture treatment of Depression Insomnia.
Research of mechanism of acupuncture regulating signal transduction cAMP-CREB-BDNF in hippocampus of depression rats.
Research of mechanism of antidepressant acupuncture based on glutamic acid circulation guided by glial cell medium.
How Acupuncture Works: The Details
The study next explained how acupuncture treats anxiety. The combination of the acupuncture points LU7 (Lieque) and KI6 (Zhaohai) have a powerful effect in reducing anxiety.
The Lungs
The text notes state: “LU7 (Lieque) is the intersection point of lung channel and Ren channel. The Lungs play an important role in movement of qi, blood and body liquid of the whole body. They govern physical qi, distribute the essence of water and grain, help the heart promote blood circulation, and regulate water metabolism with the Kidney.”
Lungs also govern the Qi. In “The Classic of Difficulties”, Qi is described as “the essence of a person.” Another classic work notes that “all diseases result from the disorder of qi.” As a result, many Traditions Chinese Medicine (TCM) doctors believe that anxiety is due to qi disturbance.
The Kidneys
KD6 (Zhaohai) is the intersection point of the Kidney channel and Yinqiao channel. Yang Qi of Heart descends to the Kidneys, warming and nourishing them, while the yin of Kidneys ascends to nourish Heart yin. The Yinqiao meridian nourishes the eyes, governs the opening and closing of the eyelids, nourishes skin, and coordinates communication between the yin and yang. Therefore, LU7 and KD6 of the eight confluent points are selected to treat generalized anxiety disorder in clinical practice.
Heart, Lung and Kidney Relationship
The researchers emphasized the close relationship between anxiety and the Heart, Lung and Kidney. In TCM, anxiety is categorized under melancholia, palpitations and insomnia. Pattern imbalances for anxiety include qi stagnation, Heart and Kidney disharmony, heat in the Heart, and Lung and Kidney deficiency.
The Heart
The Heart is paramount when treating emotional issues because it governs the blood and vessels. Stagnant Heart qi depletes internal organs, causing imbalances of qi, blood, yin and yang. This is the physical process in the development of anxiety.
Heart and Kidney Balance
Heart and Kidney balance is important in the treatment of anxiety. Some patients present with Heart Fire caused by Kidney yin deficiency. Symptoms include heart palpitations, panic attacks, insomnia and other common anxiety symptoms. Acupuncture helps restore this balance, allowing Heart yang to descend, warming the Kidney yang, while Kidney yin ascends to nourish the Heart yin, balancing fire and water.
Heart and Lung Balance
The study described the important relationship between the Lungs and Heart. The Heart Shaoyin meridian connects the heart and lung organs. The Lungs govern qi while the Heart governs blood. Both govern circulation. The Lungs regulate respiration and the Heart regulates blood circulation. Together, the Heart and Lungs coordinate qi and blood.
Lung and Kidney Balance
The Lungs and Kidneys are also closely related. The Kidney channel enters the lungs. The Kidneys receive qi from the Lungs through breathing. Lung yin descends to the Kidneys while Kidney yin nourishes the Lungs.
Chinese Medicine Always Treats The Root Issue
As this analysis makes clear, Chinese medicine allows for multiple root imbalances when treating conditions. Five people may present with anxiety, each with their own imbalance. One may have a Heart/Kidney imbalance, another a Lung Qi imbalance, etc. It is important for the practitioner to correctly identify each patient’s root imbalance before treating.
Two Powerful Points
The study found that anxiety responds well when two acupuncture points are included in the treatment. These points are LU7 and KI6. These two points are two of the eight confluent points. The famous book “Introduction To Medicine” states, “Three hundred and sixty points of the whole body are unified by the sixty-six points in the hand and foot, which are unified by the eight confluent points.”
LU7 has the powerful ability to nourish yin essence. If this essence is depleted, it cannot ascend to the Heart and fire will develop, leading to anxiety. A strong supply of yin serves to “tranquilize the mind.”
KI6 strongly tonifies Kidney yin. The Kidneys govern water metabolism. KD6 therefore plays an important role in boosting Kidney water to balance Heart fire. KI6 is therefore effective in the treatment of yin and yang imbalances such as insomnia, anxiety and night sweats.
These points can be used in conjunction with other points specific to the patient’s particular root imbalance. Together, they work to reduce anxiety, providing long term relief. This research concludes that acupuncture relieves anxiety. Our experience at Raleigh Acupuncture agrees.
Raleigh Acupuncture Anxiety Treatment
At Raleigh Acupuncture we have a great deal of experience treating and resolving anxiety. Treatments are safe, natural and effective. The needles are sterile, single-use and hair thin. You will hardly feel them. Treatments are relaxing. Many of our patients fall asleep during their sessions.
You will start to feel your anxiety lessen after the first few treatments. The benefits from treatment will increase with each session you receive. You don’t have to live with anxiety and the negative side effects of medications. Come in and give acupuncture a try.
Next Steps
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For a list of all the conditions we treat with acupuncture click ALL CONDITIONS WE TREAT.
Research Concludes Acupuncture Relieves Anxiety – References
Observation on the mechanism of acupuncture treatment for generalized anxiety disorder. Lin, Chuhua; Zhao, Xiaoyan; Liu, Xing; Fu, Wenbin. Bioinformatics and Biomedicine (BIBM), 2013 IEEE International Conference on. 18-21, 12-2-13. Research concludes acupuncture relieves anxiety.
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.
