Acupuncture and Stress

ACUPUNCTURE AND STRESS

In the past stress was a response our bodies experienced when faced with a life threatening issue. We had to fight or run away, the “fight or flight” response. In the past this was a good thing and usually was not encountered on a daily basis.

However, today we are faced with many more stressors on a daily basis; e.g. driving to work in heavy traffic with the occasional road rage, getting laid off from our jobs with no source of income available, not making enough money to pay our bills and take care of our families, having an illness or dealing with a family member’s illness, etc.

Our adrenal glands can become overtaxed where we actually would have an overactive response to stress. Symptoms could include headaches, anger, anxiety, high blood pressure, insomnia, digestive issues, weakened immune system, infertility, and depression, to name some.

How we respond to stress will determine whether we stay healthy or fall into a state of poor health.

Chinese medicine and acupuncture can help keep a person healthy by treating a person’s symptoms and addressing the root cause of the problem. Stress takes its toll on different organs in our bodies, namely, the kidneys, adrenals, liver, stomach, to name a few. Stress causes blockages in the flow of energy or Qi (the life force) in our bodies. By placing needles in certain points in our bodies an acupuncturist restores the flow of Qi thereby restoring function and health to the affected organs. People usually feel a deep relaxation after an acupuncture treatment.

An acupuncturist may also make suggestions as to how to deal with stress; e.g.
eating well, exercising, getting enough sleep, deep breathing, meditation, yoga, Tai chi, or Qigong exercises. Also, do something fun for yourself.