Natural Relief: Can acupuncture help your anxiety?
updated the 21 May 2018 à 10:39Needles all the way!
With science and technology advancement through the years, traditional forms of healing have surprisingly yet to die down. Instead, they’re making their comeback as a medical relief.
Traditional Chinese Medicine has been around for centuries and their results don’t disappoint. An ancient form of healing, acupuncture has been proven to not only cure physical pains such as backaches and headaches, it has also been discovered to help with other health conditions like mental disorders.
With anxiety disorder being the most common mental illness, finding a relief through counseling and oral medication is a common solution. But with natural remedies gaining popularity, more patients have turned to acupuncture for relief.
WHAT IS IT?
Acupuncture is the process of inserting fine needles at specific acupoints on the body to regulate the flow of the body’s vital energy, also known as qi. Qi flows throughout your body and when factors like stress or poor nutrition disrupt it, inserting needles at specific acupuncture points on your body can regulate the flow and restore the balance of qi in your body.
HOW CAN IT HELP ANXIETY?
As each person is unique, the treatment will differ for everyone. Your acupuncturist will first ask you a list of questions ranging from your medical history to your diet. Using your answers, the acupuncture treatment will then be specifically diagnosed according to your condition.
As each needle is inserted a millimeter away from a nerve, this can cause a chemical reaction where your body produces painkilling chemicals to heal itself and target the part of the brain that controls emotions, thus relieving anxiety.
ARE THERE ANY RISKS?
While some have reported an immediate improvement in their anxiety after one treatment and others experienced gradual relief, acupuncture will definitely not make your anxiety worse. Acupuncture has been proven to be an effective yet low-risk treatment and may just be the perfect natural solution to relieve your anxiety.
Shona Menon
Photo: Getty Images
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