Approximately 11.6% of the Canadian population, or more than 3 million people, have an anxiety disorder, according to the Government of Canada. Many of these individuals are looking for natural ways to reduce their anxiety. Traditional anxiety solutions often include ongoing treatment with medication and psychotherapy, one or both of which may be challenging for patients.
Acupuncture is one effective, minimally invasive, and drug-free treatment that can help lower or even eliminate chronic worry and anxious responses. It can provide a fast, easy solution to situational or chronic anxiety for people with a wide variety of health conditions. Here’s what you should know about acupuncture for anxiety in Kelowna.
How Acupuncture for Anxiety Works
Acupuncture for anxiety works by stimulating certain acupoints on the body that correlate to the body’s nervous system with special hair-thin needles. This is said to improve the flow of energy, or “chi,” throughout the body, which can help the body heal and reset itself naturally.
Acupuncture can:
1. Reduce the Production of Stress Hormones
The stimulation of acupoints causes the body to produce more endorphins, which combat stress hormones like cortisol and norepinephrine. Cortisol is the primary stress chemical and acts to limit non-essential functions during an emergency situation.
As cortisol levels rise and remain elevated, the body becomes less effective at metabolizing glucose and producing insulin, potentially leading to type II diabetes. When endorphins are released during acupuncture treatment, this serves to lower cortisol and lets your body know that you’re safe and your stress response is no longer necessary.
2. Relieve Anxiety Without Medications
Western medicine often relies on medications to relive uncomfortable symptoms of anxiety without ever addressing the root cause of it. In some cases, medication is a critical part of anxiety management. For example, a patient having an acute panic attack who seeks emergency medical care may be given a benzodiazepine to help them calm down.
However, medication may not always be a suitable solution. Acupuncture helps relieve anxiety naturally, without the need for over-the-counter or prescription drugs. Not only does acupuncture help relieve anxiety during treatment, its effects continue in the coming days. With regular acupuncture treatments, many patients are able to have anxiety-free lives or drastically reduce their chronic anxiety and improve their quality of life.
3. Generate Results In As Little As 1 Session
Anxiety can leave people feeling on edge, irritable, angry, sad, or even dissociated. It may be difficult to function when stress is high and many people are unable to engage in simple activities like grocery shopping or going to school or work. Immediate relief is often needed. Some anxiety medications take weeks to begin working as they build up in a person’s system to a therapeutic level. This can leave patients struggling to process stress and worry during this time and does not provide an immediate solution that allows people to quickly get back to their normal daily lives.
On the other hand, acupuncture can provide relief from anxiety in just a single session. While most patients choose to undergo several sessions, especially at the beginning of their therapy, some improvement can often be achieved during the very first appointment.
4. Be Used In Conjunction With Other Anxiety Treatments
Individuals with severe anxiety disorders often need to take a multidisciplinary approach to their condition. Anxiety management for these people surpasses what one form of treatment can manage and additional treatment is needed.
Acupuncture can safely be used with nearly every other kind of anxiety treatment, including but not limited to medications and psychotherapy.
5. Improve Symptoms Associated With Anxiety Disorders
Anxiety disorders can cause uncomfortable symptoms like tachycardia (high heart rate), sweating, nervousness, rapid speech, racing thoughts, and sensations of impending doom. In some cases, people having an anxiety or panic attack may feel as though they are dying or having a heart attack.
Acupuncture helps regulate the body’s autonomic nervous system by calming the sympathetic nerve response and engaging the parasympathetic nervous system. It can help lower heart rate, blood pressure, and can improve tolerance to external stressors.
Is Acupuncture for Anxiety Right for You?
For many people, acupuncture is an effective anxiety treatment, both alone and in conjunction with other therapies and treatment modalities for anxiety.
To learn more about whether acupuncture for anxiety is right for you, call our Kelowna acupuncture clinic at (778) 721-5828. Or, schedule a free consultation online.
