In today’s hectic world most of us experience stress and anxiety at some point in our lives . These emotions are the way body and mind responds to a certain stimulus or event. They are normal and sometimes even helpful, but they can become a problem too. When they start to affect our quality of life, they are no longer a casual emotion but a state of being.
Acupuncture for Stress
Stress is often defined as a mismatch between how we cope with the demands placed on us and our ability to cope with these demands. It can have a physical effect on our body, but it can also affect our thoughts, feelings and behaviour.
It can be positive when it motivates us to get things done, however, it can be negative when we feel constantly pressurised or traumatised by too many demands and expectations. Stress can have negative impact on health, mood, productivity and overall quality of life.
Long commuting, balancing work and family life, going through a challenging situation which awakes emotions of insecurity and fear, constantly feeling under pressure or being depressed after a tragic event, can lead to stress related symptoms.
You might be suffering from Stress if you experience following stress symptoms:
- Anger, frustration, irritability
- Stiffness in the muscles and joints; commonly upper back pain and neck and shoulders pain
- Migraines or tension headaches
- Sleep problems
- Gastrointestinal problems (like irritable bowel syndrome, indigestion,upset stomach)
- Lack of appetite
- Thin hair and dull skin
- Premenstrual symptoms; mood swings, bloating, breast distension and soreness
- Chest tightness, anxiety, panic attacks, palpitations
- Frequent sighing
- Crying spells
- Poor concentration
- Weak immune system
- Fatigue
Conventional treatments for stress include medication such as anti-anxiety drugs, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and relaxation techniques.
Acupuncture for Stress – alternative stress management
- Acupuncture increases serotonin production
- It also releases the body’s natural painkillers, endorphins and enkephalins
- and decreases cortisol secretion
Acupuncture for stress can be safely combined with conventional treatments such as medication or psychological therapy, enhancing their beneficial effects and reducing unwanted side-effects.
Combining acupuncture with counselling stress management
- Read more about acupuncture and anxiety
- For a natural way to calm the spirit, remedy insomnia and restlessness read my post on Healing Lotus Seeds and post on Rose Buds
