Studies Reveal PTSD Symptoms Can Be Alleviated By Acupuncture

PTSD or post-traumatic stress disorder can lead to substantial impairment in a person. It can affect anyone and is a long-term and serious psychological response to a harrowing event. PTSD may develop after the person has been exposed to a major traumatic event (such as military combat, violent personal assault, or a serious accident).

People react to extremely distressful situations in different ways. These events may cause physical manifestations such as lethargy, tiredness, or illness or show up as symptoms such as irregular sleep patterns, lank hair, dull skin, or tight sore muscles. Withdrawal, jealousy, paranoia, confusion, frustration, anger, mood swings, or depression can be generated by severe mental stress. PTSD has telltale signs that include forgetfulness of the event that triggered the condition, incapacity to experience feelings, concentration difficulties, irritability, and insomnia, hyper-arousal, nightmares or flashbacks when asleep, and vivid memories of the traumatic event.

Approximately as early as a month after the traumatic event, symptoms can arise although in about 15% of people with PTSD, symptoms manifest months or even years after the event. More or less, though the symptoms commonly appear after or before 6 months after the event. The good news is that about 65% of adult PTSD resolves by itself several months after the event. In the other 35%, symptoms can last much longer and are rather quite severe.

Relaxation and cognitive behavioral therapies and medications such as anti-anxiety meds are the common Western conventional treatments for PTSD.

Acupuncture Treatment for PTSD

Preliminary clinical studies have shown acupuncture to be a promising treatment for PTSD-related chronic anxiety. Four RCTs (randomized clinical trials) reviewed suggested that acupuncture was equal, if not superior to Western treatments, or when combined to conventional therapies boosted the effects of the treatment. Three of the four studies (all done in China) used a combination of paroxetine and electro-acupuncture to help improve the PTSD score of the subjects who where all earthquake survivors. The results showed that both paroxetine and electro-acupuncture vastly improved PTSD scores, but that electro-acupuncture showed a much greater improvement than paroxetine. The studies also revealed that the benefits of electro-acupuncture lingered for at least a few months more after the study concluded.

Another review analyzed a study that observed the psychological impact of acupoint stimulation for the treatment of PTSD and other emotional conditions. The study revealed the maladaptive fear responses to traumatic memories were significantly reduced by tapping on selected acupoints.

These studies provide evidence showing acupuncture to be a promising alternative form of treatment for PTSD. And because acupuncture tends to have very few and minor side effects not to mention produces superior outcomes compared to other interventions, it should be considered as one viable therapeutic option alongside existing therapies.

All in all, acupuncture is known to stimulate the release of neurochemical messenger molecules and activate the nervous system which leads to emotional and physical well-being and homeostatic balance.

Studies reveal that acupuncture has certain benefits that help quell anxiety disorders and the symptoms of stress and anxiety. It does this by:

-Reducing the levels of inflammatory cytokines related to stress reactions
-Stimulating endogenous opioid production affecting the autonomic nervous system: Acupuncture helps relax the body by stimulating the parasympathetic nervous system that opposes the sympathetic nervous system which is activated by stress.
-Elevating feel-good hormone and neurotransmitter levels such as ACTH, neuropeptide Y, GABA, dopamine, noradrenaline, and serotonin which helps neutralize stress, anxiety, depression, and other negative states.
-Acting on parts of the brain that are known to lessen sensitivity to stress and anxiety.

Bhakti Acupuncture
7550 France Ave S #220
Edina, MN 55435
Phone: (952) 230-1394
bhaktiacupuncture.com