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Acupuncture For Anxiety & Depression
Sometimes life just gets hard and we need support both emotionally and physically to get over hurdles. Society expects a lot from us and we are far too regularly, running from one place to another with zero downtime or opportunities to take care of ourselves. There are also times when things are just “off” inside. Biochemical factors such as a chemical imbalance in the brain also has been proven to cause anxiety & depression.
Acupuncture for anxiety & depression can reduce physical symptoms such as tightness in the chest, rapid heartbeat and breathing, digestive disturbance, headache and insomnia. It can also reduce the mental/emotional symptoms and instill a feeling of calm and peace. Patients using anti-anxiety or anti-depressive medications are often able to reduce their dosage while achieving greater effectiveness.
SOME CONDITIONS WE TREAT:
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generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)
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panic disorder
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social anxiety disorder
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post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
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obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
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seasonal affected disorder (SAD)
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postpartum depression
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acute/chronic depression
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insomnia
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anger, no patience
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Shall we dive a little deeper?
We shall! Please continue reading...
According to Chinese Medicine, anxiety is a general term that indicates a chronic state of fear and uneasiness. It does NOT mean that the only emotions that lead to anxiety are fear. It may also come from worry, excess joy, shock, guilt or shame. Any of those emotions may lead to a stagnation of thought process, emotions or even life circumstances.
Some individuals have a propensity towards anxiety and it may even be hereditary. With Chinese medicine and lifestyle changes we can mitigate the side effects of stagnating emotions. We can minimize the natural tendency towards anxiety, depression and worry.
What does a treatment for anxiety look like?
In simple terms acupuncture, diet and herbs. You will most likely be asked to keep a food journal because it’s important to know what you’re putting in your body. You already know the phrase “you are what you eat!” But we really break it down to a scientific and even Chinese medicine level. It’s functional medicine at it’s finest.
The 2020 Vision for the Future of Acupuncture: Anxiety & Depression
In a small double-blind sham-controlled study, 36 mildly depressed or anxious patients were randomized to either an acupuncture protocol traditionally used by Chinese medical practitioners to treat anxiety or to a sham acupuncture protocol (i.e. acupuncture points believed to have no beneficial effects.). All patients received 3 treatments. Heart rate variability (HRV) and mean heart rate were measured at 5 & 15 minutes following treatment. Resting heart rate was significantly lower in the treatment group but not in the sham group., and changes in HRV measure suggested that acupuncture may have changed the autonomic activity resulting in a reduction of overall anxiety.
"I’ve been seeing Cory since 2016 for emotional and physical wellness. Acupuncture and Chinese herbs helped me recover from a traumatic event and I see him now for neck/shoulder/back pain. He always has great big brotherly-type sage advice and takes a holistic approach of blending intuition and science in his treatments and recommendations for me. I highly recommend his services for anyone who wants to feel better." -Shauna
