Feeling Anxious? Acupuncture Might Be Worth A Try.

In the last few years, stress and anxiety have become an epidemic and according to Mental Health UK, they affect more than 8 million people at any one time.

Whilst conventional treatment options such as medication and talking therapies are available, recent scientific research has supported the effectiveness of acupuncture for anxiety. A recent systematic review published in 2018, found that all 13 included studies “reported an anxiety decrease for their treatment group relative to the control groups“. Three of the studies use pharmaceuticals as controls, indicating that acupuncture could be more effective than pharmacotherapy. Acupuncture can also work alongside drug therapy and may help relieve any medication side effects.

Acupuncture has been shown to increase the release of endorphins. The body’s own ‘feel-good’ chemicals, that play a very important role in the regulation of emotional and physical stress responses, such as pain, heart rate, blood pressure and digestive function. These acupuncture mechanisms may have a direct effect of reducing anxiety and restoring a sense of calm to your life.

It is important to add that the benefits of acupuncture for stress and anxiety build up over time with repeated sessions. This is because acupuncture works to balance the parasympathetic and sympathetic branches of the autonomic nervous system and this can help people move from a state of stress and tension to one of relaxation.