STRESS RELIEF
Ashford Kent

Many people have found that acupuncture can be effective in helping to treat stress and the various conditions that are symptomatic of stress. These include insomnia, back pain, migraines, anxiety and depression. Acupuncture aims to treat each person individually and an acupuncturist will recognise that each individual will have a unique experience of their problem. The practitioner will apply a number of different diagnostic processes to gain a picture of the health of your body such as feeling pulses and looking at your tongue to help identify imbalance in Qi, the body’s motivating energy. Any imbalances are addressed by inserting ultra fine needles into specific points in the body to restore the balance of Qi. With regards to stress an acupuncturist will aim to identify what imbalances are causing the symptoms of stress, rather than treating the condition in isolation. Acupuncture has been found to be effective in treating various stress related conditions: • Back Pain: One of the ways in which acupuncture can help back pain is by improving muscle stiffness and joint mobility. Acupuncture can increase local microcirculation (Komori 2009), which helps reduce swelling and bruising • IBS: Stress activates the sympathetic nervous system, which can stimulate colon spasms, resulting in abdominal discomfort. In people with IBS, the colon can be oversensitive to the smallest amount of conflict or stress. Acupuncture activates the opposing parasympathetic nervous system, which initiates the relaxation or ‘rest and digest’ response. Dr Nick Read from the Gut Trust says: “Complementary therapies treat the whole person, body and mind in the context of a person’s life. Acupuncture uses the stimulation of fine needles inserted into the skin to induce a feeling of relaxation and confidence that helps people cope with stress related illnesses such as IBS.” • Migraines: By stimulating nerves located in muscles and other tissues, acupuncture leads to release of endorphins and other neurochumoral factors and changes the processing of pain in the brain and spinal cord, promoting pain relief (Zhao 2008, Zijlstra 2003, Pomeranz,1987) Lee Tomkins, Director, Migraine Action says: “Traditional medication for managing migraine isn’t always the first choice for migraineurs, particularly for those people who have suffered for a number of years and tried many treatments without success. Some migraineurs prefer to look at complementary therapies, such as acupuncture, to manage their condition as part of an overall migraine management plan. Many of our members have reported that acupuncture can help provide short term pain relief and increases their overall sense of well-being, so they can stay healthy in-between migraine attacks, and it may even contribute to a quicker recovery period after the migraine has diminished.” • Chronic Fatigue: Reducing inflammation by promoting release of vascular and immunomodulatory factors (Kavoussi 2007, Zijlstra 2003). • Anxiety: Acupuncture can alter the brain’s mood chemistry, reducing serotonin levels (Zhou et al, 2008) and increasing endorphins (Han, 2004) and neuropeptide Y levels (Lee et al, 2009), which can help to combat negative anxiety • Depression: Acupuncture is believed to stimulate the nervous system and cause the release of neurochemical messenger molecules. The resulting biochemical changes influence the body's homeostatic mechanisms, thus promoting physical and emotional wellbeing • Insomnia: Acupuncture can alter the brain’s mood chemistry, reducing serotonin levels (Zhou et al, 2008) and increasing endorphins (Han, 2004) and neuropeptide Y levels (Lee et al, 2009), which can help to improve sleep