Stress, and how acupuncture can help.

Life is stressful, and stress is almost unavoidable in the fast-paced, demanding lifestyle of today. The body naturally responds to stressful situations by releasing the hormone cortisol, and initiating the ‘fight or flight’ response, which helps us to make decisions in these situations. However, when we are stressed for long periods of time, and our bodies are constantly in this state of ‘fight or flight’, this can develop in to other conditions such as high blood pressure, chronic fatigue, headaches, digestive issues, anxiety and depression.

In Chinese Medicine, stress slows and disrupts the circulation of substances through the body, namely Qi and Blood. The Liver* is responsible for maintaining the smooth flow of Qi, which is why ‘Liver Qi Stagnation’ is one of the most common diagnoses TCM Practitioners make when we see patients with stress. Common physical symptoms of Liver Qi Stagnation include muscular tension (especially of the neck and shoulders), headaches, discomfort in the sides of the ribs and chest tightness. Other symptoms occur as a result of secondary damage to other body systems, which all become affected when our Qi is not circulating as it should. Digestive symptoms such as loose or hard bowel motions, as well as sleep problems, a lack of energy, depression, anxiety and feelings of heat may also occur with excessive stress and stagnation.

The relationship between stress and these other symptoms is through the organ-channel systems and inter-connectedness of the body that is emphasised throughout Chinese Medical theory. This ancient, holistic view of the body remains relevant and useful as stress and mood disorders become more prevalent in modern society. Many are beginning to opt for natural relief alternatives such as acupuncture and herbs to relieve symptoms of stress and relax the body and mind.

Researchers have investigated the calming effect that many people experience with acupuncture (something I like to refer to as ‘acu-land’). It has been suggested that acupuncture stimulates the release of, and alters the levels of neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine, which assists in emotional regulation. A study performed in 2015 by Bosch et al. found that acupuncture is effective for improving quality of life, sleep and mood in people suffering from depression.

*Note- Organs and substances mentioned in this report relate to the Chinese Medicine understanding of Blood or organ-channel system function, not the Western biomedical concepts. As such, unless there is a Western Medical problem, the organs mentioned in this report are unlikely to show up in blood tests or ultra sounds showing dysfunction.

Bosch P, van den Noort M, Staudte H, Lim S. Schizophrenia and Depression: A systematic Review of the Effectiveness and the Working Mechanisms Behind Acupuncture. Explore (NY). 2015 Jul-Aug;11(4):281-91. doi: 10.1016/j.explore.2015.04.004. Epub 2015 Apr 28.

Cheng K, Neurobiological Mechanisms of Acupuncture for Some Common Illnesses: A Clinician's Perspective, Journal of Acupuncture and Meridian Studies, Volume 7, Issue 3,

2014, Pages 105-114, ISSN 2005-2901.