How Acupuncture can Relieve Stress

By Jaimi Jansen

Stress is an everyday part of the lives of most Americans.  Whether it comes from a busy schedule, family or health problems, stress does nothing more than aggravate the present situation and often makes one susceptible to even more stress.  Acupuncture is an excellent non-prescription therapeutic practice that has been proven to help relieve stress and promote overall well-being.

Acupuncture is an ancient form of medicine whose roots date past 100 B.C. This incredible form of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has proven to be effective for years and has survived the test of time from generation to generation.  Studies of this ancient form of healing only further prove its effectiveness and ability to promote nervous, hormonal, digestive, immune, and cardiovascular stability.

So, What is Acupuncture?

The goal of acupuncture is to promote and restore the balance of energy in the body, which promotes natural self-healing by stimulating very specific anatomic sites.  Acupuncture is a form of physical therapy in which very fine, sterilized needles are inserted into the outermost surface of the patient’s skin to stimulate the anatomical sites known as “meridians.”

Meridians are defined as the pathways from which “qi” (or chi) flow in the body.  Acupuncture is able to release blocked sites of qi which attribute to specific problems such as anger, indigestion, anxiety, chronic pain, insomnia, and even fertility.

These sites are associated with specific organs and emotions. The heart, for example, is associated with joy, while the lungs and liver are associated with sadness and anger respectively.

Qi and the Human Body

Many skeptics of acupuncture give the cold shoulder to the idea of qi, energy flow, and the ability of acupuncture to promote and restore health via meridians that affect this energy flow.  However, what one must take into consideration when thinking of energy is that the human body is essentially energy at its core, and relies heavily on energy pathways to perform basic functions.

At an atomic level, each and every molecule in our body possesses some form of chemical charge which helps determine how it will interact with other compounds in nature.  These charges and interactions between molecules are based on energy!

How Does it Helps with Stress

Acupuncture is effective on its own, but is often accompanied by other forms of “Acustimulation Techniques” such as massage, cupping, aromatherapy, and the application of topical remedies.  In conjunction, these techniques help a patient have a relaxing session in which only the present moment matters and all other worries can be put aside.  Acupuncture has been found to help ease the stress of daily life through its release of endorphins, also known as the brain’s “feel-good” chemicals, and through restoring the natural flow of qi.