Treat Stress With Acupuncture
Acupuncture, one of the main components of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), helps to relieve stress. Although it was in use for thousands of years, a new study finally helps us understand why acupuncture helps in relieving stress.
The study done by researchers at Georgetown University Medical Center explores how acupuncture uses the biological mechanisms to relieve stress, an area that science didn’t completely understand. According to the study, the researchers found that the level of stress hormones was lower when the rats were given electronic acupuncture. The researchers published the results in the Journal of Endocrinology.
The associate professor of nursing at Georgetown University School of Nursing and Health Studies, Dr. Ladan Eshkevari was one of the researchers. According to her, the practitioners of acupuncture found that this ancient practice was capable of reducing stress in their patients. However, they didn’t have any biological proof to back their observation. By understanding what takes place at the molecular level when patients receive acupuncture, helps in understanding the benefits of this ancient practice.
The study
The researchers designed a handful of tests to ensure the rats receiving electronic acupuncture, got the same dosage of pressure. Eshkevari targeted the needle on the ‘Zusanli’ point or the area that is just below the knee. By stimulating this area, acupuncture relieves stress in humans and rats.
The rats were split into the following four groups to understand the effects of electronic acupuncture:
- The first group was the control group; no stress and no treatment.
- The second group was stressed out every day for an hour. However, they didn’t receive acupuncture.
- The third group had to face stress for an hour every day. Fake acupuncture treatment was administered to their tails.
- The fourth group got acupuncture on the Zusanli area after the rats faced stress.
The result
When the body is under stress, it secretes a variety of hormones into the rat’s bloodstream, which was measured by the researchers. They also measured the level of hormones secreted by the adrenal gland, pituitary gland, and hypothalamus. Together, these three areas are called hypothalamus pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis. They also observed a peptide which is a component of fight or flight response in animals, known as NPY.
The researchers found that acupuncture is effective in blocking out hormones and peptides of HPA axis and NPY pathway respectively. As a result of this, rats that had to face stress felt relieved when they received electronic acupuncture.
As stress can lead to brain shrinkage, heart diseases, and many other medical conditions, these findings were extremely useful. Also, they support the fact that acupuncture is effective in fighting against stress. The best part about acupuncture is that it isn’t like Western medicine; there are no side effects after you receive acupuncture.
Are you interested in getting acupuncture to relieve your stress? If yes, then why don’t you take an appointment at Acupuncture of Columbus. This acupuncture clinic has been open since 2006 and has been effectively treating patients that are under large amounts of stress.
For more information about how acupuncture and other treatments can help you, please contact the Urban Acupuncture Center Board Certified Licensed Acupuncturist’s team at Indianola Ave, Clintonville (614) 725-2488 | Main St, Westerville (614) 426-4406 or click here. Taking new patients in and around greater Columbus, Ohio.