Stress and Acupuncture  

                                                                                                    

       Stress is a common experience in our daily life. We feel stress when we encounter situations that irritate our emotions. Stress causes an individual to feel tension, pressure or negative sensation such as anger or anxiety. If managed properly, stress can motivate us to achieve to a higher level. On the other hand, chronic stress can lead to both physical and mental illness.

      Stress can be mild or temporary such as getting stuck in a traffic jam, or can be major or lasting such as taking care of a disabled child. The source of stress could be a sudden life threatening disaster that pushes people to the outer limits of their coping power. The September 11 Terrorist attack of NY is a good example that gave a great sum of people, both Americans and Non-Americans, a major and long-lasting stress.

     Major life changes, such as lost of a family member, is the most stressful event for adults. Divorce of the parents is one of the most stressful facts to adolescents. Although getting married is a joyful event but planning the weeding, dealing with two groups of family members, and deciding whom to invite or not to may cause new couples to suffer stress.

     In our lives much of the stress results from having to deal with daily annoyances pertaining to living circumstances, jobs, personal relationships and schooling. Often times, people face the same annoyances every single day. Researches demonstrated that one’s exposure to daily annoyance is actually more predictive of illness than exposure to major life events.

    Stress stimulates the autonomic nervous system of the body that increases the secretion of adrenaline and non-adrenaline. These substances induce increased heart rate, constricted vassals, and muscle rigidity. Subsequently, poor circulation in the internal organs weakens the heart, and decreased metabolism occurs. Another part of the stress response involves the hypothalamus and the pituitary gland that have the function of hormone regulation. When the stress persists for a long time, and the body is chronically overactive, exhaustion results. In the end the body is vulnerable to disease and even death. Anxiety, depression, and severe emotional problems developed.

      Acupuncture treatments can help the body to resolve the reactions to stress. By inserting needles in certain area of the body, the adverse effects induced by stress can be minimized or even eliminated. Acupuncture can effectively stimulate the autonomic nervous system to bring them into a balance state. The secretion of Adrenaline and non-adrenaline, the secretion of gastric acid, and the activity of bowel movement can then be regulated by acupuncture. Acupuncture also stimulates the mid-brain via the meridian as a way of regulating the secretion of hormones. 

      Acupuncture itself cannot make the source of stress disappear, but it can help your body, the internal organs and the mental state to be regulated and strengthened.  After treatment, one will experience a sense of well-being and a fresh mind. Physically, the body will return to its normal function. Mentally, one can adapt more easily to the stress and have more control to face and even resolve it.

      Acupuncture does not have chemical effects of drugs, thus side effects or addictions will not be a concern. Today, disposable and thin steel needles are used without problem of infection and pain suffering. Short courses of acupuncture can help the patients who are suffering low level or short-term stress by putting back oneself into a normal situation. For those who received chronic and long-term stress, a longer course of acupuncture treatments is needed.