Depression is now a common health issue in modern life. But there are some promising recent studies showing how acupuncture can treat depression and stress.
So how does acupuncture works in this case?
The acupuncturist inserts fine needles into certain identified acupuncture points known as “meridians- energy channels” which run throughout the body and correspond to certain organs. Meridians can be thought of as channels of energy, or “qi” in traditional Chinese medicine. Acupuncture works by getting rid of the blockage in the meridians. When there is congestion in the Meridians, energy gets blocked. When the meridians are clear (no blockage), the qi starts flowing freely. For example, the emotion of liver in Chinese medicine is anger. When the qi is blocked it can cause liver qi stagnation, which can result in anger. At the same time someone gets angry a lot, flow of liver qi gets blocked as well. Scientific studies shows that acupuncture significantly reduce anxiety and stress as well as improve depression.
It’s important to note that most of these conditions require an initial 10 or more acupuncture sessions. Once a significant improvement is reached, you can then move to a fortnightly or monthly session.
Acupuncture obviously can’t always treat moderate or severe depression alone and you should consult your doctor before going off or reducing any medication. But, experience have shown that the acupuncture can help in reducing the level of depression, anxiety, and stress.
During acupuncture session, patient lies quietly on the table with low lighting and relaxing music. After acupuncture one feels very relax and blissful.
