If you live in Sarasota, Bradenton or Lakewood Ranch, Florida and are struggling with stress and are looking for natural stress relief then you have come to the right place. Stress seems to affect so many of us. If you find yourself feeling overwhelmed emotionally and life seems to be too much to handle sometimes then know that a visit to your acupuncture physician for acupuncture can help relieve this stress naturally and even better than you probably ever imagined.
In Chinese medicine stress is viewed as an imbalance in the body. Here’s a little explanation on what’s really going on inside when one is under stress. First, there are 12 main meridians, or energetic pathways, inside the body. Within these pathways qi (prononced “chi”) or the lifeforce or energy in the body flows. When this energy becomes blocked we have imbalances.
When you are dealing with stress, the liver meridian is typically the one that is out of balance. Please understand that this does not necessarily mean that something is wrong with your liver. It just means that the qi in the liver meridian is stagnated and not flowing the way it should. In Chinese medicine we call this “liver qi stagnation.” Symptoms of liver qi stagnation are stress, irritability, frustration, frequent sighing, anger or angry outbursts, PMS in women, possible rib-side constraint or pain and depression. You don’t always have to have all of these symptoms to have liver qi stagnation, but if you suffer from 2-3 of these then you most likely have an imbalance in your liver meridian.
The good news is that acupuncture and Chinese herbals excel in treating stress. Acupuncture points are selected on the body to specifically unblock the qi where it is stagnated and allow it to flow more freely. When there is a free flow of qi, stress is relieved. For those that are more Western-minded, know that acupuncture produces endorphins which are natural stress relievers in the brain.
Acupuncture for stress release is generally a painless and relaxing experience. The needles used are so tiny that you can actually fit about 20 acupuncture needles inside a hyperdermic needle! You can bend acupuncture needles and tie them in knots so really they are pretty non-threatening even to people who hate needles. All you usually feel is the tiniest prick and a lot of times nothing at all. I’ve had patients who are so terrified of needles tell me after the initial needle is inserted that it was really no big deal at all! Most patients are so relaxed during a treatment that they zone out and go to sleep. Most also describe an immediate calm sensation following their treatment that continues for quite some time after.
To ramp up the treatment effects of acupuncture, I usually prescribe an herbal formula for patients to take on a daily basis. Herbs are very powerful yet very safe when prescribed by a competent practitioner. They are known to work as natural anti-depressants yet the difference is that they treat the underlying cause of stress in the body not just mask symptoms. The most common formulas for treating stress are Xiao Yao San or Chai Hu Shu Gan Tang. Patients taking these have reported back to me that things that use to bother and stress them out are no longer effecting them and that is a beautiful thing!
So, if you live in Sarasota, Bradenton or Lakewood Ranch, Florida and you are stressed out and looking for natural stress relief then know that a visit to your acupuncture physician could be exactly what you need. There is no need to continue to suffer when effective treatment options like acupuncture exist. If you are ready to take your health into your own hands, then call Lakewood Ranch Acupuncture and Wellness so we can discuss your health needs, possibly set up your first appointment and get you feeling better and started on the path to living the life you desire fostered by peace. We are never too busy to help you!
