How Acupuncture Can Help Your Overall Wellness
Acupuncture is an effective Traditional Chinese Medicine treatment that has been used in many cultures for thousands of years. The process of acupuncture includes inserting an extremely fine needle into various pressure points on the body in order to relieve symptoms.
Whether you are suffering from Eczema, Anxiety, or anything in between, acupuncture can be a great solution for you! Here is how acupuncture can benefit your overall wellness:
Eczema
Eczema is a common skin condition that affects 35 million Americans. Of those 35 million, 1 to 3 percent are adults, and 10 to 20 percent are children. 70 percent of those eczema cases were diagnosed in children younger than 5 years old, and about 60 percent of infants who have eczema continue to have one or more symptoms in adulthood.
The hallmark of eczema is severe itchy skin. The constant scratching and irritation can be so bad it’s debilitating. And this contact scratching of skin can destroy the natural skin barrier, which leads to bleeding and infection. Many people find that ointments and antihistamines don’t stop the itch after continuous use and search for alternative solutions. That is where acupuncture helps tremendously.
According to DermNet, “they [researchers] believe that acupuncture might work by the stimulation of Raphe nuclei, which increases serotonin production. This, in turn, sets off a series of reactions that culminates in the increase of glucocorticoids that modulate inflammation and other aspects of the body’s immune response. Since many skin conditions are at least in part inflammatory, acupuncture may have a positive effect through the reduction of inflammation.” These factors could also be responsible for healing lesions, as well as the normalizing and thickening of the skin.
Pain Relief
Acupuncture can also aid in pain relief for chronic sufferers! During acupuncture extremely fine needles are inserted into the skin in specific parts of the body also referred to as "acupoints." Once the needles have been inserted into the skin, they relieve pain by releasing endorphins, which is the body's natural pain-killing chemicals. This also affects the part of the brain that controls serotonin, which helps to elevate the recipient's mood.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, a practitioner of acupuncture (also known as an acupuncturist) typically inserts 4 to 10 needles in various acupoints and leaves them in place for about 10 to 30 minutes while the recipient stays still and relaxed. Many patients who suffer from chronic pain are typically prescribed a course of treatment that includes 6 to 12 sessions over a three-month period.
Stress Management
But acupuncture can relieve more than just physical discomfort. It can also help with stress management and anxiety disorders. It has been reported that more than 40 million adults living in the United States suffer from symptoms of anxiety, and many find that it negatively impacts their daily lives. When acupuncture is used in conjunction with therapy and medication it can make a world of difference for those who are suffering.
Several studies have been done to show acupuncture’s positive effects on anxiety and stress. According to Healthline: “One promising study from 2015, for example, found that acupuncture improved symptoms in people with anxiety that didn’t respond to other treatments, including psychotherapy and medication. Participants received ten 30-minute sessions of acupuncture over the course of 12 weeks. They experienced a significant reduction in their anxiety, even 10 weeks after treatment.” They also noted, however, that many studies on the subject are not very reliable. “Some had very few participants — including the one mentioned above — while others were poorly designed.”
But even despite these concerns with the structure of the studies, they admit, if nothing else, acupuncture does not have any negative effects on anxiety. “In a more recent 2016 study on rats, acupuncture was found to be effective for reducing anxiety. The researchers suggested that it impacts how the body triggers the fight-or-flight response. While we need to better understand how acupuncture affects anxiety, panic attacks, and phobias, research is showing promise for acupuncture as a viable and safe option. If you have anxiety that hasn’t responded to other treatment methods, or you’re simply interested in trying something new, acupuncture shouldn’t worsen your symptoms.”
Bottomline
Whether your symptoms are external or internal, acupuncture can be a great solution for those who have tried many traditional treatments and did not find them to be effective.
Dr. Wang Herbal Skincare co-founder Steven Wang, MD has enjoyed a long and successful career as a board-certified dermatologist. He currently holds the title of Director of Dermatologic Surgery and Dermatology at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City. Dr. Wang and his father Gui Wang, a licensed acupuncturist with over 40 years of experience, have teamed up to create Dr. Wang Herbal Skincare.
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