There are dozens of things you can feel anxious about at any given time. Feeling worry or stress is a normal part of life and approximately 2 out of 5 Canadians report feeling some levels of anxiety in the past year. What becomes troublesome is when anxiety begins to take over your life, affecting your thoughts on a daily basis, interrupting your sleep and stopping you from doing the things you once loved.
People who have noticed their anxiety levels grow from mild to moderate have begun searching for different ways to help before turning to medication. In this hunt, there has been growing research to support the use of acupuncture to treat anxiety and anxiety-related conditions. If you are searching for acupuncture in Edmonton to help your anxiety, you have come to the right spot.
What is Anxiety?
While everyone feels some level of anxiety in their lifetime, people with anxiety disorders feel strong and persistent worry about everyday situations. It can come in sudden bursts of emotions or prolonged feelings of intense anxiety that span several days.
Intense feelings of anxiety can affect every part of your life. It can interfere with your work, stop you from participating in activities you once loved and change the way you interact with friends, family and your surroundings.
Examples of anxiety disorders include:
Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Social Anxiety Disorder (social phobia)
Specific Phobias
Separation Anxiety Disorder
Sometimes anxiety results from a medical condition that needs treatment and some people can have multiple anxiety disorders at the same time.
What is Acupuncture?
Acupuncture is a practice that comes from traditional Chinese medicine and is used to stimulate the balance and flow of energy in the body. When the energy in the body is disordered or blocked, it can cause illness in the body.
Acupuncturists place very thin steel needles into specific points on the body to stimulate the flow of energy and relieve a variety of health conditions, including anxiety. Acupuncture has also been proven to relieve pain, improve mood and digestion, boost energy and more.
Can Acupuncture Help My Anxiety?
There is a growing body of recent evidence that suggests acupuncture is a powerful and effective tool that can help treat anxiety.
A study published in 2021 by the Annals of General Psychiatry used Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on the effectiveness of acupuncture on anxiety disorders and found that acupuncture was more effective than the control condition and had positive outcomes when compared with patients who received no acupuncture treatment.
In 2017, The Acupuncture Evidence Project put together a comparative review of the clinical and scientific evidence for the treatment of anxiety with acupuncture. Their findings indicated that acupuncture was moderately effective in treating anxiety. To support this, they published a 2016 systematic review with over 400 randomized patients that found ‘the effects from acupuncture for treating anxiety have been shown to be significant as compared to conventional treatments.’
In another study of 120 randomized patients, they concluded that anxiety and depression symptoms were reduced by almost half when compared to conventional treatments including medication approaches and psychotherapy.
Are There Any Risks Associated With Acupuncture?
Acupuncture is a safe and effective form of alternative medicine. There are little to no risks associated with acupuncture when performed by a licensed professional like myself. Common side effects include soreness and minor bleeding or bruising where the needles were inserted. However, acupuncture is not for everyone and you should always disclose if you have a bleeding disorder, a pacemaker or are pregnant before seeking treatment.
Schedule Your First Acupuncture Appointment in West Edmonton
If you have noticed an increase in your anxiety levels lately and are looking for different approaches centred around alternative medicine and holistic healing, acupuncture is a great place to start. While more research is being done on the extent of the benefits of acupuncture to help anxiety, early evidence suggests it can play a significant role in the treatment of symptoms.
As a Licensed and Registered acupuncturist in Edmonton, I have seen firsthand the benefits it has had on dozens of patients looking for relief from stress and anxiety. With the risk levels being low, why not see if acupuncture can be a fit for you? My clinic is located at 9803 152 St NW in Edmonton. Book an appointment online and contact me today for a complimentary consultation.