Whether acupuncture treats stress is one of the most frequent questions I get. When you think about it, it's a pretty odd question because stress isn't a disease, disorder or even a symptom. Stress is an outside force applied to an object. The idea had no medical relevance or reference point at all until the 1930's. A research scientist named Hans Selye conducted what turned out to be a failed experiment to determine the function of the mystery substance secreted by the ovaries. Because he was generally a horrific animal handler, he inadvertently terrorized the rats by having to chase them all around his lab to corner and catch them. They all developed ulcers, enlarged adrenal glands, and shrunken immune tissues. Selye found out nothing about the mysterious secretion from ovaries, but he did reason that all of the symptoms he induced in his rats were a response to "general unpleasantness," which he ultimately came to refer to as stress.
To really answer the question of whether acupuncture treats stress, we have to further define the question. I think there are two main factors relating to stress that are the focus of the inquiry. First is determining whether we can treat the bodily effects of stress. The second factor is addressing how a person copes with stress. This factor is arguably far more important than the first. Regardless, in my clinical experience, acupuncture effectively addresses stress on both scores.
Back to Mr. Selye for a moment. He later confirmed his earlier findings with further studies (subjecting his lab rats to all manor of unpleasantness) and developed the General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS) theory of stress. The GAS theory postulates that the effect of stress on the body develops in three stages: alarm, resistance, and exhaustion. For all three stages of the effects of stress, we are primarily talking about the relative levels of the stress hormones adrenaline and cortisol. During alarm, levels rise. This is often referred to as our "fight or flight" response. It's a great adaptation if we're running away from a lion, but less so if we just go back to our cubicles, stew about the event and eat a doughnut. During the second stage, resistance, stress hormone levels go back down, as we either adapt or the stressor resolves. In other words, we get over it and recover. What happens to most of us, however, is the stressful situation persists, we don't particularly "get over it," and the body remains in a constant state of alarm. That leads to the third stage of exhaustion or burn out. We really don't know the full effects of prolonged, chronic stress. But we do know that it depletes the immune system, injures brain tissue, raises blood pressure, and contributes to heart disease. These effects are all factors that can be addressed with acupuncture and Chinese medicine. But that isn't the most interesting part . . .
A wonderful piece of wisdom from the Chinese medical classics is that prevention is a far superior healing method than cure. In other words, shifting a person's ability to cope with stress counts for more than the stress itself. When talking about stress with my patients, I tell them that acupuncture cannot make stress go away, as life has unavoidable stressors in it. All we really have power over is our internal reaction to those stressors. I liken life to being in a boat on the ocean. We face waves. Some waves are really big and others pretty small. Rare is the wave that can truly capsize us, i.e., the life threatening variety. One of our big problems in dealing with "stress" in modern society is that we tend to think that most, if not all, waves are of the capsizing magnitude and react internally as such. One of the most profound effects of acupuncture treatment is that it can help us regain that sense of perspective and not react to every situation as if a lion was chasing us. (Sorry about the mixture of metaphors!) This shift of perspective is perhaps the greatest protector against stress and its nasty effects. If we don't get revved up in the first place, we don't get to either stage 2 or 3.
Of course, every now and then we face a pretty big wave. Maybe it doesn't kill us, but it knocks us out of the boat. Because acupuncture treatment helps us keep better mentally balanced, we do better in the recovery mode of stage 2. We make a fair assessment of the damage, put it into proper perspective and move on. Again, no need to get to stage 3.
In truth, there are many practices that help us combat stress. Meditation, yoga, tai chi, even gardening if you find it relaxing. In my experience, both as patient and practitioner, acupuncture treatment is an invaluable tool, either alone or with other practices, for effectively managing stress.
To really answer the question of whether acupuncture treats stress, we have to further define the question. I think there are two main factors relating to stress that are the focus of the inquiry. First is determining whether we can treat the bodily effects of stress. The second factor is addressing how a person copes with stress. This factor is arguably far more important than the first. Regardless, in my clinical experience, acupuncture effectively addresses stress on both scores.
Back to Mr. Selye for a moment. He later confirmed his earlier findings with further studies (subjecting his lab rats to all manor of unpleasantness) and developed the General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS) theory of stress. The GAS theory postulates that the effect of stress on the body develops in three stages: alarm, resistance, and exhaustion. For all three stages of the effects of stress, we are primarily talking about the relative levels of the stress hormones adrenaline and cortisol. During alarm, levels rise. This is often referred to as our "fight or flight" response. It's a great adaptation if we're running away from a lion, but less so if we just go back to our cubicles, stew about the event and eat a doughnut. During the second stage, resistance, stress hormone levels go back down, as we either adapt or the stressor resolves. In other words, we get over it and recover. What happens to most of us, however, is the stressful situation persists, we don't particularly "get over it," and the body remains in a constant state of alarm. That leads to the third stage of exhaustion or burn out. We really don't know the full effects of prolonged, chronic stress. But we do know that it depletes the immune system, injures brain tissue, raises blood pressure, and contributes to heart disease. These effects are all factors that can be addressed with acupuncture and Chinese medicine. But that isn't the most interesting part . . .
A wonderful piece of wisdom from the Chinese medical classics is that prevention is a far superior healing method than cure. In other words, shifting a person's ability to cope with stress counts for more than the stress itself. When talking about stress with my patients, I tell them that acupuncture cannot make stress go away, as life has unavoidable stressors in it. All we really have power over is our internal reaction to those stressors. I liken life to being in a boat on the ocean. We face waves. Some waves are really big and others pretty small. Rare is the wave that can truly capsize us, i.e., the life threatening variety. One of our big problems in dealing with "stress" in modern society is that we tend to think that most, if not all, waves are of the capsizing magnitude and react internally as such. One of the most profound effects of acupuncture treatment is that it can help us regain that sense of perspective and not react to every situation as if a lion was chasing us. (Sorry about the mixture of metaphors!) This shift of perspective is perhaps the greatest protector against stress and its nasty effects. If we don't get revved up in the first place, we don't get to either stage 2 or 3.
Of course, every now and then we face a pretty big wave. Maybe it doesn't kill us, but it knocks us out of the boat. Because acupuncture treatment helps us keep better mentally balanced, we do better in the recovery mode of stage 2. We make a fair assessment of the damage, put it into proper perspective and move on. Again, no need to get to stage 3.
In truth, there are many practices that help us combat stress. Meditation, yoga, tai chi, even gardening if you find it relaxing. In my experience, both as patient and practitioner, acupuncture treatment is an invaluable tool, either alone or with other practices, for effectively managing stress.
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