We all have stress in our lives. Whether you’re having a bad day at work, your kids are totally out of control, or you just discovered a plumbing leak in your basement, stress is here to stay.
It’s a fact of life, and in fact stress is what keeps your days interesting, but only up to a point.
A little bit of conflict or stress adds spice to your life, but when stress gets out of control or never calms down, it can affect your health, and not in a good way. That’s because your body reacts to stress with a variety of physiological changes.
When you feel threatened, your body responds by kicking into the Fight or Flight mode to enable you to deal with the immediate danger.
Your heart rate increases, blood is directed to your larger muscles, and you get a burst of energy which enables you to act quickly. Your body also slows down the systems that aren’t needed in the moment, such as digestion, immunity, and some cognitive functions.
The Fight or Flight response is ideal in helping you respond to threatening episodes. Once the threat has passed however, your body calms down and returns to normal. The problem is that for many people the nature of their lives is that they are bombarded by constant stress, such as an ailing family member, an unbearable co-worker, or financial problems.
It’s the stressors that don’t go away that can make you sick, because you are physiologically not able to break free of the Fight or Flight response and allow your body to calm down and return to normal. As a result, you may experience digestive problems, frequent illnesses, sleep issues, irritability, and fatigue. The bottom line is that over the long run, persistent stress wears you down and makes you sick.
One of the best kept secrets in the world of health is that acupuncture can be an effective, drug-free way to help you deal with stress, and a number of research studies back this up.
Researchers have found that acupuncture can inhibit your sympathetic nervous system responsible for the Fight or Flight response, lower blood pressure, and reduce symptoms in people suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD,) for as long as three months after treatment. In addition, acupuncture affects the neurotransmitters in your brain, most notably endorphins, which are responsible for a feel-good, calming response.
If you seek out acupuncture to treat your stress or any stress-related health issues, your practitioner will devise a treatment strategy based on your unique health history and symptoms. They may also combine Chinese herbs, body work, cupping, dietary therapy, and lifestyle modifications into your treatment plan.
In addition, if you’ve never had acupuncture, you may be surprised at how relaxing the treatments are. You will rest quietly in a comfortable room, often with soothing music, while the acupuncture does its work.
If you are struggling with stress or symptoms related to stress and want to know more about how acupuncture may help, contact us today to set up a Free Consultation to answer any and all of your questions.
